Musk, Vivek Lay Out Their Plans to Make America Solvent Again

The New York Times ran another hair-on-fire article last week warning of the dangers of Elon Musk's cost-cutting.

See, this Lunatic has a crazy way of cutting costs: He just cuts what he thinks can be cut, then sees if he's cut too much and makes adjustments later.

Or, if he hasn't cut enough, he cuts some more.

It's insane! No company could possibly survive such a regime of cost-cutting!

Except for the several billion dollar companies Musk created, which are flourishing.

Slash First, Fix Later: How Elon Musk Cuts Costs

Mr. Musk dug into his companies' budgets, preferring to cut too much rather than too little and to deal with the fallout later. Under Donald Trump, he is set to apply those tactics to the U.S. government.

On a Saturday morning in December 2022, Elon Musk summoned finance executives at Twitter, which he had bought six weeks earlier, to a conference call. Then he drilled into a spreadsheet that contained the social media company's expenditures.
Mr. Musk was angry, three people who were on the call said. Even though Twitter had just shed more than three-quarters of its employees -- leaving it with just over 1,500 workers, down from nearly 8,000 -- the company's spending still appeared to be out of control, the billionaire told attendees.
Over the next six hours, Mr. Musk read out the spreadsheet line by line and asked workers to account for each item. He ordered some items -- such as car services for executives -- to be cut completely. At one point, he confronted an employee who was responsible for a multimillion-dollar contract related to website security and said his electric vehicle company, Tesla, spent far less on the same task. After the employee pushed back, Mr. Musk said she was no longer with Twitter.
The meeting was characteristic of the approach that Mr. Musk has taken to cutting costs. Frugal to a fault, the 53-year-old has been intimately involved in hacking down budgets at his companies, including Tesla, SpaceX and Twitter, which he renamed X. Over nearly three decades as a tech entrepreneur, he has honed his penny-pinching by digging into minutiae and cutting as deeply as possible -- often preferring to cut too much rather than too little, according to 17 current and former employees and others with knowledge of Mr. Musk's strategies.
Perhaps most importantly, Mr. Musk has been brutally unsentimental about the cuts, paying little regard to norms and conventions. The tech mogul has been unabashed about slashing costs to the point that corporate processes -- and sometimes even product safety -- break down, philosophizing that he can just fix things later, the people said. And he has been unafraid to offend, stiffing vendors to negotiate better prices and sidestepping traditional suppliers to manufacture cheaper parts from scratch.
"He used to be a deity," said Jim Cantrell, SpaceX's first vice president of business development. "But you know he's just a business guy. And he wants to cut everything to the bone."

."

Oh no! He might bring that wealth-generating, growth-spurring frugality to the US government!

They say that they can cut $2 billion from the government's discretionary budget.

It's not nothing.

They say they'll be relying heavily on the recent Supreme Court ruling overturning so-called "Chevron deference" -- the idea that courts must defer to unelected bureaucrats' "rule"-making, treating these non-laws as if they're Congress-passed laws -- to overturn regulations and permit Trump to cancel, or "reciss," spending.

Reciss. You know what that sounds like.

Our nation was founded on the basic idea that the people we elect run the government. That isn't how America functions today. Most legal edicts aren't laws enacted by Congress but "rules and regulations" promulgated by unelected bureaucrats--tens of thousands of them each year. Most government enforcement decisions and discretionary expenditures aren't made by the democratically elected president or even his political appointees but by millions of unelected, unappointed civil servants within government agencies who view themselves as immune from firing thanks to civil-service protections.
This is antidemocratic and antithetical to the Founders' vision. It imposes massive direct and indirect costs on taxpayers. Thankfully, we have a historic opportunity to solve the problem. On Nov. 5, voters decisively elected Donald Trump with a mandate for sweeping change, and they deserve to get it.
President Trump has asked the two of us to lead a newly formed Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, to cut the federal government down to size. The entrenched and ever-growing bureaucracy represents an existential threat to our republic, and politicians have abetted it for too long. That's why we're doing things differently. We are entrepreneurs, not politicians. We will serve as outside volunteers, not federal officials or employees. Unlike government commissions or advisory committees, we won't just write reports or cut ribbons. We'll cut costs.
We are assisting the Trump transition team to identify and hire a lean team of small-government crusaders, including some of the sharpest technical and legal minds in America. This team will work in the new administration closely with the White House Office of Management and Budget. The two of us will advise DOGE at every step to pursue three major kinds of reform: regulatory rescissions, administrative reductions and cost savings. We will focus particularly on driving change through executive action based on existing legislation rather than by passing new laws. Our North Star for reform will be the U.S. Constitution, with a focus on two critical Supreme Court rulings issued during President Biden's tenure.
...
DOGE will work with legal experts embedded in government agencies, aided by advanced technology, to apply these rulings to federal regulations enacted by such agencies. DOGE will present this list of regulations to President Trump, who can, by executive action, immediately pause the enforcement of those regulations and initiate the process for review and rescission. This would liberate individuals and businesses from illicit regulations never passed by Congress and stimulate the U.S. economy.
When the president nullifies thousands of such regulations, critics will allege executive overreach. In fact, it will be correcting the executive overreach of thousands of regulations promulgated by administrative fiat that were never authorized by Congress. The president owes lawmaking deference to Congress, not to bureaucrats deep within federal agencies. The use of executive orders to substitute for lawmaking by adding burdensome new rules is a constitutional affront, but the use of executive orders to roll back regulations that wrongly bypassed Congress is legitimate and necessary to comply with the Supreme Court's recent mandates. And after those regulations are fully rescinded, a future president couldn't simply flip the switch and revive them but would instead have to ask Congress to do so.
A drastic reduction in federal regulations provides sound industrial logic for mass head-count reductions across the federal bureaucracy. DOGE intends to work with embedded appointees in agencies to identify the minimum number of employees required at an agency for it to perform its constitutionally permissible and statutorily mandated functions. The number of federal employees to cut should be at least proportionate to the number of federal regulations that are nullified: Not only are fewer employees required to enforce fewer regulations, but the agency would produce fewer regulations once its scope of authority is properly limited.
....
Conventional wisdom holds that statutory civil-service protections stop the president or even his political appointees from firing federal workers. The purpose of these protections is to protect employees from political retaliation. But the statute allows for "reductions in force" that don't target specific employees. The statute further empowers the president to "prescribe rules governing the competitive service." That power is broad.
...
With this authority,>b? Mr. Trump can implement any number of "rules governing the competitive service" that would curtail administrative overgrowth, from large-scale firings to relocation of federal agencies out of the Washington area. Requiring federal employees to come to the office five days a week would result in a wave of voluntary terminations that we welcome: If federal employees don't want to show up, American taxpayers shouldn't pay them for the Covid-era privilege of staying home.
Finally, we are focused on delivering cost savings for taxpayers. Skeptics question how much federal spending DOGE can tame through executive action alone. They point to the 1974 Impoundment Control Act, which stops the president from ceasing expenditures authorized by Congress. Mr. Trump has previously suggested this statute is unconstitutional, and we believe the current Supreme Court would likely side with him on this question. But even without relying on that view, DOGE will help end federal overspending by taking aim at the $500 billion plus in annual federal expenditures that are unauthorized by Congress or being used in ways that Congress never intended, from $535 million a year to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and $1.5 billion for grants to international organizations to nearly $300 million to progressive groups like Planned Parenthood
...
With a decisive electoral mandate and a 6-3 conservative majority on the Supreme Court, DOGE has a historic opportunity for structural reductions in the federal government. We are prepared for the onslaught from entrenched interests in Washington. We expect to prevail. Now is the moment for decisive action. Our top goal for DOGE is to eliminate the need for its existence by July 4, 2026--the expiration date we have set for our project. There is no better birthday gift to our nation on its 250th anniversary than to deliver a federal government that would make our Founders proud.

