Whenever either party puts out a bill, or an idea of a bill, and it has to have a "name". 110% of the time, it's really, REALLY stupid and full of pork and other idiocy.

Im Gipper said:

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Tough row to hoe in the Senate?

WI Sen. Ron Johnson still a no on House-passed reconciliation bill on fiscal grounds, believes bill should be split up & demanding return to pre-pandemic spending

“Somebody's got to be the dad that says, ‘I know everybody wants to go to Disney World. We just can't afford it.’”

— Audrey Fahlberg (@AudreyFahlberg) May 22, 2025

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GOOD

No surprise, but bummer of a post from Elon on the spending bill.

I have come to the perhaps obvious conclusion that accelerating GDP growth is essential.@DOGE has and will do great work to postpone the day of bankruptcy of America, but the profligacy of government means that only radical improvements in productivity can save our country. https://t.co/UduLpr8jhA

— Kekius Maximus (@elonmusk) May 23, 2025

Unfortunately, to resolve the paper debt and to not truly head towards chaos, then you have to go ever faster.

I still do not share the doomsday. I think Elon is a dreamer, both of great things and an odd fixation with end game. First it was overcrowding of earth so we must go to Mars, then beyond mars but then we need a lot of people or it's all over regardless then I will save the government because debt will kill is then maybe not so now we need to grow faster.

He's like that crazed rodent from the Ice Age movies always slippering around for the elusive nut.

I like Elon and his brilliance and commitment to mankind is amazing, but I would not read too much into his downside predictions.

I think this dies in the Senate or gets changed and goes back to the House and dies.

Logos Stick said:

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samurai_science said:

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If senate makes changes it goes back to the House, but sounds like it's going to die?

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The Senate is going to nuke the $40k salt deduction for sure. Then it goes to conference, not to the House.

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I think its going to be more than that

Another senate tds rino

In case you needed a reminder, our national debt is currently at more than $36 trillion. That’s more than $323,000 per taxpayer, and Washington wants to add to that.

— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) May 23, 2025

Grandstand Rand needs to be primaried!

This is the new GOP. Spend baby spend!

BMX Bandit said:

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Another senate tds rino

In case you needed a reminder, our national debt is currently at more than $36 trillion. That’s more than $323,000 per taxpayer, and Washington wants to add to that.

— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) May 23, 2025

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Swamp creature /FTC

Massive and Paul are grandstanding with their opposition. They know the budget can't be balanced without reforms, yet they don't lead these reforms and it's their job to do so. How much longer do you support politicians not giving you results?

Funky Winkerbean said:

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Massive and Paul are grandstanding with their opposition. They know the budget can't be balanced without reforms, yet they don't lead these reforms and it's their job to do so. How much longer do you support politicians not giving you results?

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Not sure if serious. They are told to STFU by the free spending "allies". Couple that with the fact the press does not report their efforts but the press will cover their efforts only to bash republicans.

Funky Winkerbean said:

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Massive and Paul are grandstanding with their opposition. They know the budget can't be balanced without reforms, yet they don't lead these reforms and it's their job to do so. How much longer do you support politicians not giving you results?

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Complete BS.

https://massie.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=395707
https://massie.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=395695
https://massie.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=395684
That's just recently.

Dude needs no blue pill when Elon is on his mind.

Funky Winkerbean said:

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Massive and Paul are grandstanding with their opposition. They know the budget can't be balanced without reforms, yet they don't lead these reforms and it's their job to do so. How much longer do you support politicians not giving you results?

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I think they'd both be happy with a symbolic miniscule spending cut at this point. That's light years away from a balanced budget.

Republicans still haven't learned how to play politics. If this is the dems, they pass it and everyone falls in line. That's how you get and keep power.

Exactly. The budget doesn't really matter as it's actual expenditures that count. Trump and Congress can still control some expenditures. Most people forget that.

Im Gipper said:

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Funky Winkerbean said:

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Massive and Paul are grandstanding with their opposition. They know the budget can't be balanced without reforms, yet they don't lead these reforms and it's their job to do so. How much longer do you support politicians not giving you results?

---

Complete BS.

https://massie.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=395707
https://massie.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=395695
https://massie.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=395684
That's just recently.

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How many did he get across the finish line. Zero. That's my point. Until Congress unifies behind welfare reforms expect more of the same.

You've changed your "point". Massie, Rand et al are leading. Your limp wristed big spending dem-lites refuse to follow!

