The Trump Effect

#1,003
#1,003
utvolpj said:
Neither does Trump so why do they disagree
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You say this with no proof. The average American may say they want cuts...but not if it affects their personal finances. They want the gov't to keep spending before it affects their personal finances..they would rather the gov't quit spending money on the military, weaken the military just to spend that money on all the entitlement programs. Never mind that by far most people are getting more in entitlement benefits than what they paid in taxes bankrupting the system themselves. Let's take away all your social security and medicare benefits and any other entitlements you get or will get in the future.
 
#1,004
#1,004
jmacvols1 said:
You say this with no proof. The average American may say they want cuts...but not if it affects their personal finances. They want the gov't to keep spending before it affects their personal finances..they would rather the gov't quit spending money on the military, weaken the military just to spend that money on all the entitlement programs. Never mind that by far most people are getting more in entitlement benefits than what they paid in taxes bankrupting the system themselves. Let's take away all your social security and medicare benefits and any other entitlements you get or will get in the future.
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That's the point - the overspending does affect their finances. That they are financially illiterate doesn't change that fact. Printing money out of nothing is stealing from you. COVID was the biggest wealth transfer in history and your guy actively participated because he wants people to praise him.

I'm in! Let me keep my paycheck and you can keep your entitlements. We need drastic cuts across the board if this country is to survive. That includes the absurd spending on "defense" that Trump just blew the lid off.
 
#1,005
#1,005
McDad said:
happily so. political realities are spending money we do not have and giving my grandchildren an unnecessary burden
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FDR, LBJ, Obama and the Dems wanted socialism and you got it...it's what is bankrupting the country. Past and current beneficiaries are the ones who bankrupted the system and they are not the ones who will have to pay for it. Your grandchildren will and the current generation does not care...they just want the can kicked down the road and let some future generation have to deal with it and pay for it.
 
#1,006
#1,006
jmacvols1 said:
FDR, LBJ, Obama and the Dems wanted socialism and you got it...it's what is bankrupting the country. Past and current beneficiaries are the ones who bankrupted the system and they are not the ones who will have to pay for it. Your grandchildren will and the current generation does not care...they just want the can kicked down the road and let some future generation have to deal with it and pay for it.
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The Trump admin is literally buying parts of companies like Intel, steel, other chip manuf, rare earth companies, etc
 
#1,007
#1,007
jmacvols1 said:
....in that case the whole gov't needs to be shut down and not funded any money, no money given to any Dept. nor should any Fed. money be given to states who cannot/do not audit and control the fraud going on with Fed money (though we see state gov't employees are involved in the fraud)
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I mean every almost every other federal/state agency can pass a basic audit at least once. I have set the bar extremely low here. Same reason why the DoE needs financial gutting...

Im not going to propose nearly doubling the budget of a group that has absolutely no idea where the money is going...
 
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#1,008
#1,008
How many of you all would sign up for this

Taxpayer: Where's my money?
Bernie M: Right here on the statement
Taxpayer: Can you prove it?
Bernie M: No
Taxpayer: Is this number right?
Bernie M: No
Taxpayer: How much money do I have?
Bernie M: I dont know
Taxpayer: The statement says I have this much
Bernie M: Well the statement is wrong
Taxpayer: Has statement ever been right?
Bernie M: No
Taxpayer: Do you have proper internal controls?
Bernie M: No
Taxpayer: How about financial controls?
Bernie M: Dont have those either
Taxpayer: How about I double how much Im giving you
 
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#1,009
#1,009
utvolpj said:
That's the point - the overspending does affect their finances. That they are financially illiterate doesn't change that fact. Printing money out of nothing is stealing from you. COVID was the biggest wealth transfer in history and your guy actively participated because he wants people to praise him.

I'm in! Let me keep my paycheck and you can keep your entitlements. We need drastic cuts across the board if this country is to survive. That includes the absurd spending on "defense" that Trump just blew the lid off.
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"they are financially illiterate" you just described your average American. Because of out-of-control spending means about 40% of Americans have nothing in savings. About 60% have no more than a thousand in savings. Goldman Sachs recently reported about 40% of those who make $300K a year are living paycheck to paycheck. Run for Congress on the platform of cutting entitlements in half and see how many votes you get.

