Department of Government Efficiency - DOGE

[McDad]

efffffff

Staggering, isn't it?

 

[BigOrangeMojo]

I get the point that they probably do have to raise the limit THIS YEAR to avoid a shutdown but they better couple that with actual spending cuts, a true budget (not another continuation) and follow it up next year with more spending cuts and no debt limit increase. They have a hell of a sell job in front of them.

Yeah, I get raising it by several hundred B this year. Raising it by 4-5T shows no intent of fixing the problem...

 

[hog88]

America has a natural increase in tax revenues of about 100B - 200B per year due to increases in our economy.
At 100B increase in revenues per year and all that going to pay down debt with no deficit spending, it would take about 200 to 400 years to satisfy existing debt.

Well aren't you just a big Fing ray of sunshine Mr. Maff!

 

[McDad]

Well aren't you just a big Fing ray of sunshine Mr. Maff!

I have an innate gift of encouragement.

 

[hog88]

Yeah, I get raising it by several hundred B this year. Raising it by 4-5T shows no intent of fixing the problem...

Agreed

 

[Orangeburst]

Well aren't you just a big Fing ray of sunshine Mr. Maff!

I like him better when he takes VN vacations

 

[hog88]

I have an innate gift of encouragement.

You should be a motivational speaker.

 

[DC_Vol]

A 4.5-5T debt ceiling increase coupled with an increase in spending to the largest discretionary line item. Id love to see how that gets spun....

I would view it as a complete failure of what the Trump administration had claimed they want to accomplish.

Sadly this would be the outcome I find most probable.

 

[jmacvols1]

No, he should be sanctioned by Congress.

threatening Musk's life isn't criminal?

 

[walkenvol]

Pot meets kettle with MTG calling out others for making political statements in hearings.

But, she’s definitely right on this particular issue as Americans want Congress to get the runaway spending under control. Surely no American supports saddling future generations with massive government debt.

 

[Orangeburst]

Preparedness is a combination of existing equipment AND how quickly new equipment can be produced.
It's okay to let our old stuff expire without replacing as long as we can bring new to battle in time of war.
Are we expecting a country declaring war on us soon?

The days of WW2 are over in getting attacked and then having oceans protect you while you rearm are over. Defense is the number one priority of the Fed gov..certainly more than SS and Medicaid.

 

[walkenvol]

threatening Musk's life isn't criminal?

It’s clearly political grandstanding, not a legit call to arms IMO. The press should be all over him about it demanding clarification

 

[jmacvols1]

leftist media caught lying over USAID cuts...

 

[jmacvols1]

It’s clearly political grandstanding, not a legit call to arms IMO. The press should be all over him about it demanding clarification

it's a threat and should be treated as such.

 

[McDad]

The days of WW2 are over in getting attacked and then having oceans protect you while you rearm are over. Defense is the number one priority of the Fed gov..certainly more than SS and Medicaid.

Are we living under imminent threat of attack from another country?

 

[walkenvol]

The days of WW2 are over in getting attacked and then having oceans protect you while you rearm are over. Defense is the number one priority of the Fed gov..certainly more than SS and Medicaid.

Why are discriminatory federal spending related in any way to separately funded government retirement programs? Straw man argument

 

[hog88]

Are we living under imminent threat of attack from another country?

No but that could change in a hurry.

 

[LSU-SIU]

The days of WW2 are over in getting attacked and then having oceans protect you while you rearm are over. Defense is the number one priority of the Fed gov..certainly more than SS and Medicaid.

Large scale wars are basically over i.e. nukes. The Ukraine/Russia thing is about as large as it can get without extinction. Long large scale wars are about production for sure, just not sure who we would be fighting?

A strong military imo doesn't have to mean a $1T military. Storing 5,000 tanks serves little purpose in today's world as a generalization for the U.S. (see Congressional Record from the 90s where this is briefed to Congress)

 

[LouderVol]

Staggering, isn't it?

yup. and the worst part is that is just the existing debt. without touching what the interest rate on that debt is doing.

that is going to be one big line item that can't be "cut". the only way to decrease that bear is to start paying it off.

 

[Orange_Crush]

How much defense spending is necessary before we feel safe or are adequately prepared for legitimate threats?

MUCH, MUCH less if we stop playing World Police Force.

 

[McDad]

No but that could change in a hurry.

It could.
Does anyone know the liklihood?

 

[Orangeburst]

Are we living under imminent threat of attack from another country?

Military strength is a deterrence and the number one priority. I am not willing to play a dangerous hypothetical.

One could argue we could go with just a nuclear deterrent, which is what the Russians did after the USSR breakup..that would be cheaper and limit responses.

 

[walkenvol]

Yes. Absolutely.

I have friends who run an international relief organization. For instance, about two years ago when earthquakes hit Turkey, the United States, through USAID, used this private organization as a contractor to provide disaster relief to that area.

They provided the conduit for workers, medical supplies and food to people whose villages had been destroyed in the immediate aftermath of the quakes. They did this through government grants. They had to qualify for the money, they had to account for spending, and they had to show the results of the work they did. That is government say in private business.

When Trump shut down USAID after DOGE did it’s thing, it shut down the funding for much of this work. About the biggest voice government has over private business is when they cut off that businesses cash flow.

Our government has no right to forcibly take their citizen’s money for charitable causes. American people are charitable as a whole, so appeal to them to freely donate to causes if they see fit.

 

[McDad]

Militaey strength is a deterrence and the number one priority. I am not willing to play a dangerous hypothetical.

One could argue we could go with just a nuclear deterrent, which is what the Russians did after the USSR breakup..that would be cheaper and limit responses.

I'm not disagreeing with the concept. I'm trying to find what is reasonable application.
As an example, let's say:
I want less military spending. You want more. A third person wants twice as much as you based on their perceived risk.

Should we always default to the worst case scenario no matter the cost?

 

[walkenvol]

How about Trump calling out the warmongers and asking if they'd love war just as much if the bullets were flying at them?

"Oh lawd, lawd... He's dog whistling his people to shoot her! String him up!"

I think every member of Congress should have to send their families to the infantry if they vote for military action outside of defending America from foreign invasion. If the cause is so noble, then our political leaders should lead the attack. Bet it would drastically change the war mongers position.