I agree, they are bringing light to the problems and that is very good. The problem arises at obstruction to how Trump is approaching the problem. All they can say is cut, cut, cut which is necessary, but damn near impossible to get through Congress. Trump is focusing on expanding the economy to generate revenue because he sees Congress won't help with cuts. Republicans and Democrats should be supporting him on this endeavor but they aren't because of selfish and petty politics. As I've said for a long time, we won't heal until we collapse.

Funky Winkerbean said:

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Im Gipper said:

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Funky Winkerbean said:

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Massive and Paul are grandstanding with their opposition. They know the budget can't be balanced without reforms, yet they don't lead these reforms and it's their job to do so. How much longer do you support politicians not giving you results?

---

Complete BS.

https://massie.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=395707
https://massie.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=395695
https://massie.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=395684
That's just recently.

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How many did he get across the finish line. Zero. That's my point. Until Congress unifies behind welfare reforms expect more of the same.

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Then you can't bash them for trying. It's not their fault they are the only ones in all of Congress who are stating the obvious.

Im Gipper said:

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Grandstand Rand needs to be primaried!

This is the new GOP. Spend baby spend!

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"Spend, baby spend!"?

Since when did one spell "Liberal" with GOP?

No Spin Ag said:

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Im Gipper said:

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Grandstand Rand needs to be primaried!

This is the new GOP. Spend baby spend!

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"Spend, baby spend!"?

Since when did one spell "Liberal" with GOP?

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Since about 2002

Funky Winkerbean said:

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Im Gipper said:

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Funky Winkerbean said:

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Massive and Paul are grandstanding with their opposition. They know the budget can't be balanced without reforms, yet they don't lead these reforms and it's their job to do so. How much longer do you support politicians not giving you results?

---

Complete BS.

https://massie.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=395707
https://massie.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=395695
https://massie.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=395684
That's just recently.

---

How many did he get across the finish line. Zero. That's my point. Until Congress unifies behind welfare reforms expect more of the same.

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There are 100 senators

Funky Winkerbean said:

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Massive and Paul are grandstanding with their opposition. They know the budget can't be balanced without reforms, yet they don't lead these reforms and it's their job to do so. How much longer do you support politicians not giving you results?

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Your boy just got his "big beautiful bill" passed in the house ,putting us in an even bigger hole, and you call that "results"?

Funky Winkerbean said:

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I agree, they are bringing light to the problems and that is very good. The problem arises at obstruction to how Trump is approaching the problem. All they can say is cut, cut, cut which is necessary, but damn near impossible to get through Congress. Trump is focusing on expanding the economy to generate revenue because he sees Congress won't help with cuts. Republicans and Democrats should be supporting him on this endeavor but they aren't because of selfish and petty politics. As I've said for a long time, we won't heal until we collapse.

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BS. Read the GOP platform entitled "Make American Great Again!". (Sound familiar?)

This is the platform that Trump crafted and nowhere in the 20 bullet points does it highlight fiscal responsibility. Sure we're keeping dudes off volleyball courts, but not a peep about the national debt, the budget deficit or rampant spending. This is all top down from Trump himself. He just doesn't prioritize it.

ETA a direct link to the platform from the GOP website.

https://prod-static.gop.com/media/RNC2024-Platform.pdf?_gl=1*1302o3i*_gcl_au*Njg2MDQ0NzUzLjE3NDgwOTA2MTQ.&_ga=2.132104399.1768894031.1748090615-1297677621.1748090615


ETA I also thinks guys should be out of girls sports, but including it in the platform while dismissing fiscal responsibility is like addressing an itch on your right arm while ignoring the bloody stump on the your left arm.

ts5641 said:

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Republicans still haven't learned how to play politics. If this is the dems, they pass it and everyone falls in line. That's how you get and keep power.

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Do you want power or do you want to avoid your children experiencing hunger like my grandparents experienced in the depression? Listen to the voices of fiscal reason in your party.

In all fairness, you've linked a marketing document. It doesn't have DOGE in the top 20 either. Yet, there is no mistaking, it was a priority. The GOP in the House launched a DOGE committee simultaneously, it was coordinated.

Much like Trump disavowing the Heritage Fdn Blueprint, the fiscal piece of this equation was always meant to fly under the radar and get as much done as possible without congressional approval. Why, well because the Congress isn't stacked for success in tackling hard things.

But in terms of fiscal responsibility in the marketing piece. There is a part of the debt puzzle that is in the list of priorities. The plan is to grow the economy in a way that tackles the debt. And that is going to have to be one of the main ways this happens.

We can have a debate on if Trump and his team are making the right moves to grow the economy, but at least half of the top 20 priorities in the marketing piece are economic growth and prosperity relates initiatives.