6-3? I hope you're not counting on ACB or John Roberts.

But if the Court does back them up, we might actually see government spending costs cut for the first time in recent history.

The "Biden" Administration sees the threat of racist recissions to the massive piles of newly-printed Fake Dollars Biden spammed out, largely through the Inflation Creation Act.

Worried that Musk and Vivek might cancel some of the tens of billions of unspent inflationary fake dollars, the Regime has ordered all of its corrupt functionaries to start shoveling it into any stray Democrat's pockets.

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo is on an urgent mission: get as much high-tech spending out the door before Donald Trump takes office.
The Biden administration is aiming to commit nearly every unspent dollar in its $50 billion microchip-subsidy program before President-elect Donald Trump takes over in January, an effort that would effectively cement a massive industrial legacy before the GOP can reverse course.
"I'd like to have really almost all of the money obligated by the time we leave," Raimondo said in an interview with POLITICO. "That's the goal, and I certainly want to have all the major announcements done as it relates to the big, leading-edge companies."
The effort to spend her department's full CHIPS Act budget would put a capstone on a signature Biden economic policy.

It also speaks to the urgency facing a host of Biden's historic raft of spending programs, many of which could be vulnerable to a Republican White House and Congress eager to pare back the most ambitious Democratic spending packages.
...
Raimondo said she recently directed staff to work through the weekend -- and even made personal calls to tech CEOs -- to speed the talks along.

Wow, government bureaucrats working through the weekend. It must really be the highest of high priority missions to piss away taxpayer dollars and aggravate inflation further.

The forthcoming change in administration is "a clear deadline" that "focuses the mind," Raimondo said, but added she's not overly concerned about budget-conscious Republicans clawing back money from the program next year, despite their threats to do so.

JUST IN: Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to launch "Dogecast" podcast for the Department of Government Efficiency. pic.twitter.com/RPHyqUcwri
— Watcher.Guru (@WatcherGuru) November 20, 2024

Posted by: Ace at 04:10 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Shorter NYT: if they can cut government to the bone it will give our management bad ideas!!!

Posted by: Lizzy at November 22, 2024 04:13 PM (Hkcdp)

2 Heh, first!!!

Posted by: Lizzy at November 22, 2024 04:13 PM (Hkcdp)

3 SPONGE!!!

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at November 22, 2024 04:14 PM (K+W+i)

4 Also MSM: They will fire our precious news sources/leakers!!!

Posted by: Lizzy at November 22, 2024 04:14 PM (Hkcdp)

5 I would LOVE to see the project plan for this efforts.

Imagine all the tasks, milestones and deadlines.

Posted by: Lizzy at November 22, 2024 04:16 PM (Hkcdp)

6 Hola

Posted by: Thanatopsis at November 22, 2024 04:16 PM (GYt5+)

7 We're going to need a very large tear bucket.

And earplugs to block out the wailing.

Posted by: Stateless at November 22, 2024 04:17 PM (jvJvP)

8 Afternoon.

Posted by: Robert at November 22, 2024 04:18 PM (nu0O7)

9 .

Posted by: Mitch McConnell at November 22, 2024 04:18 PM (/U5Yz)

10 Musk is definitely a visionary. I just read about the quantum computers they are building and how it will advance AI exponentially.

Then I remember Musk warning us 10 or so years ago about the potential dangers with AI. Not that he was against AI but that it can have consequences .

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at November 22, 2024 04:19 PM (D6PGr)

11 OT

Blabbermouth: LIFE OF AGONY's MINA CAPUTO Says She Has 'Cured' Her Gender Dysphoria And Will Be Changing Her Name Back To KEITH CAPUTO

https://tinyurl.com/36cd72yp

She? Her? Blabbermouth misgendered Keith Caputo. Fucking bigots.

Although how does one play The Pronoun Game when an Empronouned Person detransitions?

Posted by: Robert at November 22, 2024 04:19 PM (nu0O7)

12 Should that be 2 trillion cut from the discretionary budget?

The government can sneeze away 2 billion.

Posted by: Stateless at November 22, 2024 04:20 PM (jvJvP)

13 Didn't Al Gore start something like this? Probably someone took him on a trip and hung him off a balcony by his ankles for a while.

You push these people and they will start to play dirty. I mean really dirty.

Posted by: pawn at November 22, 2024 04:20 PM (QB+5g)

14 Okay. We have a team now, how do we use it? 4 years to do what is needed to ensure that the Deep State is smashed beyond any ability to hold power here, forever. Where does our team start?

Posted by: tubal at November 22, 2024 04:20 PM (PCK5/)

15 “ The effort to spend her department's full CHIPS Act budget would put a capstone on a signature Biden economic policy.”

You know what would be funny. The new Congress puts a specific tax burden on companies, NGO’s and “non profits” who accepted these federal dollars or in some way received a benefit. Boom.

You want “historic” spending. We want historic revenue.

Posted by: Marcus T at November 22, 2024 04:21 PM (318OH)

16 EVERYONE IS GOING TO DIIIIIIIEEEEEEE!!!!

Posted by: Standard prog reaction to any govt spending reduction at November 22, 2024 04:21 PM (4Vs89)

17 January 1st: close Dept of Education
February 1st: Stop funding NGOs
march 1st: close ????

Posted by: Lizzy at November 22, 2024 04:21 PM (Hkcdp)

18 Sure they will find massive amounts of fraud and waste, duplication, and overstaffing. But all they can do is recommend and point out things. Hopefully the executive department will take advantage of their recommendations but getting congress to go along?

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at November 22, 2024 04:21 PM (RsS92)

19 11 Blabbermouth: LIFE OF AGONY's MINA CAPUTO Says She Has 'Cured' Her Gender Dysphoria And Will Be Changing Her Name Back To KEITH CAPUTO

When your face looks like a hockey teams key defense player, this is probably a good idea.

Posted by: Mitch McConnell at November 22, 2024 04:21 PM (/U5Yz)

20 But, we want your movement to die, Mr Prog.

Posted by: tubal at November 22, 2024 04:22 PM (PCK5/)

21 From the NY Times article:

"...he has honed his penny-pinching by digging into minutiae and cutting as deeply as possible -- often preferring to cut too much rather than too little, according to 17 current and former employees and others with knowledge of Mr. Musk's strategies."

Let me fix that for you:

"according to 17 current and former BROKEASS employees WHO ARE NOT BILLIONAIRES AND THUS KNOW JACK-SHIT ABOUT RUNNING A BUSINESS...."

Posted by: zombie at November 22, 2024 04:23 PM (pMi6S)

22 "Perhaps most importantly, Mr. Musk has been brutally unsentimental about the cuts, paying little regard to norms and conventions"

Oh noes, an executive that's actually concerned about how much shit costs and how to position the US for success.

