Sasha summed up what a lot of people feel about Trump:
"I care more about ending “gender affirming care” and biological men playing in sports. I care about how the billionaire class has gutted America and the reliance on slave labor overseas. I like that Trump is strong enough to face all of this down and try to do something about it in the short time he has in office."
Spending bills are a congressional responsibility. That does not absolve the president entirely but Congress needs to get this done. However they are limited in what they can do because the majority is so thin. But it does make cuts as another in this thread points out. I am sure that T would love for it to cut much more, but this is a not so terribly horrible, which sadly is the best we’ve had had in a long time, step in the right direction. This took decades to create and cannot be fixed over night.
Neither major party will cut defense or entitlements, which is the primary sources of our $37T debt. Because doing so that party would lose power in next cycle. Hyperinflation will come at some point in future if we remain in same track. Or, a big cut in spending to avoid the mass inflation. I’d rather we do the cuts gradually rather than a seismic event. But it just doesn’t seem politically possible.
So you care about how the billionaire class has gutted America while Trump let's Elon, a drug addict, gut the federal government (after paying a few hundred million into Trump's re-election). All the while, Trump, himself a billionaire, adds to his billions hawking BS bitcoins and million dollar dinners? Makes a lot of sense! I'm sure you'd have a different perspective if it were a Democrat offering billionaire donors the reins of power while scamming a fortune off the American people. In true Republican style, it's all about getting your results, hypocrisy and decency be damned.
What Democrat put a billionaire donor in charge of a government department? What Democrat used the presidency to directly financially benefit themself? What Democrat had supporters raid the halls of democracy in an attempted insurection? I guarantee I would, without question, speak out strongly against this kind of behavior regardless of political orientation. There is right and wrong. There is a standard of human decency.
So you care about how the billionaire class has gutted America while Trump let's Elon, a drug addict, gut the federal government (after paying a few hundred million into Trump's re-election). All the while, Trump, himself a billionaire, adds to his billions hawking BS bitcoins and million dollar dinners? Makes a lot of sense! I'm sure you'd have a different perspective if it were a Democrat offering billionaire donors the reins of power while scamming a fortune off the American people. In true Republican style, it's all about getting your results, hypocrisy and decency be damned.
So you care about how the billionaire class has gutted America while Trump let's Elon, a drug addict, gut the federal government (after paying a few hundred million into Trump's re-election). All the while, Trump, himself a billionaire, adds to his billions hawking BS bitcoins and million dollar dinners? Makes a lot of sense! I'm sure you'd have a different perspective if it were a Democrat offering billionaire donors the reins of power while scamming a fortune off the American people. In true Republican style, it's all about getting your results, hypocrisy and decency be damned.
I like both Trump and Musk (I voted for Trump and I own Tesla stock) but I know Trump is a dealmaker that knows he's got a thin majority in both Houses of Congress and, thus, is limited in what he can get done. Also, Trump didn't run this time on fiscal conservatism but, as a nod to Musk, he did help create DOGE and send a letter of rescission to Congress to claw back funds and officially cut them. Musk is learning that politics only allows you so much to get done because you have to please everyone just a little to get anything done.
I agree. The Big Beautiful Bill sucks, but it is 1000 times better than nothing. Musk and Republicans that want to make the perfect the enemy of the good are either lying or not that bright. Take the bill that gives you 80% of what you want and move on. It's not the end of history.
How is it a 1000 times better than nothing? It spends at the same level (actually more). It funds the same things, except Medicaid, which gives Democrats a political club they con use to whack Republicans in the midterms. Yes, it makes the individual tax cuts permanent, but that should have been done way back in 2017, when the corporate tax cuts were made permanent rather than the individual tax cuts.
It is in point of fact nothing. And time may reveal that it was worse than nothing.
First, conservatives arguing about how much spending to cut is the best development in politics in my lifetime, so I welcome arguments about that. But, to answer your question the big ticket items in the BBB are:
Avoids a $4.5T tax increase (the largest in American history by far)
Adding work requirements to Medicaid (est. $800B is savings)
Adds work requirements to SNAP payments and shifts some of the burden to the states (est $200B savings)
Eliminates green energy tax credits and most of the ridiculous green energy programs in the "IRA". (est savings $200B - $1T)
Funds the addition of of 3,000 more border patrol agents and 5,000 customs officers
Opens Federal lands to logging, mining, and fossil fuel extraction (est $20B in royalty revenues)
Taxes University endowments at a higher rate and revamps student loan program (est $330B in savings)
It only adds to the debt if you believe the bullshit scoring from the CBO about the cost of the tax cuts (see my comment above). If it doesn't pass, Trump and the GOP look feckless and weak and get wiped out in the midterms and we have a recession because of the massive tax increase. So, yeah, sticking with 1000X better than nothing.