As evidence by DOGE, cost cutting was always planned as a covert operation on the front side of the administration(election/transition). And yeah, entitlement reform is "off the table" for now. There is no appetite for entitlement reform because it's a virtual nonstarter with baby boomers. I hate that this is the case. It makes me frustrated, but it is the political reality and Trump is not an ideologue, he's a pragmatist to a certain extent.

Frustrating thing is that it doesn't really have to impact the boomers. Phase it out over time based on age ranges. No one will even broach that topic though.

Except we will never grow our way to a balanced budget, much less a surplus or reduction in national debt.

samurai_science said:

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Funky Winkerbean said:

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Im Gipper said:

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Funky Winkerbean said:

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Massive and Paul are grandstanding with their opposition. They know the budget can't be balanced without reforms, yet they don't lead these reforms and it's their job to do so. How much longer do you support politicians not giving you results?

---

Complete BS.

https://massie.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=395707
https://massie.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=395695
https://massie.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=395684
That's just recently.

---

How many did he get across the finish line. Zero. That's my point. Until Congress unifies behind welfare reforms expect more of the same.

---

There are 100 senators

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Exactly. 2 out of 100 trying to be responsible is THE representation of how impossible massive budget cuts truly are. They know that yet they still attack Trump politically for "not doing enough " . He's doing what's possible.

Im Gipper said:

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You've changed your "point". Massie, Rand et al are leading. Your limp wristed big spending dem-lites refuse to follow!

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Guys screaming at a brick wall are now leaders? Seems legit.

To Funky's previous posts, they are INEFFECTIVE at building a caucus to represent their positions and constituents. Until they can build a caucus that does more than work to derail areas where there some agreement, then all they will ever be are agitators, bloviators, and impediments to any sort of change.

flown-the-coop said:

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Im Gipper said:

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You've changed your "point". Massie, Rand et al are leading. Your limp wristed big spending dem-lites refuse to follow!

---

Guys screaming at a brick wall are now leaders? Seems legit.

To Funky's previous posts, they are INEFFECTIVE at building a caucus to represent their positions and constituents. Until they can build a caucus that does more than work to derail areas where there some agreement, then all they will ever be are agitators, bloviators, and impediments to any sort of change.

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Listen to yourself. You're claiming they're "impediments to change", but they're the only ones pushing for actual change.

Maybe you'd be more believable if you called them "impediments to the status quo".

flown-the-coop said:

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Im Gipper said:

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You've changed your "point". Massie, Rand et al are leading. Your limp wristed big spending dem-lites refuse to follow!

---

Guys screaming at a brick wall are now leaders? Seems legit.

To Funky's previous posts, they are INEFFECTIVE at building a caucus to represent their positions and constituents. Until they can build a caucus that does more than work to derail areas where there some agreement, then all they will ever be are agitators, bloviators, and impediments to any sort of change.

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Whether they are successful is unlikely. But they are some of the few standing up for our future and with the spine and backbone to do what is right instead of what is popular.

Jeeper79 said:

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flown-the-coop said:

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Im Gipper said:

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You've changed your "point". Massie, Rand et al are leading. Your limp wristed big spending dem-lites refuse to follow!

---

Guys screaming at a brick wall are now leaders? Seems legit.

To Funky's previous posts, they are INEFFECTIVE at building a caucus to represent their positions and constituents. Until they can build a caucus that does more than work to derail areas where there some agreement, then all they will ever be are agitators, bloviators, and impediments to any sort of change.

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Listen to yourself. You're claiming they're "impediments to change", but they're the only ones pushing for actual change.

Maybe you'd be more believable if you called them "impediments to the status quo".

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Yelling at a wall and asking it to magically move is "pushing for actual change"? Because that is ALL they are doing.

I guess I can be like them and many of the posters here who claim to be fiscal conservatives... up until there is some section of funding cuts that actually impacts them, then those birds chirp a different tune. See Hawley and Medicare / Medicaid.

One day you may realize this and accept reality. But guys who grandstand with no actual progress are simply bloviating until election season.

Quote:

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To Funky's previous posts, they are INEFFECTIVE at building a caucus to represent their positions and constituents. Until they can build a caucus that does more than work to derail areas where there some agreement, then all they will ever be are agitators, bloviators, and impediments to any sort of change.

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But in their defense, I don't think a caucus is possible as they are 2 out of 100. Reason says more should be joining them because of our dire fiscal situation but they aren't. My belief is that they understand this, yet continue to obstruct the progress that can be made.

And why are Democrats excluded from responsibility? This is not a single party issue. Hence, the collapse will "save" us. The debt is so crippling, the solution may be worse.