Posted by: Heavy Meta at November 22, 2024 04:24 PM (Qwzry)

23 Shorter Raimondo: It’s a Fire Sale in DC, Every last cent must go by the end of the year!!

“Even I’m embarrassed by this…”
- Crazy Eddie

Posted by: Lizzy at November 22, 2024 04:25 PM (Hkcdp)

24 Curious, the actress that played Shuri (one of Marvel's host of teen girl super geniuses) has decided based on her Christianity that she's not acting any longer because the entire business is just sinful.

Guess they'll have to take her off the Marvel banner too like they did She-Hulk.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at November 22, 2024 04:25 PM (RsS92)

25 Perhaps most importantly, Mr. Musk has been brutally unsentimental about the cuts, paying little regard to norms and conventions.
_________________

Be still, my savage heart.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at November 22, 2024 04:25 PM (YqDXo)

26 "Worried that Musk and Vivek might cancel some of the tens of billions of unspent inflationary fake dollars, the Regime has ordered all of its corrupt functionaries to start shoveling it into any stray Democrat's pockets."

They hate the American people, who doesn't hate them back nearly enough.

Posted by: Bubba at November 22, 2024 04:26 PM (4ZLnC)

27 A-Z index of U.S. government departments and agencies

https://www.usa.gov/agency-index

Reduction opportunities abound.

Posted by: Maj. Healey at November 22, 2024 04:26 PM (/U5Yz)

28 What the Biden administration is doing is attempting to sabotage the Presidential transition tradition. Ironic or just normal since Biden was the guy leading the charge that a lame duck President shouldn't do what he's doing now. Thanks to Biden we were able to block Garland from the SC.

I wish they would have just pulled off the letters on the computer keyboards.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at November 22, 2024 04:26 PM (y60WL)

29 Elon Musk, brutally unsentimental… I can’t like him anymore than I do already.

Posted by: tubal at November 22, 2024 04:26 PM (PCK5/)

30 17 January 1st: close Dept of Education
February 1st: Stop funding NGOs
march 1st: close ????
Posted by: Lizzy at November 22, 2024 04:21 PM (Hkcdp)

I want to see the Bob's meetings broadcast on X.

Posted by: CaliGirl at November 22, 2024 04:26 PM (dlOqM)

31 Perhaps most importantly, Mr. Musk has been brutally unsentimental about the cuts, paying little regard to norms and conventions

LOL they say that like its a bad thing. Basically they are still all upset that he fired all those Gen X girls who did no work but spent a lot of time in the snowflake cry chamber every day at work when they weren't drinking the free wine.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at November 22, 2024 04:27 PM (RsS92)

32 While I applaud Musk and Vivek "doing their thing" out in the open, I'm reminded how those on the left, in the shadows (well, except to people like Soros who's apparently untouchable) do much the same thing with regards to manipulating government to their wishes. They're not elected, and not that it matters, but if you're disagreeable with how the left does it.... then....

OTOH we need more of this on our side. I'm no longer squeamish about bastardizing government to suit my whims.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at November 22, 2024 04:27 PM (Q4IgG)

33 24 Curious, the actress that played Shuri (one of Marvel's host of teen girl super geniuses) has decided based on her Christianity that she's not acting any longer because the entire business is just sinful.

Guess they'll have to take her off the Marvel banner too like they did She-Hulk.
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at November 22, 2024 04:25 PM (RsS92)

Too much character for Hollywood..

Posted by: tubal at November 22, 2024 04:27 PM (PCK5/)

34 “Even I’m embarrassed by this…”
- Crazy Eddie
Posted by: Lizzy at November 22, 2024 04:25 PM (Hkcdp)

I laughed ...

Posted by: browndog pawing at his ears at November 22, 2024 04:27 PM (TTAGa)

35 This is great. I've always wanted the government to handle our tax money the way I handle our family's money. Sensibly, prudently, efficiently.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at November 22, 2024 04:28 PM (YqDXo)

36 cutting government spending could reduce inflation?

OH NOES

Eggs and butter might be affordable again!

We can't have that!

Posted by: The Unvaxed and Unmasked Ranger - Certified Wagshambas Expert at November 22, 2024 04:28 PM (M7vhK)

37 Hearing that Elon is indifferent to DC norms warms my heart.

Expect a huge real estate boom in DC as these DC lampreys have to find new employment at private sector scale. That goes double for all of the government contractors and NGOs whose sweet funding will be slashed.

Posted by: Lizzy at November 22, 2024 04:28 PM (Hkcdp)

38 Not only are fewer employees required to enforce fewer regulations, but the agency would produce fewer regulations once its scope of authority is properly limited.

No No! The agency should be precluded from producing ANY regulation moving forward, that is the task for Congress.
So that last word 'limited', change it to 'curtailed'.

Posted by: Ciampino - bureaucrats can move the bureaus at November 22, 2024 04:28 PM (i0xsb)

39 "Perhaps most importantly, Mr. Musk has been brutally unsentimental about the cuts, paying little regard to norms and conventions."

That is an awesome quotation from the NYT article.

It makes Elon Musk sound positively progressive!

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at November 22, 2024 04:29 PM (d9fT1)

40 They are lucky Trump is prezzy. Had it been me, I'd of solved the illegal alien problem on day 1 by instituting a bounty.

1 C note per illegal alien, in exchange for said illegals head.

McAllen TX....you are going to need to open a crapload of lanes in the southerly direction.

Posted by: Heads Up- Day 1 at November 22, 2024 04:29 PM (cCxiu)

41 What departments can Musk install his robots to take care of business? I think the national archives would be a great start.

Posted by: Maj. Healey at November 22, 2024 04:29 PM (/U5Yz)

42 Curious, the actress that played Shuri (one of Marvel's host of teen girl super geniuses) has decided based on her Christianity that she's not acting any longer because the entire business is just sinful.

Guess they'll have to take her off the Marvel banner too like they did She-Hulk.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at November 22, 2024 04:25 PM (RsS92)

Even more curious is that she became a Christian after attending an Actors' Bible Study in London. I didn't know they had those there.

Posted by: Scarymary at November 22, 2024 04:29 PM (t8a1K)

43 Perhaps most importantly, Mr. Musk has been brutally unsentimental about the cuts, paying little regard to norms and conventions.
_______________

The NYT is apparently too stupid to grasp that those "norms and conventions" are what dropped us in the shit financially.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at November 22, 2024 04:29 PM (YqDXo)

44 A six hour meeting with Musk?!?!

You know that you're in trouble if Musk is talking for six hours.

Posted by: dantesed at November 22, 2024 04:29 PM (+arps)

45 I gotta hand it to Musk, I didn't like him much before but he's the world richest man and still put his neck on the line for the country and Trump

He literally would be jailed and epsteined if the globalists/deep state can get their hands on him

Posted by: The Unvaxed and Unmasked Ranger - Certified Wagshambas Expert at November 22, 2024 04:29 PM (M7vhK)

46 This NEEDS to happen.
But it also needs to be applied to Entitlements.
Medicare, Medicaid is bankrupting the country.

But nobody is going to touch either of them.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, Vote but also buy ammo at November 22, 2024 04:29 PM (xcxpd)

47 >It makes Elon Musk sound positively progressive!
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at November 22, 2024 04:29 PM (d9fT1)

Positively punk rock.