So basically taking your most "generous" estimate on "savings" for the government and putting them up against the lost revenue from the taxes along with an unknown increase in cost of border enforcement and the known increase in military spending, you're still more than $2 trillion in the hole, which is actually more than the figure I saw from the CBO. So unless we got some magical math going here that I don't know about . . . the CBO's numbers seem pretty reasonable to me, if not understated, and I can see where they get them. And the GOP is anticipating a huge shortfall because they're asking for a $5 trillion increase in the debt ceiling.
And the Republicans are going to get trounced in the midterms anyway because the GOP looks like the GOP: if those tax cuts were so important to the GOP they would have been put in place back in 2017 when the corporate tax cuts were made permanent, they're still trading help for individuals for higher military spending (that's going to cost them), if the moron Lindsey Graham and his 81 Senate compatriots get their way on the secondary tariffs they'll sink the economy, and we always have the wars that Trump was supposed to end but which keep on going. Oh, and they're losing the moderate voter with the deportation antics and the fact that they have yet to do anything meaningful about the censorship complex or the surveillance state. The GOP is going to get wiped out in the midterms because (1) that is typically what happens and (2) they've done nothing to suggest they deserve this time being an exception.
The tax cuts for individuals had to have an end date because of the Byrd Rule and the budget resolution that allowed the reconciliation process to begin included a self-imposed limit of $1.5 trillion in revenue costs within the 10-year budget window.
That’s an excuse. If you were going to sunset cuts to satisfy the Byrd Rule, then why not the corporate cuts? Why not find something else to cut somewhere so that the individual tax cuts and the doubled standard deduction would be permanent? It was about priorities, and individuals were not the priority.
I can’t see what exactly you’re responding to, but from what I remember of the conversation the priority is making sure their children are fluent in English. For a certain group of people—middle class immigrants for example—you are a priority. They would downsize their house or work extra hours or eat cheaper food to make sure they could hire you because they see knowing English as a path to success. You act as if you wouldn’t have a job if they didn’t have a tax cut. I doubt that’s true. As for the wealthy immigrants (if you’re an ESL teacher), they don’t have to choose.
Can you recommend any pieces or writers that have actually gone into the pros and cons of the BBB itself? I'm asking because I'm pretty much with Musk on this. However, I'm open to being convinced that it's the right thing, or maybe the wrong thing or only thing, at the right time.
As I understand it, the reason people like Bessent do not want to decrease spending too much is the same reason Democrats wanted to increase it. That is, government spending artificially props up the short term economy, at the expense of its long term health. If the massive prop the Democrats inserted is pulled out too quickly, the economy will go into recession or depression, which will seriously decrease the GDP. Since it is not the debt alone that is dangerous, but the ratio of GDP to debt, a too radical cut in government spending that causes the GDP to fall, makes the ratio worse and INCREASES the danger. We are in such trouble that we must cut spending AND grow the GDP at the same time. That means a long term plan is needed, that has spending reduced gradually and growth increased as rapidly as possible without causing inflation. If growth means increases in production (rather than just a money give away) relative to the money supply, inflation should not be a problem. The faster the economy grows, the faster the debt can be reduced.
Good summation of what Bessent has been trying to explain to people. Saw him interviewed on NewsMax and Bessent stressed the ratio you note here and the fact that this is going to take quite some time. Bottom line, we need to trust his judgement on this and be PATIENT.
A comment about looking up pros and cons. The CBO scoring on how much the tax cuts cost are total bullshit. They have never been correct. For example, the
"cost" of the 2017 corporate tax cuts was supposed to be $1.5T over 10 years. In fact, corporate tax revenue is up about $1T over the 2017 baseline cumulatively, so far. So, that means CBO was off by $2.5T. In 2024 the government set an all time record for revenue, despite the 2017 tax cuts supposedly costing trillions at the time of passage.
Focus on the spending cuts, of which there are a substantial amount. Given a 3 seat majority in the House, they are well beyond my expectations for what could be done. Mike Johnson is a brilliant leader and this bill should be passed.
Agree with your summation. Well, except I’m on the fence with Johnson. Seems CBO has hired some young inexperienced leftists or something. The tax cuts aren’t costing us what they think when they increase revenue 48%.
I haven’t run across a comprehensive pro/con of the BBB, except the broad strokes.
As for the Trump/Elon spat, the right-leaning take by Jeff Childers (Coffee & Covid) is this:
“Trump wins: He publicly distances himself from a lightning rod billionaire whisperer while retaining all his policy wins.