Social security/Medicare is the biggest transfer of wealth in history. IIRC I got a $1200 COVID check...that was a drop in the bucket to all the taxes (income & SS taxes) I paid. That $1200 was not a transfer of wealth to me, it was me just getting back a drop of money I paid in taxes. I checked with AI slop that says "Approximately 30% to 40% of U.S. households pay no federal individual income tax" It was a transfer of wealth to those who effectively pay no income taxes to the Fed gov't at all. Those that pay Social Security taxes will most likely end up getting far more in benefits than what they paid in SS taxes. To cut the deficits requires Congress cut spending, especially entitlement spending, and 100% households pay a net income tax. Entitlement fraud will most likely be in the trillions of dollars.

Let the gov't give back to me all the SS taxes I paid, including giving me also at least an about a 10% return compounded annually that I would have gotten on it otherwise by investing it and the gov't will not have to send me a social security check.
 
#1,010
#1,010
jmacvols1 said:
"they are financially illiterate" you just described your average American. Because of out-of-control spending means about 40% of Americans have nothing in savings. About 60% have no more than a thousand in savings. Goldman Sachs recently reported about 40% of those who make $300K a year are living paycheck to paycheck. Run for Congress on the platform of cutting entitlements in half and see how many votes you get.

Social security/Medicare is the biggest transfer of wealth in history. IIRC I got a $1200 COVID check...that was a drop in the bucket to all the taxes (income & SS taxes) I paid. That $1200 was not a transfer of wealth to me, it was me just getting back a drop of money I paid in taxes. I checked with AI slop that says "Approximately 30% to 40% of U.S. households pay no federal individual income tax" It was a transfer of wealth to those who effectively pay no income taxes to the Fed gov't at all. Those that pay Social Security taxes will most likely end up getting far more in benefits than what they paid in SS taxes. To cut the deficits requires Congress cut spending, especially entitlement spending, and 100% households pay a net income tax. Entitlement fraud will most likely be in the trillions of dollars.

Let the gov't give back to me all the SS taxes I paid, including giving me also at least an about a 10% return compounded annually that I would have gotten on it otherwise by investing it and the gov't will not have to send me a social security check.
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The bottom 60% combined get a net refund from govt for personal income taxes as a result of child tax credits and EITC....
 
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#1,011
#1,011
jmacvols1 said:
FDR, LBJ, Obama and the Dems wanted socialism and you got it...it's what is bankrupting the country. Past and current beneficiaries are the ones who bankrupted the system and they are not the ones who will have to pay for it. Your grandchildren will and the current generation does not care...they just want the can kicked down the road and let some future generation have to deal with it and pay for it.
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You aren't wrong but you are also ignoring what Reagan, Bushes, and Trump have done to help bankrupt things. Repubs are just as guilty as Dems on spending.

I don't expect you to accept that. But the truth of spending by administration is very easy to validate if you choose.
 
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#1,012
#1,012
BigOrangeMojo said:
I mean every almost every other federal/state agency can pass a basic audit at least once. I have set the bar extremely low here. Same reason why the DoE needs financial gutting...

Im not going to propose nearly doubling the budget of a group that has absolutely no idea where the money is going...
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I agree the DOD needs to pass audits but the gov't cannot be defunding the military in the world we live in. At least Trump and current Congress is attempting to do something about DOD audits. (see AI slop below). I remember, do you remember how the left COMPLAINED about DOGE, wanted to get rid of DOGE, Musk was a fraudster, got to get rid of DOGE. (see AI slop below about DOGE and the DOD)

AI Slop:

The Department of Defense (DoD) has failed every annual department-wide audit since they began in 2018, with the latest FY2025 audit again resulting in a failure. However, there is a concerted, legally mandated effort to change this, with a goal set by Congress to achieve a clean audit by fiscal year 2028.

Here is what is in the works to address these failures:

1. New Legislative Pressure: "Audit the Pentagon Act"
In February 2026, bipartisan legislation was introduced (Audit the Pentagon Act) that aims to create consequences for continued failures.
  • Budget Cuts: The bill proposes a 0.5% cut to the budget of any DoD office that fails its audit, increasing to a 1.0% cut for subsequent years.
  • Exemptions: Funding for personnel, families, and military healthcare would be exempt from these cuts.