Posted by: Heavy Meta at November 22, 2024 04:29 PM (Qwzry)

48 I think they should make Congress part time, as the Founding Father's had originally. That would blow what is left if their minds and I am here for watching it implode!

Half the time they are not there anyway. The other 49% of the time they are fund raising, dining and socializing to raise money for their next election. The 1% they are doing the people's governing is mostly nothing getting done.

When you haven't had a budget for the nation since W Bush it is pathetic. All show. Posturing. Bullshite.

This alone in a decrease of salary for the poohbahs might have them see the wisdom of term limits vs Pelosi being there since the Civil War.

Posted by: ChristyBlinkyTheGreat at November 22, 2024 04:30 PM (gi+MR)

49 My employer is funded by NOAA, NSF and NASA. Naturally those groups are worried about funding.

I would love it the company is forced to cut out is DEI staff. We have a volunteer DEI group at work (brownie points for raises and promotions) and they are ok, they are making the 'DEI goals' about recognizing everybody's accomplishments and a few fun activities rather than any divisive BS. But DEI itself is stupid BS, and still messes with just hiring the best candidate. I hates it.

Posted by: PaleRider at November 22, 2024 04:30 PM (UKUm3)

50 Didn't Al Gore start something like this? Probably someone took him on a trip and hung him off a balcony by his ankles for a while.

There is actual footage of the incident. Starts at about 0:50.

https://is.gd/qsAzgx

Posted by: Archimedes at November 22, 2024 04:30 PM (xCA6C)

51 Those 'norms and conventions' got you Trump. Could have done most of this during the 'Tea Party' back in the first Obama regime but nah, they chose betrayal and 'norms and conventions'.

Oh well.

Posted by: Puddleglum, cheer up for the worst is yet to come at November 22, 2024 04:30 PM (sAmhv)

52 How dare they question the value of our phony baloney jobs!!!

Posted by: feralgov bureaucrats at November 22, 2024 04:31 PM (KcwUg)

53 I guess they could learn to code.

Posted by: fd at November 22, 2024 04:31 PM (vFG9F)

54 What in hell does "frugal to a fault" mean when the country is billions in debt?

Posted by: tcn in AK at November 22, 2024 04:31 PM (byWhc)

55 45 I gotta hand it to Musk, I didn't like him much before but he's the world richest man and still put his neck on the line for the country and Trump

He literally would be jailed and epsteined if the globalists/deep state can get their hands on him
Posted by: The Unvaxed and Unmasked Ranger - Certified Wagshambas Expert at November 22,

My stupid state is still attacking him for his political views and if they could they'd jail him. I'm looking at you California Coastal Commission.

Posted by: CaliGirl at November 22, 2024 04:31 PM (dlOqM)

56 >You know that you're in trouble if Musk is talking for six hours.
Posted by: dantesed at November 22, 2024 04:29 PM (+arps)

I'd just leave my badge on the desk and walk out the door before the meeting. May as well cut to the chase.

Posted by: Heavy Meta at November 22, 2024 04:31 PM (Qwzry)

57 The FJB administration is now reminiscent of the Nazis in Berlin, circa April 1945. They are looting every last item of value, hoping to amass a fortune and escape before the advancing Red Army reaches them.

Posted by: Curly Shuffle at November 22, 2024 04:31 PM (Vyll1)

58 Musk is hinting he might buy MSNBC

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at November 22, 2024 04:31 PM (uekdd)

59 Well, with all this focus on reducing the size of government, Trump doesn't seem to be a very competent fascist.

Posted by: Chairborne!...Desk From Above! at November 22, 2024 04:31 PM (JvtuU)

60 Even more curious is that she became a Christian after attending an Actors' Bible Study in London. I didn't know they had those there.

Jesus did tell Christians no to toot their own horn.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at November 22, 2024 04:31 PM (RsS92)

61 I honestly don't think there's going to be any significant RIF. What these folks do is just stop spending money and hit their reductions. The head count remains because that is a hard nut to crack and eventually the budget cutting fever subsides as the money starts rolling in again and they all start spending money again.

Posted by: pawn at November 22, 2024 04:31 PM (QB+5g)

62 permit Trump to cancel, or "reciss," spending.

RECISS WE MUST!

Posted by: definitely not Al Sharpton at November 22, 2024 04:32 PM (DgGvY)

63 Have Muskbots do the firings. Put Susan Collins face on all of them.

Posted by: Maj. Healey at November 22, 2024 04:32 PM (/U5Yz)

64 Expect a huge real estate boom in DC as these DC lampreys have to find new employment at private sector scale. That goes double for all of the government contractors and NGOs whose sweet funding will be slashed.

Posted by: Lizzy at November 22, 2024 04:28 PM (Hkcdp)
______________

Real estate boom in DC? I expect a real estate crash as the newly-unemployed put their houses on the market to seek out new jobs.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at November 22, 2024 04:32 PM (YqDXo)

65 Musk is hinting he might buy MSNBC
Posted by: vmom deport deport deport

Don't care if he's not planning to. Keep hinting. The smoke rising from Bluesky's servers is gorgeous.

Posted by: mikeski at November 22, 2024 04:33 PM (DgGvY)

66 Musk is hinting he might buy MSNBC

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at November 22, 2024 04:31 PM (uekdd)
_______________

That would be wonderful. He could probably do so with the change stuck behind the cushions of his sofa.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at November 22, 2024 04:33 PM (YqDXo)

67 My only complaint is that it shouldn't take two guys who aren't responsible for the government to get this done. Nonetheless, I'll take it.

But the fact remains that neither Musk nor Vivek have the authority to actually push cuts through. That will come down to whether the aforementioned government types have the stones to do it.

Posted by: Archimedes at November 22, 2024 04:33 PM (xCA6C)

68 >54 What in hell does "frugal to a fault" mean when the country is billions in debt?
Posted by: tcn in AK at November 22, 2024 04:31 PM (byWhc)

This from the rag that employs sooper genius Paul Krugman who continues to argue deficit spending is totes OK. You rubes don't understand economics.

Posted by: Heavy Meta at November 22, 2024 04:33 PM (Qwzry)

69 Musk is definitely a visionary. I just read about the quantum computers they are building and how it will advance AI exponentially.

Then I remember Musk warning us 10 or so years ago about the potential dangers with AI. Not that he was against AI but that it can have consequences .
Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at November 22, 2024 04:19 PM (D6PGr)

That quantum computing will revolutionize AI is almost certainly nonsense. They are very different things. AI needs huge networks of calculation. QC has trouble keeping a few bits of information.

Posted by: Oldcat at November 22, 2024 04:33 PM (n7h9X)

70 Eggs and butter might be affordable again!

We can't have that!
Posted by: The Unvaxed and Unmasked Ranger - Certified Wagshambas Expert at November 22, 2024 04:28 PM (M7vhK)

We won't have to steal them from Chancellor Sutler's supply train anymore.

Posted by: V for something or other at November 22, 2024 04:33 PM (4Vs89)

71 Well, putting this stuff out in the open SHOULD be embarrassing for the government leaches. They may not be capable of shame.

For example, Nancy Pelosi’s niece is being paid close to $200k as a consultant at some fed agency.
Name and shame all these Nepo kids fleecing taxpayers NOW!