Musk wins: He sheds his polarizing “Enemy Number 1” status right as Tesla stock begins its next dance with institutional investors, and he can get back to business, having achieved all his goals by electing Trump and erecting DOGE.
Corporate Media wins: They’re bathing in the lava of the Trump-Musk implosion, with Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla trending for three straight days, complete with interactive insult timelines and a revived hope for a Trump collapse.”
This is also a reconciliation bill. There’s a difference as to what their limitations are. Even Musk is now admitting, after speaking with congressional people that he’s getting a better understanding of this process. Now if they don’t approve wholeheartedly the rescissions bill next week, now we all have some major bitching to do. That bill includes the cuts and clawbacks. After dealing with my local government on their Audit Committee, government spending is a joke. If they vote to spend X on something, the money is appropriated to that project and may stay there indefinitely. Very hard to clawback
The chickenshit republicans in Congress vote lockstep to confirm his nominees, won't oppose the tariffs, are terrified to criticize anything he does, and will never hold him accountable for anything. If Trump told them to vote to burn their own districts they'd do it. What planet are you from that you think Trump can't get what he wants from Congress? If this bill passes, it's exactly what Trump wants because he could get them to pass anything he wishes.
Go back to my previous comment. I'm talking about Trump's entire agenda. Even if a tiny handful peel off to appease their districts when the votes don't matter, the republicans in Congress will pass whatever he wants, confirm whatever he wants, and refuse to check his executive orders, or hold him accountable for anything. We've been watching it in real time. Even if a few whined a bit, what have they voted down that he insisted on? Who haven't they confirmed? What have they attempted to stop?
Republicans have bent over for him every single time and will continue to do so. Absolutely anything that comes out of DC, including this garbage bill, are his responsibility because if he wanted it to fail or be changed, that would happen.
“The reason I don’t waste my time criticizing him is that I support and vote for the Trump I know exists - the whole Trump. The good Trump, the bad Trump. The guy who says things he shouldn’t, the guy who might be in over his head with Putin. The flaws are part of the deal. This is like voting for a Great White Shark, saying, “Why don’t you care that he eats baby seals?”
People know exactly what they are getting with Trump - the good and the bad.
The fact is, he's the only person out there who is a true disruptor - and who will say and do what's needed to move this country in the right direction. Is he an a-hole some time? Of course. But to many forgotten Americans, he's OUR a-hole, in a world where the elitist can't be bothered to care about the hollowed out middle class.
I thank God for DJT every day, as imperfect as he is.
I don’t. I did for most of yesterday, even hoped for it. But then common sense overpowered my emotional desires. I haven’t yet seen Trump and this party lie and deceive their supporters. They spend time exposing that on the left. What would this look like if months from now we hear, “yeah, that was staged, but look what we revealed, look at what was accomplished from that stunt…” That would basically mean the ends justify the means and that is not what MAGA embraces. That would also mean that we can never, ever trust anything they do or say again. I just don’t believe they would risk their credibility that way, by lying so blatantly to the public.
So that means it was organic. Now, will they use that? Of course.
Also Thomas Massie, who I respect, a fiscal hawks who often disagrees with Trump. He laughs off Trump’s criticism of him with wonderful humor. Trump is a fighter, which I appreciate, but does not seem to hold a grudge against those that disagree with him. That’s a gift.
You kind of had me until you referred to the "fake assassination attempt." Pulling off a shot like that is one in a million, and you're implying Trump allowed an innocent bystander to be murdered. Nope, ain't buyin' it.
Trump is in the right. I still respect and appreciate Elon for all that he did. Twitter/X, DOGE, SpaceX, Satellite Wifi, donating a lot to Trump/campaigning for Trump. I do agree with Trump that we should not have EV mandates. People should be free to buy whatever car they want. I hope that Trump and Elon make up. His SpaceX rockets are very important for Space Force and NASA
Musk needed to disengage from the Trump White House. It is never good for any brand to be on one side or the other of our political divide. You lose half your potential customer base. Maybe all this was orchestrated so Musk could get the Left back onto his side. Conservatives were never going to go crazy buying Teslas. There should be no EV mandate. That is not American, to tell people what to buy.
The fact that Trump wants the removal of the EV mandate so Americans can buy & drive whatever they want is a testament that he won’t allow a ridiculous mandate to become law just to placate a friend/ financial supporter.
No worries about this public spat; these are two businessmen who respect each other.
Trump is on the same level as Washington, Lincoln, and Grant due to the levels of vitriol from all angles meaning he is working for the People.