2. Comprehensive Remediation Efforts
The DoD is executing a multi-year strategy to remediate findings, which have historically included 26 material weaknesses and significant deficiencies in financial reporting.
  • Targeting 2028: Comptroller leadership has reaffirmed the 2028 target, focusing on resolving "critical issues" to achieve an "unmodified" (clean) opinion.
  • System Modernization: The Pentagon is working to retire 89 outdated information systems, which is projected to save $760 million annually through FY 2029.
  • Artificial Intelligence and Automation: The department is shifting away from manual, human-dependent reviews to AI-powered, automated tools to track assets and manage transactions more efficiently.
  • Focus on Assets: A major focus is on improving the accuracy of tracking weapons, inventory, and real estate, particularly for major programs like the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

3. "Audit Acceleration Teams"
Following the success of the Marine Corps—which became the first military service to receive a clean audit opinion in 2024—the DoD is applying these lessons to other branches, particularly the Army, which is utilizing "Audit Acceleration Teams" to handle inventory and asset management.

4. Improving Data Accuracy
Auditors previously noted that the Pentagon could not produce the necessary data to support their numbers. New initiatives focus on:
  • Cleaning the Ledger: Ensuring that the "Fund Balance with Treasury" can be fully supported.
  • Closing Internal Control Gaps: Addressing 26+ material weaknesses identified in the 2025 audit.
Despite these efforts, the GAO has cautioned that the Pentagon still "faces significant fraud exposure" and that meeting the 2028 deadline will require an "accelerated pace" of improvement.

=====================================================================================

DOGE & DOD

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been auditing the Department of Defense (DOD) to identify, reduce, and eliminate waste. As of early 2025, the team has been conducting audits of contracts, targeting over $10 billion in savings, and reviewing Pentagon, U.S. Department of War (.gov).
  • Key Actions: DOGE audited over 50 contract vehicles, leading to substantial savings, and targeted the Air Force’s management consulting, U.S. Department of War (.gov).
  • Initial Findings: A review by March 2025 indicated roughly $80 million in wasted funds on programs deemed outside the core mission, U.S. Department of War (.gov).
  • Focus Areas: Audits have focused on reducing bureaucratic waste, cutting the number of management consultants/contractors, and reallocating funds toward advanced technologies like drones, U.S. Department of War (.gov).
  • Leadership: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth supported the involvement of Elon Musk and the DOGE team in auditing, MeriTalk.
The initiative aims to address long-standing financial issues within the DOD, which has never passed a full audit.
 
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#1,016
#1,016
McDad said:
You aren't wrong but you are also ignoring what Reagan, Bushes, and Trump have done to help bankrupt things. Repubs are just as guilty as Dems on spending.

I don't expect you to accept that. But the truth of spending by administration is very easy to validate if you choose.
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Yes, Reps are guilty. I propose to get rid of Congress for a while, let Trump or some businessman run the country like a business and this country's finances will get in line very quickly. With the current gov't set up, you can forget about balanced budgets. A country can be run more efficiently by a Monarchy than by a divided Congress.
 
#1,017
#1,017
jmacvols1 said:
I agree the DOD needs to pass audits but the gov't cannot be defunding the military in the world we live in.
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You have a sacred cow. It is important to you. You see the justification for feeding it while wanting other to starve theirs. Even though feeding their sacred cow is as important to them as your is to you. In that way, you are just like those your oppose....in fact, Luther feels the exactly the same as you with his cows.

All sacred cows have to go on a diet regardless of whether you want yours to reduce or not.
 
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#1,019
#1,019
McDad said:
You have a sacred cow. It is important to you. You see the justification for feeding it while wanting other to starve theirs. Even though feeding their sacred cow is as important to them as your is to you. In that way, you are just like those your oppose....in fact, Luther feels the exactly the same as you with his cows.

All sacred cows have to go on a diet regardless of whether you want yours to reduce or not.
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The military is a sacred cow....at least the Constitution backs the gov't spending on defense. No defense = no country. The gov't needs to get out of the healthcare business, out of the entitlement business. out of the education business, etc and money will easily be available for the military.
 
#1,020
#1,020
McDad said:
Take your unconstitutional ideas and run for government. Let's see how you do.
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I would not win. Again, with the current setup you can forget about balanced budgets and getting the debt down.