Posted by: Lizzy at November 22, 2024 04:33 PM (Hkcdp)

72
This alone in a decrease of salary for the poohbahs might have them see the wisdom of term limits vs Pelosi being there since the Civil War.
Posted by: ChristyBlinkyTheGreat at November 22, 2024 04:30 PM (gi+MR)

It's telling that some of those counties in Virginia are the richest and this should change.

Posted by: CaliGirl at November 22, 2024 04:34 PM (dlOqM)

73 38 Not only are fewer employees required to enforce fewer regulations, but the agency would produce fewer regulations once its scope of authority is properly limited.

This, right here. USACE works for a living--we don't get Congressional $$ -- but we have to work within ruinous regulations for things that make no sense. I should probably call Elon directly.

Posted by: tcn in AK at November 22, 2024 04:34 PM (byWhc)

74 The government employee unions and the Dems are going to fight this tooth and nail. Good , bankrupt both by Cloward and Pivening them into spending massive amounts of $ in the fight.

Posted by: Smell the Glove at November 22, 2024 04:34 PM (kx/V9)

75 This NEEDS to happen.
But it also needs to be applied to Entitlements.
Medicare, Medicaid is bankrupting the country.

But nobody is going to touch either of them.
Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, Vote but also buy ammo at November 22, 2024 04:29 PM (xcxpd)

Actually it's Medicaid and SSDI that needs to be reformed. Regular SS and Medicare are at least partially funded by the receivers and is not the main drain.

Medicaid /Medicare fraud is also something that can be fixed.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at November 22, 2024 04:34 PM (y60WL)

76 54 What in hell does "frugal to a fault" mean when the country is billions in debt?
Posted by: tcn in AK

Billions? Make that $35 TRILLION.

On this scale, a billion is like a penny.

Posted by: zombie at November 22, 2024 04:34 PM (pMi6S)

77 The forthcoming change in administration is "a clear deadline" that "focuses the mind," Raimondo said, but added she's not overly concerned about budget-conscious Republicans clawing back money from the program next year, despite their threats to do so.
==
Quite possible, but quite possibly not. There are tons of organizations set up just to appropriate funds from the federal government. Their product is federal funds appropriation - with some service attached as the means to get it.

Those orgs die pretty quickly without the federal teat.

Posted by: Black JEM at November 22, 2024 04:34 PM (GZYu7)

78 ...OTOH we need more of this on our side. I'm no longer squeamish about bastardizing government to suit my whims.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at November 22, 2024 04:27 PM (Q4IgG)

We'd be foolish not to. It's the only way to fight the left.

Posted by: Chairborne!...Desk From Above! at November 22, 2024 04:34 PM (JvtuU)

79 Ooof, yes- real estate crash!

Posted by: Lizzy at November 22, 2024 04:34 PM (Hkcdp)

80 Ugh, unclear post. All sub groups have DEI committees by demand of the big bosses. Our group is using DEI for good.

But the overall company still wastes salary for staff that do only DEI, and that dept pushes the BS crap like institutional racism, if you don't compliment the tranny for their outfit you making the workplace unfriendly etc.

Posted by: PaleRider at November 22, 2024 04:35 PM (UKUm3)

81 Sure they will find massive amounts of fraud and waste, duplication, and overstaffing. But all they can do is recommend and point out things. Hopefully the executive department will take advantage of their recommendations but getting congress to go along?
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at November 22, 2024 04:21 PM (RsS92)
---
Tell Congress to do their jobs and provide a proper budget for every department. If they don't, then reset every single department's spending to the last time that department had a budget. Any department that still has money left over after that readjustment can stick around. Any department that has no money left is cut.

It's up to Congress to do their Constitutionally-mandated duty and send the POTUS a budget. Any other spending plans beyond that should be ignored by the Executive Branch as unconstitutional.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at November 22, 2024 04:35 PM (7fElN)

82 Republicans need to embrace clawbacks: if a company got billions in subsidies from the Biden junta, then they can pay that money back in the form of higher taxes.

Same for student loan forgiveness: you now owe $1.50 for every dollar the Feds “forgave” (AKA stole from productive citizens.)

It’s. A. Tax.

Posted by: Disinterested FDA Director and Pfizer Board Member at November 22, 2024 04:36 PM (FC8SQ)

83 This alone in a decrease of salary for the poohbahs might have them see the wisdom of term limits vs Pelosi being there since the Civil War.

Roman or English?

Posted by: Archimedes at November 22, 2024 04:36 PM (xCA6C)

84 Medicaid /Medicare fraud is also something that can be fixed.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at November 22, 2024 04:34 PM (y60WL)

My guess is that it is 50% of the total cost of those two programs.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at November 22, 2024 04:36 PM (d9fT1)

85 My mistake -- national debt now up to $36 trillion. Great web site:

https://www.usdebtclock.org/

Posted by: zombie at November 22, 2024 04:36 PM (pMi6S)

86 #12 They say that they can cut $2 billion from the government's discretionary budget.
===
Yes, Trillion.

Posted by: andycanuck (hovnC) at November 22, 2024 04:36 PM (hovnC)

87 The forthcoming change in administration is "a clear deadline" that "focuses the mind," Raimondo said

You know what else focuses the mind?

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at November 22, 2024 04:36 PM (KcwUg)

88 Can we throw out baseline budgeting while we are at it? That'd be helpful.

Posted by: CaliGirl at November 22, 2024 04:37 PM (dlOqM)

89 This from the rag that employs sooper genius Paul Krugman who continues to argue deficit spending is totes OK.
_________________

I wonder what Carlos Slim and Jeff Bezos think about deficit spending at the NYT and WaPo, respectively.

I bet they're starting to take a dim view of it.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at November 22, 2024 04:37 PM (YqDXo)

90 My stupid state is still attacking him for his political views and if they could they'd jail him. I'm looking at you California Coastal Commission.
Posted by: CaliGirl at November 22, 2024 04:31 PM (dlOqM)

Well they now have their coast pristine of a huge rocket lauch center that would generate billions in taxes, income and business from the workers. Their downtown is freed from a SF office.

Posted by: Oldcat at November 22, 2024 04:37 PM (n7h9X)

91 Billions? Make that $35 TRILLION.

On this scale, a billion is like a penny.
Posted by: zombie at November 22, 2024 04:34 PM (pMi6S)

Well, you know, a billion here, a billion there, soon you are talking about real money.

Posted by: tcn in AK at November 22, 2024 04:37 PM (byWhc)

92 It's true everywhere, but most true in government - 20% of the people do 80% of the work, so you want to hold those 20%. Of the remaining 80%, you just need to find and keep the non-zealots - that probably gets you 100% of the work done (and 60-70% of the workforce expendable)...

Posted by: Nova Local at November 22, 2024 04:37 PM (exHjb)

93 I'd also like to see Pam Bondi appoint a special prosecutor to investigate why congress critters become enormously wealthy in office.

Posted by: Duke Lowell at November 22, 2024 04:37 PM (2UnvF)

94 I'm no longer squeamish about bastardizing government to suit my whims.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at November 22, 2024 04:27 PM (Q4IgG)

Yes. We played by the rules for much of our history, and we lost because of it.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at November 22, 2024 04:37 PM (d9fT1)

95 The forthcoming change in administration is "a clear deadline" that "focuses the mind," Raimondo said

You know what else focuses the mind?

