Lynn Bonner of the News & Observer reports that some advocates for children are concerned that federal tax reform will lead to federal spending cuts.

Advocates for low-income children looked to a grim future following the U.S. Senate’s approval of a tax-cut bill last week, one in which more kids are hungry, go without medical care, and have a harder time getting help dealing with disabilities before they start school.

The Senate tax bill does not take direct aim at any food, health, or education programs, but it does add $1.4 trillion to the federal deficit by 2027, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

Bonner turned to our Mitch Kokai for thoughts on advocates’ predictions and the broader issue of reining federal spending.

In an interview, Mitch Kokai, senior political analyst at the conservative John Locke Foundation, said he looks forward to Congress following its tax cuts with spending cuts. The spending side of the equation “hasn’t gotten the attention it deserves,” he said.

But it’s a mistake for anyone to say they know where Congress will cut spending, Kokai said.

“I think it’s way too early to say where those cuts might be,” he said. “In some respects, this is like Chicken Little calling for the sky to fall.”

Read Lynn Bonner’s full story on the federal tax reform and spending issue here.