I voted for Dubya twice and recoil at his 'actions'; Intervetionism! everywhere and the Patriot Act completely undermine our Constitution. Disgusting. Obama weaponized both against Americans.
It's sad that they both decided to have this "spat" so publicly - but certainly not surprising. It helps no one but the leftist media and politicians. I can understand why Elon is angry - he invested a lot of time, money & effort to help find the wasteful spending, and it cost him dearly. For that effort, and because he really is a novice when it comes to 'politics' as it is played in Washington, he wanted all of his recommendations to be immediately acted upon. What he cannot grasp, partly because as a highly successful entrepreneur and CEO, this may be the first time ever - or certainly in a very long time - that his "directives" were not followed. Which resulted in major anger, hurt feelings, and probably significant feelings of disrespect. He simply can't understand why Trump has to play the "Washington game of politics" to get his bill passed - as imperfect as they probably both think that it is. But that is a (difficult) truth because the clock is ticking, and if the republicans don't get 'something' passed, especially the tax cuts made permanent, then the mid-terms would likely return the democrats to power in the house & the senate, and then here comes impeachment 3,4,5 and Jan 6th-type kangaroo court drama and all the other crap that comes with democrats in control. Trump did what he had to do, but probably should have at least had a heart-to-heart with Elon prior (if he didn't, and who knows that answer). Additionally, and this can't be overlooked or stressed highly enough - and as a parent of a young man who is also on the spectrum - we should never completely forget that, as accomplished and as brilliant as Elon is - he is still autistic. It is because of his autism that he is who he is, and I would bet that his behavior in this spat with Trump has not really surprised anyone that is on the spectrum, or their parents and other loved ones.
I, too, have an appreciation for what Elon Musk has done for our country. However, he is not the President of the Free World and will never shoulder that burden as does Donald J. Trump every waking moment. 🙏🏼🇺🇸
Great analysis. I agree with so much of this. I voted for Trump (in this poll and for the presidency) but I also considered voting make this all go away…
I voted to "stop the world, I want to get off", because somedays I just can't handle anymore. So much of what is broken in this country just got dumped on this administration to try and fix. It's a battle that this administration needs to win. Meanwhile, there are active forces (D's media, deep state) that are continuing to brake it. Its hard to fix while others are breaking it.
While I hope Elon and Trump can reconcile (do it for the kids!), I'm laughing at the left who loved Elon, then hated him, and are now doing cartwheels over the feud. Clowns.
I think they are both thin skinned and have major ego problems
That said, I agree with Elon that the BBB has too much pork and we must get serious about our spending. However, politics is involved and change can be slow
I think while a light has beamed on the wasteful spending the money will stop flowing soon.
Unfortunately, once people get handouts, it’s really hard to stop it
Need all financial support to illegal aliens yo stop and no able bodied (and minded) person should be getting any handouts- including Medicaid
Sasha summed up what a lot of people feel about Trump:
"I care more about ending “gender affirming care” and biological men playing in sports. I care about how the billionaire class has gutted America and the reliance on slave labor overseas. I like that Trump is strong enough to face all of this down and try to do something about it in the short time he has in office."
Well said!
I care more about ending the forever wars.
Did Massie predict this? His words on 3/27/25:
https://x.com/RepThomasMassie/status/1930716252042846561
Did Elon find the massive waste, then see Trump and Congress ignore doing anything meaningful about it?
Massie is acting like John McCain.
He needs to stop.
You need to do more research on who actually passes laws.
Hint: it is NOT the President.
How is T ignoring this?
DOGE found waste. Trump/Congress BBB isn’t reducing said waste by codified law. BBB increases federal debt instead.
Spending bills are a congressional responsibility. That does not absolve the president entirely but Congress needs to get this done. However they are limited in what they can do because the majority is so thin. But it does make cuts as another in this thread points out. I am sure that T would love for it to cut much more, but this is a not so terribly horrible, which sadly is the best we’ve had had in a long time, step in the right direction. This took decades to create and cannot be fixed over night.
Neither major party will cut defense or entitlements, which is the primary sources of our $37T debt. Because doing so that party would lose power in next cycle. Hyperinflation will come at some point in future if we remain in same track. Or, a big cut in spending to avoid the mass inflation. I’d rather we do the cuts gradually rather than a seismic event. But it just doesn’t seem politically possible.
Then you shouldn’t be voting for demonicRATS.
So you care about how the billionaire class has gutted America while Trump let's Elon, a drug addict, gut the federal government (after paying a few hundred million into Trump's re-election). All the while, Trump, himself a billionaire, adds to his billions hawking BS bitcoins and million dollar dinners? Makes a lot of sense! I'm sure you'd have a different perspective if it were a Democrat offering billionaire donors the reins of power while scamming a fortune off the American people. In true Republican style, it's all about getting your results, hypocrisy and decency be damned.