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at November 22, 2024 04:36 PM (KcwUg)
________________

Would it involve rope?

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at November 22, 2024 04:37 PM (YqDXo)

96 I'd give the IRS agents one job - track down the 10 million people who are collecting social security checks and are 112 years of age and older. Find them, and since they don't exist, big prison time for the criminals who are deceiving this country.

Posted by: washrivergal at November 22, 2024 04:38 PM (mzoqX)

97 If these DOGE casts are honest, people are goongn to be super pissed at how little the avg govt worker does.

Posted by: Nick in Tallahassee at November 22, 2024 04:38 PM (BeqPD)

98 Well, they sure aren't acting like they are going to be able to stop Trump like last time, are they?

There are three rulings Trump now has at his disposal:
1) as mentioned, the overturning of the Chevron Doctrine
2) the immunity ruling, that says the President cannot be held liable criminally or civilly for "core" or "essential" functions of the office. Which, I argue, expands to include staffing, superseding civil service protection laws.
3) the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau decision, which said the President cannot be forced to spend the funds Congress allocates.

From those three, you can see the outlines of a strategy to cut regulations, cut departments and fire bureaucrats.
Oh yeah. The OMB head is going to be one of his biggest picks.

Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at November 22, 2024 04:38 PM (vn9Tf)

99 >>>if you don't compliment the tranny for their outfit you making the workplace unfriendly etc.

“That pencil skirt is lovely: it nearly hides your balls!”

Posted by: HR-approved Workplace Compliments at November 22, 2024 04:38 PM (FC8SQ)

100 I think the 2 TRIllion he was talking about before the election has somehow transwampified into 0.5 trillion. Still a lot more than 2 billion, amirite?

Posted by: Shen Nan I Gan at November 22, 2024 04:38 PM (Quxeu)

101 Here's what is probably going to go wrong with cost cutting government.

Hawaiian judge is going to rule Congress funded the bloat so Executive branch has to spend the money.

Appeals court will affirm in part and remand to Hawaiian judge. That will go on for 4 years. Supreme Court will slow walk it into the next decade.

Posted by: torabora at November 22, 2024 04:38 PM (CpPSJ)

102 Musk is hinting he might buy MSNBC
Posted by: vmom deport deport deport

I hope he renames it "42069". You know a condition of the sale will be renaming it since it'll neither be Microsoft nor NBC.

Don't care if he's not planning to. Keep hinting. The smoke rising from Bluesky's servers is gorgeous.

Yes, the liberal panic is the best reason for him to hint about it.

Posted by: Ian S. at November 22, 2024 04:38 PM (l2Jq9)

103 84 Medicaid /Medicare fraud is also something that can be fixed.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at November 22, 2024 04:34 PM (y60WL)

My guess is that it is 50% of the total cost of those two programs.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at N

The whole model is so f-d up. When physicians have to resort to hiring coding wizards to improve reimbursements from insurance companies and Medicare/Medicaid things are FUBAR.

Posted by: CaliGirl at November 22, 2024 04:38 PM (dlOqM)

104 The government employee unions and the Dems are going to fight this tooth and nail. Good , bankrupt both by Cloward and Pivening them into spending massive amounts of $ in the fight.
Posted by: Smell the Glove
------------
Federal employees right to collective bargaining was done with an EO. Actually two. One by JFK and the other by Nixon.

Posted by: scampydog has thoughts at November 22, 2024 04:39 PM (2bFN5)

105 >> Slash First, Fix Later: How Elon Musk Cuts Costs

If I don’t see some rummage sales I’m gonna be disappointed.

Desk chair. Never used $5

Posted by: Marcus T at November 22, 2024 04:39 PM (318OH)

106 Actually it's Medicaid and SSDI that needs to be reformed. Regular SS and Medicare are at least partially funded by the receivers and is not the main drain.

Medicaid /Medicare fraud is also something that can be fixed.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at November 22, 2024 04:34 PM (y60WL)
==
Actually woefully incorrect. SSDI does need to be reformed, SS is essentially solvent, although it pays crap based upon your forced contributions, and then taxes you on the full value, which is also bullshit.

As to Medicare and Medicaid. These are growing faster than government receipts. Medicaid as a program provides no better medical outcomes than people who have no insurance.

As to Medicare - it is the giant in the room - your taxes pay for squat to fund it. It is a ridiculously small portion of its actual cost per person. People who make big bucks get to pay a premium tax on earnings for it - but they still come no where close. Medicare is a middle class entitlement program whose beneficiaries are just as much welches as anyone who gets any other government funded bennies.

Posted by: Black JEM at November 22, 2024 04:39 PM (GZYu7)

107 35 This is great. I've always wanted the government to handle our tax money the way I handle our family's money. Sensibly, prudently, efficiently.
Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at November 22, 2024 04:28 PM (YqDXo)

Whut? you don't give money to other people while paying your bills with credit card debt?

Posted by: Romeo13 at November 22, 2024 04:39 PM (QAkQ3)

108 I'm no longer squeamish about bastardizing government to suit my whims.

Same. I'm done with not using things against the Democrats that they're more than willing to use against me.

Posted by: Ian S. at November 22, 2024 04:40 PM (l2Jq9)

109 Medicaid /Medicare fraud is also something that can be fixed.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at November 22, 2024 04:34 PM (y60WL)

My guess is that it is 50% of the total cost of those two programs.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at November 22, 2024 04:36 PM (d9fT1)
_________________

I'd start looking hard at disability payments. Put investigators on random recipients of such payments to see if they're really disabled.

If not, claw back payments from them, and prosecute them and the physicians who signed off on their disability claims.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at November 22, 2024 04:40 PM (YqDXo)

110 There are three rulings Trump now has at his disposal

These are key. What he CAN do is take the money he does not spend on given agencies (easy to cut back) to spend down the debt. Its a drop in the barrel, but its at least a start.

Problem is, next president can just jack the spending back up to where it was. Rehire the people fired. Expand the regulations again. Legislature HAS to do its job.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at November 22, 2024 04:40 PM (RsS92)

111 Earlier post today about the anti-search engines brought to mind ("TOP of MIND" mind you) my peeve about Google the past decade or more.

Back in the day Google indexed everything and regurgitated links to whatever content you searched for. It is highly curated now, I'm sure by its algorithm (Al Gore Rhythm). You ONLY find what Google WANTS you to find. The far flung tiny website and forums are excluded. It's frustrating and frankly, crap.

Doe there exist a true indexing search engine like early Google ? I would really like to know.

Posted by: Sphynx at November 22, 2024 04:40 PM (P6qMv)

112
Tommy Robinson 🇬🇧
@TRobinsonNewEra
ADMIN POST.

Controlled explosion outside the US embassy.

Gatwick evacuated and 2 detained over a suspicious package.

And tonight, Chester station evacuated over a security incident.

12hrs in England today.

The country is on tenterhooks.

Posted by: Mister Ghost at November 22, 2024 04:40 PM (TGPs7)

113 97 If these DOGE casts are honest, people are goongn to be super pissed at how little the avg govt worker does.
Posted by: Nick in Tallahassee at November 22, 2024 04:38 PM (BeqPD)

Wasn't it someone at the Justice Dept that did nothing but watch porn? I mean we could pay teenage boys to masturbate for much cheaper than these guys?