If Trump wants to go down in history as the GOAT he could start by getting rid of the Federal Reserve, put the country back on the gold standard, get rid of the bureaucracy, make balanced budgets the law, start the process of cutting entitlements getting people off the gov't dole onto a payroll (politicians are buying votes with entitlements).....and none of this will happen with the current setup. Difficulty in even getting the SAVE Acts passed to help ensure fair elections, cannot even stop insider trading by Congress, cannot get term limits....nothing.
 
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#1,022
#1,022
jmacvols1 said:
I would not win. Again, with the current setup you can forget about balanced budgets and getting the debt down.

If Trump wants to go down in history as the GOAT he could start by getting rid of the Federal Reserve, put the country back on the gold standard, get rid of the bureaucracy, make balanced budgets the law, start the process of cutting entitlements getting people off the gov't dole onto a payroll (politicians are buying votes with entitlements).....and none of this will happen with the current setup. Difficulty in even getting the SAVE Acts passed to help ensure fair elections, cannot even stop insider trading by Congress, cannot get term limits....nothing.
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Are we making ourselves beholden to China and them buying our debt because DoD blows trillions of dollars over a 10 year period....

Is that actually worse for our national security than having an efficient DoD?
 
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#1,023
#1,023
BigOrangeMojo said:
We do not need people getting back thousands of dollars with minimal income. That is govt assistance and welfare through the tax code...
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Yes. I have heard people do not work for most of the year, but get a job in November/December (then quit) but they do get a w-2 for their employment so they can file taxes and get back 1000's in earned income tax credit. If this is true, it all needs to stop.

more AI slop:

While the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is designed for low-to-moderate-income working individuals and families, the scenario described—intentionally working only at the end of the year to trigger a refund—is a known area of potential tax fraud.

Here is a breakdown of the requirements and risks associated with this practice:

1. How the EITC Works for Seasonal Workers
  • It is Refundable: The EITC is a refundable credit, meaning if you qualify, it can result in a tax refund even if you did not have any federal income tax withheld from your paycheck.
  • Income Requirement: To qualify, you must have "earned income" (wages, salaries, tips). The maximum credit for the 2023 tax year was $7,430 for a family with three or more children.
  • Timing: A W-2 issued for work in November/December is valid for the tax year in which the income was paid.

2. The Risks of "Seasonal" Tax Planning
  • Intentional Fraud Penalty: Falsifying income or setting up a fake employment situation to claim the EITC can result in being banned from claiming the credit for 10 years, as well as potential criminal charges.
  • Income Thresholds: There is a "sweet spot" for the credit. If income is too low (e.g., only working one week), the credit amount may be small, or not worth the effort. The maximum credit is earned within specific income ranges.
  • IRS Scrutiny: The IRS has heightened scrutiny on tax returns claiming the EITC, particularly those with late-year W-2s or inconsistent employment records, often leading to delayed refunds while the return is reviewed.

3. Legitimate vs. Fraudulent Work
  • Legitimate: A person takes a temporary retail job for the holidays. They receive a W-2, taxes are withheld, and they file to claim the EITC, which they are entitled to based on their low annual income.
  • Fraudulent: A person arranges with a business owner (or creates a fake entity) to generate a W-2 for work not actually performed, or at a wage that does not match the work, specifically to maximize the EITC.
In summary, while working only in November/December can qualify someone for the EITC, it must be based on legitimate employment. Falsifying this information for tax gain is considered fraud and carries severe penaltie
 
#1,024
#1,024
BigOrangeMojo said:
Are we making ourselves beholden to China and them buying our debt because DoD blows trillions of dollars over a 10 year period....

Is that actually worse for our national security than having an efficient DoD?
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DOD is not the problem, other than the failed audits. It's the entitlements (and the associated trillions in entitlement fraud) that is killing the country.

Are you more concerned about DOD failed audits or trillions of taxpayer's dollars stolen by entitlement fraud (in some cases the gov't is helping with the fraud - another way to buy votes)
 
#1,025
#1,025
jmacvols1 said:
The military is a sacred cow....at least the Constitution backs the gov't spending on defense. No defense = no country. The gov't needs to get out of the healthcare business, out of the entitlement business. out of the education business, etc and money will easily be available for the military.
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I don't dispute defense is part of the Constitutional mandate. The question is how much that cow needs to be fed.

You feel just like Dems feel about their herd.
 
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