Two wings of the same bird: Dems do it their way and Reps do it theirs.
What Democrat put a billionaire donor in charge of a government department? What Democrat used the presidency to directly financially benefit themself? What Democrat had supporters raid the halls of democracy in an attempted insurection? I guarantee I would, without question, speak out strongly against this kind of behavior regardless of political orientation. There is right and wrong. There is a standard of human decency.
That is what raises (again!) concern about the hoi polloi's sanity. Literally.
So you care about how the billionaire class has gutted America while Trump let's Elon, a drug addict, gut the federal government (after paying a few hundred million into Trump's re-election). All the while, Trump, himself a billionaire, adds to his billions hawking BS bitcoins and million dollar dinners? Makes a lot of sense! I'm sure you'd have a different perspective if it were a Democrat offering billionaire donors the reins of power while scamming a fortune off the American people. In true Republican style, it's all about getting your results, hypocrisy and decency be damned.
So you care about how the billionaire class has gutted America while Trump let's Elon, a drug addict, gut the federal government (after paying a few hundred million into Trump's re-election). All the while, Trump, himself a billionaire, adds to his billions hawking BS bitcoins and million dollar dinners? Makes a lot of sense! I'm sure you'd have a different perspective if it were a Democrat offering billionaire donors the reins of power while scamming a fortune off the American people. In true Republican style, it's all about getting your results, hypocrisy and decency be damned.
To Sasha: Oh Babe, you got it Right!
Exactly right
I like both Trump and Musk (I voted for Trump and I own Tesla stock) but I know Trump is a dealmaker that knows he's got a thin majority in both Houses of Congress and, thus, is limited in what he can get done. Also, Trump didn't run this time on fiscal conservatism but, as a nod to Musk, he did help create DOGE and send a letter of rescission to Congress to claw back funds and officially cut them. Musk is learning that politics only allows you so much to get done because you have to please everyone just a little to get anything done.
I agree. The Big Beautiful Bill sucks, but it is 1000 times better than nothing. Musk and Republicans that want to make the perfect the enemy of the good are either lying or not that bright. Take the bill that gives you 80% of what you want and move on. It's not the end of history.
Spot on! I'll take even a 20% improvement.
How is it a 1000 times better than nothing? It spends at the same level (actually more). It funds the same things, except Medicaid, which gives Democrats a political club they con use to whack Republicans in the midterms. Yes, it makes the individual tax cuts permanent, but that should have been done way back in 2017, when the corporate tax cuts were made permanent rather than the individual tax cuts.
It is in point of fact nothing. And time may reveal that it was worse than nothing.
First, conservatives arguing about how much spending to cut is the best development in politics in my lifetime, so I welcome arguments about that. But, to answer your question the big ticket items in the BBB are:
Avoids a $4.5T tax increase (the largest in American history by far)
Adding work requirements to Medicaid (est. $800B is savings)
Adds work requirements to SNAP payments and shifts some of the burden to the states (est $200B savings)
Eliminates green energy tax credits and most of the ridiculous green energy programs in the "IRA". (est savings $200B - $1T)
Funds the addition of of 3,000 more border patrol agents and 5,000 customs officers
Opens Federal lands to logging, mining, and fossil fuel extraction (est $20B in royalty revenues)
Taxes University endowments at a higher rate and revamps student loan program (est $330B in savings)
It also adds to the debt while trading programs for regular people foe increased funding for the military. So 1000 times better seems a stretch.
It only adds to the debt if you believe the bullshit scoring from the CBO about the cost of the tax cuts (see my comment above). If it doesn't pass, Trump and the GOP look feckless and weak and get wiped out in the midterms and we have a recession because of the massive tax increase. So, yeah, sticking with 1000X better than nothing.
So basically taking your most "generous" estimate on "savings" for the government and putting them up against the lost revenue from the taxes along with an unknown increase in cost of border enforcement and the known increase in military spending, you're still more than $2 trillion in the hole, which is actually more than the figure I saw from the CBO. So unless we got some magical math going here that I don't know about . . . the CBO's numbers seem pretty reasonable to me, if not understated, and I can see where they get them. And the GOP is anticipating a huge shortfall because they're asking for a $5 trillion increase in the debt ceiling.