Posted by: CaliGirl at November 22, 2024 04:40 PM (dlOqM)

114 Not only are fewer employees required to enforce fewer regulations, but the agency would produce fewer regulations once its scope of authority is properly limited.

This, right here. USACE works for a living--we don't get Congressional $$ -- but we have to work within ruinous regulations for things that make no sense. I should probably call Elon directly.
Posted by: tcn in AK at November 22, 2024 04:34 PM (byWhc)

He'd probably answer.

Posted by: Oldcat at November 22, 2024 04:40 PM (n7h9X)

115 I mean we could pay teenage boys to masturbate for much cheaper than these guys?

Teenage boys would do it for free.

Posted by: Ian S. at November 22, 2024 04:41 PM (l2Jq9)

116 96 I'd give the IRS agents one job - track down the 10 million people who are collecting social security checks and are 112 years of age and older. Find them, and since they don't exist, big prison time for the criminals who are deceiving this country.
Posted by: washrivergal at November 22, 2024 04:38 PM (mzoqX)

Way simpler and cheaper...CANCEL ALL of the SS for folks 112 or older and tell them they need to reapply if they'd still like to receive benefits. See how many folks really are 112...

Posted by: Nova Local at November 22, 2024 04:41 PM (exHjb)

117 Trump, with the help of Elon, Vivek, and his ruthless Cabinet officers, needs to re-focus FedGov on it's true and only mission: Aid the people of the United States in making their lives and businesses better.

Here's an editorial from the LA Times about Los Angeles, describing the rot that sets into the fabric of everyone's life when government ignores its true and only mission.

https://tinyurl.com/9ky6jkmz (note - msn.com page)

Editorial: How L.A. squanders millions that could be spent fixing its streets and sidewalks

Posted by: Gref at November 22, 2024 04:41 PM (aBgBM)

118 Whut? you don't give money to other people while paying your bills with credit card debt?

Posted by: Romeo13 at November 22, 2024 04:39 PM (QAkQ3)
________________

Nope. We don't have a penny of debt. We use credit cards for convenience, but pay off the balance every month, as we have done for many decades. We are what the credit card companies call "entrenched transactors."

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at November 22, 2024 04:42 PM (YqDXo)

119 >>> 95
==
Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at November 22, 2024 04:37 PM (YqDXo)

Fits in nicely with the concept of reducing expenses, doesn't it.

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at November 22, 2024 04:42 PM (KcwUg)

120 Teenage boys would do it for free.

They pay 5 bucks a month to do it on OF.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at November 22, 2024 04:42 PM (RsS92)

121 I will believe it when I see it. It just sounds like pandering.

And $2bn is NOTHING in the scope of the government.

Posted by: Briny the Elder at November 22, 2024 04:42 PM (VR4cY)

122 Any way you slice it, the single most important indicator of the economy is, has been and always will be "Consumer Confidence." People spend, businesses expand, jobs increase, wages increase to attract employees, start ups appear, competition increases, prices come down...rinse, lather, repeat.

So, what the NYT's is doing here is attempting to temper the growing consumer confidence. Only, they don't have any concrete proof to say that Musk doesn't know what he's doing. As a result it "their word" against "his word"...and they're too damn narcissistic to understand that's not a fair fight.

Posted by: Orson at November 22, 2024 04:42 PM (dIske)

123 Musk is hinting he might buy MSNBC
Posted by: vmom deport deport deport

I hope he renames it "42069". You know a condition of the sale will be renaming it since it'll neither be Microsoft nor NBC.

Don't care if he's not planning to. Keep hinting. The smoke rising from Bluesky's servers is gorgeous.

Yes, the liberal panic is the best reason for him to hint about it.
Posted by: Ian S. at November 22, 2024 04:38 PM (l2Jq9)

He should call it Y

Posted by: Oldcat at November 22, 2024 04:42 PM (n7h9X)

124 Here's what is probably going to go wrong with cost cutting government.

Hawaiian judge is going to rule Congress funded the bloat so Executive branch has to spend the money.

Appeals court will affirm in part and remand to Hawaiian judge. That will go on for 4 years. Supreme Court will slow walk it into the next decade.
Posted by: torabora at November 22, 2024 04:38 PM (CpPSJ)

Congress can cancel any unspent appropriations. And cut any future spending they want.

Of course, that would require non-squish GOP Congresscritters, so good luck.

Posted by: HR-approved Workplace Compliments at November 22, 2024 04:42 PM (FC8SQ)

125 I mean we could pay teenage boys to masturbate for much cheaper than these guys?

Teenage boys would do it for free.

If you promise them good porn, they'll pay you.

Posted by: Penthouse at November 22, 2024 04:42 PM (xCA6C)

126 Expect a huge real estate boom in DC as these DC lampreys have to find new employment at private sector scale.

When the parasitic load gets too high, you scrape them off.

Posted by: t-bird at November 22, 2024 04:42 PM (xRgqO)

127 I hope he renames it "42069".

I can't be the only one who has no idea what that number signifies.

Posted by: Archimedes at November 22, 2024 04:43 PM (xCA6C)

128 As to Medicare - it is the giant in the room - your taxes pay for squat to fund it. It is a ridiculously small portion of its actual cost per person. People who make big bucks get to pay a premium tax on earnings for it - but they still come no where close. Medicare is a middle class entitlement program whose beneficiaries are just as much welches as anyone who gets any other government funded bennies.
Posted by: Black JEM at November 22, 2024 04:39 PM (GZYu7)

I’m one of the Americans who’s paid far more into Medicare than to SS. I imagine it’s not a common circumstance.

Posted by: HR-approved Workplace Compliments at November 22, 2024 04:43 PM (FC8SQ)

129 Congress in a bipartisan fashion, raided SSDI. Go look at how that program exploded when they let people like non citizens related to green card holders make claims. Overall, the program is almost completely one giant fraud where the local people approving claims coach the person applying how to get approved. Medicaid is also one giant fraudulent scheme and includes illegal aliens np matter what they tell you. If you dig down on the numbers it’s fact.

Posted by: Marcus T at November 22, 2024 04:44 PM (318OH)

130 Expect a huge real estate boom in DC as these DC lampreys have to find new employment at private sector scale.
---------
You know who else died from a surfeit of lampreys?

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight, Concertina Czar at November 22, 2024 04:44 PM (z0QHk)

131 Controlled explosion outside the US embassy.

Gatwick evacuated and 2 detained over a suspicious package.

And tonight, Chester station evacuated over a security incident.

12hrs in England today.

The country is on tenterhooks.
Posted by: Mister Ghost at November 22, 2024 04:40 PM (TGPs7)

Its an op.

Posted by: Oldcat at November 22, 2024 04:44 PM (n7h9X)

132 to overturn regulations and permit Trump to cancel, or "reciss," spending.

Make phosphates and large flush toilets great again!

Posted by: Maj. Healey at November 22, 2024 04:44 PM (/U5Yz)

133 My guess is that it is 50% of the total cost of those two programs.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at N
==
Also incorrect. Fraud is there - and fraud related activity at these government programs is higher than private plan administration. High estimates of fraud in the public system settle in around 10% but most would put it more likely around 6-8%. Private plans would go lower than that because of pre-auth and procedure review programs run by the insurers.