And the Republicans are going to get trounced in the midterms anyway because the GOP looks like the GOP: if those tax cuts were so important to the GOP they would have been put in place back in 2017 when the corporate tax cuts were made permanent, they're still trading help for individuals for higher military spending (that's going to cost them), if the moron Lindsey Graham and his 81 Senate compatriots get their way on the secondary tariffs they'll sink the economy, and we always have the wars that Trump was supposed to end but which keep on going. Oh, and they're losing the moderate voter with the deportation antics and the fact that they have yet to do anything meaningful about the censorship complex or the surveillance state. The GOP is going to get wiped out in the midterms because (1) that is typically what happens and (2) they've done nothing to suggest they deserve this time being an exception.
The tax cuts for individuals had to have an end date because of the Byrd Rule and the budget resolution that allowed the reconciliation process to begin included a self-imposed limit of $1.5 trillion in revenue costs within the 10-year budget window.
That’s an excuse. If you were going to sunset cuts to satisfy the Byrd Rule, then why not the corporate cuts? Why not find something else to cut somewhere so that the individual tax cuts and the doubled standard deduction would be permanent? It was about priorities, and individuals were not the priority.
I answered the question you asked. I did not write the bill. You have the internet at your fingertips. Use it. Oh and you’re welcome.
Well, then you didn't answer it. You made an excuse. You're welcome.
What is the priority?
Ah, that was the priority you asked about. The priority in 2017 was corporations. They got their permanent tax cut. Individuals did not.
I can’t see what exactly you’re responding to, but from what I remember of the conversation the priority is making sure their children are fluent in English. For a certain group of people—middle class immigrants for example—you are a priority. They would downsize their house or work extra hours or eat cheaper food to make sure they could hire you because they see knowing English as a path to success. You act as if you wouldn’t have a job if they didn’t have a tax cut. I doubt that’s true. As for the wealthy immigrants (if you’re an ESL teacher), they don’t have to choose.
Can you recommend any pieces or writers that have actually gone into the pros and cons of the BBB itself? I'm asking because I'm pretty much with Musk on this. However, I'm open to being convinced that it's the right thing, or maybe the wrong thing or only thing, at the right time.
Thanks in advance.
As I understand it, the reason people like Bessent do not want to decrease spending too much is the same reason Democrats wanted to increase it. That is, government spending artificially props up the short term economy, at the expense of its long term health. If the massive prop the Democrats inserted is pulled out too quickly, the economy will go into recession or depression, which will seriously decrease the GDP. Since it is not the debt alone that is dangerous, but the ratio of GDP to debt, a too radical cut in government spending that causes the GDP to fall, makes the ratio worse and INCREASES the danger. We are in such trouble that we must cut spending AND grow the GDP at the same time. That means a long term plan is needed, that has spending reduced gradually and growth increased as rapidly as possible without causing inflation. If growth means increases in production (rather than just a money give away) relative to the money supply, inflation should not be a problem. The faster the economy grows, the faster the debt can be reduced.
Good summation of what Bessent has been trying to explain to people. Saw him interviewed on NewsMax and Bessent stressed the ratio you note here and the fact that this is going to take quite some time. Bottom line, we need to trust his judgement on this and be PATIENT.
A comment about looking up pros and cons. The CBO scoring on how much the tax cuts cost are total bullshit. They have never been correct. For example, the
"cost" of the 2017 corporate tax cuts was supposed to be $1.5T over 10 years. In fact, corporate tax revenue is up about $1T over the 2017 baseline cumulatively, so far. So, that means CBO was off by $2.5T. In 2024 the government set an all time record for revenue, despite the 2017 tax cuts supposedly costing trillions at the time of passage.
Focus on the spending cuts, of which there are a substantial amount. Given a 3 seat majority in the House, they are well beyond my expectations for what could be done. Mike Johnson is a brilliant leader and this bill should be passed.
Agree with your summation. Well, except I’m on the fence with Johnson. Seems CBO has hired some young inexperienced leftists or something. The tax cuts aren’t costing us what they think when they increase revenue 48%.
I haven’t run across a comprehensive pro/con of the BBB, except the broad strokes.
As for the Trump/Elon spat, the right-leaning take by Jeff Childers (Coffee & Covid) is this:
“Trump wins: He publicly distances himself from a lightning rod billionaire whisperer while retaining all his policy wins.
Musk wins: He sheds his polarizing “Enemy Number 1” status right as Tesla stock begins its next dance with institutional investors, and he can get back to business, having achieved all his goals by electing Trump and erecting DOGE.
Corporate Media wins: They’re bathing in the lava of the Trump-Musk implosion, with Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla trending for three straight days, complete with interactive insult timelines and a revived hope for a Trump collapse.”
Interesting. Might be the case.
This is also a reconciliation bill. There’s a difference as to what their limitations are. Even Musk is now admitting, after speaking with congressional people that he’s getting a better understanding of this process. Now if they don’t approve wholeheartedly the rescissions bill next week, now we all have some major bitching to do. That bill includes the cuts and clawbacks. After dealing with my local government on their Audit Committee, government spending is a joke. If they vote to spend X on something, the money is appropriated to that project and may stay there indefinitely. Very hard to clawback
This helped me. I detest SALT deductions but I realize Purple districts and slim margins in the House can't give you everything you want.
https://www.dailywire.com/news/more-winning-house-gop-passes-big-beautiful-budget?author=Ben+Shapiro&category=News&elementPosition=7&row=0&rowType=Vertical+List&title=More+Winning%3A+House+GOP+Passes+Big%2C+Beautiful+Budget
Holy sh!t Batman! Reality!!!
Congress is decision by committee. It isn't efficient and grinds agonizingly slow.
He limited in what he can get done?
The chickenshit republicans in Congress vote lockstep to confirm his nominees, won't oppose the tariffs, are terrified to criticize anything he does, and will never hold him accountable for anything. If Trump told them to vote to burn their own districts they'd do it. What planet are you from that you think Trump can't get what he wants from Congress? If this bill passes, it's exactly what Trump wants because he could get them to pass anything he wishes.
Yes, this is the Truth of TDSlandia! Up is down, black is white, the sun rises in the west and sets in the east. Take your meds.
Do you really think this way? I mean you do? Incredible.
You’re delusional. Take to Tom Massie and Paul Rand, then get back to me.
Two guys out of what, 262 republicans in congress, virtually all of whom fall in line when their votes are needed? Get out of here with that nonsense.
Two guys vote against the bill because 6 guys wanted SALT increased. There’s does that help you with your math?
Go back to my previous comment. I'm talking about Trump's entire agenda. Even if a tiny handful peel off to appease their districts when the votes don't matter, the republicans in Congress will pass whatever he wants, confirm whatever he wants, and refuse to check his executive orders, or hold him accountable for anything. We've been watching it in real time. Even if a few whined a bit, what have they voted down that he insisted on? Who haven't they confirmed? What have they attempted to stop?
Republicans have bent over for him every single time and will continue to do so. Absolutely anything that comes out of DC, including this garbage bill, are his responsibility because if he wanted it to fail or be changed, that would happen.
“The reason I don’t waste my time criticizing him is that I support and vote for the Trump I know exists - the whole Trump. The good Trump, the bad Trump. The guy who says things he shouldn’t, the guy who might be in over his head with Putin. The flaws are part of the deal. This is like voting for a Great White Shark, saying, “Why don’t you care that he eats baby seals?”
One of the best things I’ve ever read.
Many kudos! 👏👏👏👏👏👍😉
Well said.
People know exactly what they are getting with Trump - the good and the bad.
The fact is, he's the only person out there who is a true disruptor - and who will say and do what's needed to move this country in the right direction. Is he an a-hole some time? Of course. But to many forgotten Americans, he's OUR a-hole, in a world where the elitist can't be bothered to care about the hollowed out middle class.
I thank God for DJT every day, as imperfect as he is.
And for Mr Musk being, de facto, the American space program.
Great article. I heard one theory that this feud was planned.
I don’t. I did for most of yesterday, even hoped for it. But then common sense overpowered my emotional desires. I haven’t yet seen Trump and this party lie and deceive their supporters. They spend time exposing that on the left. What would this look like if months from now we hear, “yeah, that was staged, but look what we revealed, look at what was accomplished from that stunt…” That would basically mean the ends justify the means and that is not what MAGA embraces. That would also mean that we can never, ever trust anything they do or say again. I just don’t believe they would risk their credibility that way, by lying so blatantly to the public.
So that means it was organic. Now, will they use that? Of course.
True. Trump usually makes amends. Remember Megan Kelly and Omorosa?
Also Thomas Massie, who I respect, a fiscal hawks who often disagrees with Trump. He laughs off Trump’s criticism of him with wonderful humor. Trump is a fighter, which I appreciate, but does not seem to hold a grudge against those that disagree with him. That’s a gift.
Agreed. It is a gift. There aren’t many who can shrug off this type of thing. But for Trump, it’s the endgame that counts.
What I have read and heard is that T will forgive any disagreement but will not ever forgive any personal attack. This seems reasonable to me.
Adding my two cents to say yep - totally agree. Literally just penned that here: https://unorthodoxy.substack.com/p/they-want-you-watching-elon-and-trump
While the feud goes on, our debt and inflation increase
You kind of had me until you referred to the "fake assassination attempt." Pulling off a shot like that is one in a million, and you're implying Trump allowed an innocent bystander to be murdered. Nope, ain't buyin' it.
I heard that before too. That’s serious TDS…
I think there’s something to that theory. My $.02.
I just posted this.
Trump is in the right. I still respect and appreciate Elon for all that he did. Twitter/X, DOGE, SpaceX, Satellite Wifi, donating a lot to Trump/campaigning for Trump. I do agree with Trump that we should not have EV mandates. People should be free to buy whatever car they want. I hope that Trump and Elon make up. His SpaceX rockets are very important for Space Force and NASA
Musk needed to disengage from the Trump White House. It is never good for any brand to be on one side or the other of our political divide. You lose half your potential customer base. Maybe all this was orchestrated so Musk could get the Left back onto his side. Conservatives were never going to go crazy buying Teslas. There should be no EV mandate. That is not American, to tell people what to buy.
The fact that Trump wants the removal of the EV mandate so Americans can buy & drive whatever they want is a testament that he won’t allow a ridiculous mandate to become law just to placate a friend/ financial supporter.
I personally think Musk one too many cabinet secretaries feathers.
Ruffled, sorry left that word out
That’s not what Barry said…
No worries about this public spat; these are two businessmen who respect each other.
Trump is on the same level as Washington, Lincoln, and Grant due to the levels of vitriol from all angles meaning he is working for the People.
I voted for Dubya twice and recoil at his 'actions'; Intervetionism! everywhere and the Patriot Act completely undermine our Constitution. Disgusting. Obama weaponized both against Americans.
It's sad that they both decided to have this "spat" so publicly - but certainly not surprising. It helps no one but the leftist media and politicians. I can understand why Elon is angry - he invested a lot of time, money & effort to help find the wasteful spending, and it cost him dearly. For that effort, and because he really is a novice when it comes to 'politics' as it is played in Washington, he wanted all of his recommendations to be immediately acted upon. What he cannot grasp, partly because as a highly successful entrepreneur and CEO, this may be the first time ever - or certainly in a very long time - that his "directives" were not followed. Which resulted in major anger, hurt feelings, and probably significant feelings of disrespect. He simply can't understand why Trump has to play the "Washington game of politics" to get his bill passed - as imperfect as they probably both think that it is. But that is a (difficult) truth because the clock is ticking, and if the republicans don't get 'something' passed, especially the tax cuts made permanent, then the mid-terms would likely return the democrats to power in the house & the senate, and then here comes impeachment 3,4,5 and Jan 6th-type kangaroo court drama and all the other crap that comes with democrats in control. Trump did what he had to do, but probably should have at least had a heart-to-heart with Elon prior (if he didn't, and who knows that answer). Additionally, and this can't be overlooked or stressed highly enough - and as a parent of a young man who is also on the spectrum - we should never completely forget that, as accomplished and as brilliant as Elon is - he is still autistic. It is because of his autism that he is who he is, and I would bet that his behavior in this spat with Trump has not really surprised anyone that is on the spectrum, or their parents and other loved ones.
I, too, have an appreciation for what Elon Musk has done for our country. However, he is not the President of the Free World and will never shoulder that burden as does Donald J. Trump every waking moment. 🙏🏼🇺🇸
Sasha, did you dictate this from the passing lane and your dogs transcribed it and posted it?
“... and then include all my Elon article links. And post it. Who’s a good boy?”
My thoughts exactly!
Haha!
Great analysis. I agree with so much of this. I voted for Trump (in this poll and for the presidency) but I also considered voting make this all go away…
I voted to "stop the world, I want to get off", because somedays I just can't handle anymore. So much of what is broken in this country just got dumped on this administration to try and fix. It's a battle that this administration needs to win. Meanwhile, there are active forces (D's media, deep state) that are continuing to brake it. Its hard to fix while others are breaking it.
You forgot about the backstabbing RINOs too.
Ken, thank you. Yes them too.
While I hope Elon and Trump can reconcile (do it for the kids!), I'm laughing at the left who loved Elon, then hated him, and are now doing cartwheels over the feud. Clowns.
I think they are both thin skinned and have major ego problems
That said, I agree with Elon that the BBB has too much pork and we must get serious about our spending. However, politics is involved and change can be slow
I think while a light has beamed on the wasteful spending the money will stop flowing soon.
Unfortunately, once people get handouts, it’s really hard to stop it
Need all financial support to illegal aliens yo stop and no able bodied (and minded) person should be getting any handouts- including Medicaid
I refuse to participate in the who is wrong who is right. They should both shut up and do their jobs.
I know a few things about cults, and in my opinion there is a big difference between supporters and cult followers.