Posted by: Black JEM at November 22, 2024 04:44 PM (GZYu7)

134
Eric Daugherty
@EricLDaugh

BREAKING: Matt Gaetz to release damaging information regarding congressional stock trading

Posted by: Mister Ghost at November 22, 2024 04:44 PM (TGPs7)

135 Expect a huge real estate boom in DC as these DC lampreys have to find new employment at private sector scale.
---------
You know who else died from a surfeit of lampreys?

My hovercraft?

Posted by: Archimedes at November 22, 2024 04:45 PM (xCA6C)

136 >>> 42 Curious, the actress that played Shuri (one of Marvel's host of teen girl super geniuses) has decided based on her Christianity that she's not acting any longer because the entire business is just sinful.

Guess they'll have to take her off the Marvel banner too like they did She-Hulk.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at November 22, 2024 04:25 PM (RsS92)

Even more curious is that she became a Christian after attending an Actors' Bible Study in London. I didn't know they had those there.
Posted by: Scarymary at November 22, 2024 04:29 PM (t8a1K)

istr a story several years ago about a panic on the subway, with passengers falling over themselves to get out of the car when the train stopped, because some rando decided to start reading a passage from the Bible out loud.

REEEEE EEEEE EEEEE!!!

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at November 22, 2024 04:45 PM (KcwUg)

137 Federal employees right to collective bargaining was done with an EO. Actually two. One by JFK and the other by Nixon.

Posted by: scampydog has thoughts at November 22, 2024 04:39 PM (2bFN5)
_______________

EO giveth, and EO taketh away.

That would prompt the Federal unions to strike, thereby revealing exactly which people could be done without.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at November 22, 2024 04:45 PM (YqDXo)

138 Gatwick evacuated and 2 detained over a suspicious package.

I frightened their version of TSA.

Posted by: Michelle Obama at November 22, 2024 04:45 PM (JzFC4)

139 The whole model is so f-d up. When physicians have to resort to hiring coding wizards to improve reimbursements from insurance companies and Medicare/Medicaid things are FUBAR.
Posted by: CaliGirl
______

The entire idea of health insurance if fucked up. You insure against things that you have to incentive to make occur. You don't intentionally burn down your house or wreck the car to collect on the insurance. With health insurance, on the other hand, the incentive is to maximize services for your premium dollar.

Health insurance should only be available for catastrophic events. All routine care should be fee for service.

Posted by: Biff Pocoroba at November 22, 2024 04:46 PM (Dm8we)

140 end federal overspending by taking aim at the $500 billion plus in annual federal expenditures that are unauthorized by Congress or being used in ways that Congress never intended, from $535 million a year to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and $1.5 billion for grants to international organizations to nearly $300 million to progressive groups like Planned Parenthood

------------

Stripping funding from those two entities is long overdue. Cut all funding, not just some.

Posted by: Decaf at November 22, 2024 04:46 PM (unUNN)

141 Eric Daugherty
@EricLDaugh

BREAKING: Matt Gaetz to release damaging information regarding congressional stock trading
Posted by: Mister Ghost
------------
*Rubs hands together* This may be interesting.

Posted by: scampydog at November 22, 2024 04:46 PM (2bFN5)

142 BREAKING: Matt Gaetz to release damaging information regarding congressional stock trading
Posted by: Mister Ghost

Oh brother.

Posted by: Maj. Healey at November 22, 2024 04:46 PM (/U5Yz)

143 *yawn*

2 billion dollars is a carbuncle on my little toe. When we get to a trillion smackaroos then we can discuss my big, bulging, erect toe.

Posted by: Dr. Bone at November 22, 2024 04:46 PM (ltevi)

144 Hawaiian judge is going to rule Congress funded the bloat so Executive branch has to spend the money.
---
Nope.
See me at 98; already been litigated.

Also, recall how Biden was so clever and creative in spending FEMA funds to feed, house and transport illegals?

Now watch Trump do the reverse.

But, even before that, you know the chaos that's about to erupt in NYC and other cities when the FEMA spigot to the illegals is cut off?

Like I said, Trump is about to set a thousand brush fires in the briar patch of the left.

Posted by: People's Hippo Voice at November 22, 2024 04:46 PM (vn9Tf)

145 Posted by: Black JEM at November 22, 2024 04:39 PM (GZYu7)

Medicare has premiums, co-pays ,etc.

Medicare is free and eligibility is different than Medicare. . The expenditures of both are relatively the same.

And woefully incorrect doesn't make sense when you agreed with 2 out of the 3 points I made.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at November 22, 2024 04:47 PM (y60WL)

146 >>> 61 I honestly don't think there's going to be any significant RIF. What these folks do is just stop spending money and hit their reductions. The head count remains because that is a hard nut to crack and eventually the budget cutting fever subsides as the money starts rolling in again and they all start spending money again.
Posted by: pawn at November 22, 2024 04:31 PM (QB+5g)

Cut their salaries in half and move them to Minneapolis.

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at November 22, 2024 04:47 PM (KcwUg)

147 Problem is, next president can just jack the spending back up to where it was. Rehire the people fired. Expand the regulations again. Legislature HAS to do its job.
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at November 22, 2024 04:40 PM (RsS92)

That will be harder if the building has been emptied sold and demolished.

Posted by: Oldcat at November 22, 2024 04:47 PM (n7h9X)

148 This NEEDS to happen.
But it also needs to be applied to Entitlements.
Medicare, Medicaid is bankrupting the country.

But nobody is going to touch either of them.
Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, Vote but also buy ammo

Those two alone could take care of the deficit.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at November 22, 2024 04:47 PM (/lPRQ)

149
Yes, the liberal panic is the best reason for him to hint about it.
Posted by: Ian S. at November 22, 2024 04:38 PM (l2Jq9)

He should call it Y
Posted by: Oldcat at November 22, 2024 04:42 PM

That made me guffaw.

Posted by: CaliGirl at November 22, 2024 04:47 PM (dlOqM)

150 >BREAKING: Matt Gaetz to release damaging information regarding congressional stock trading
Posted by: Mister Ghost at November 22, 2024 04:44 PM (TGPs7)

Gaetz settling all family business? Nice.

Posted by: Heavy Meta at November 22, 2024 04:47 PM (Tw+JN)

151 >>>Under Donald Trump, he is set to apply those tactics to the U.S. government.

I just soiled myself, the wife, the dog, and part of the neighborhood.

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at November 22, 2024 04:47 PM (i24o9)

152 Musk is hinting he might buy MSNBC
Posted by: vmom deport deport deport

I hope he renames it "42069". You know a condition of the sale will be renaming it since it'll neither be Microsoft nor NBC.

Don't care if he's not planning to. Keep hinting. The smoke rising from Bluesky's servers is gorgeous.

Yes, the liberal panic is the best reason for him to hint about it.
Posted by: Ian S. at November 22, 2024 04:38 PM (l2Jq9)

He should call it Y

Posted by: Oldcat at November 22, 2024 04:42 PM (n7h9X)
_______________

And then buy PBS, and call it "Z."

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at November 22, 2024 04:47 PM (YqDXo)

153 "Hawaiian judge is going to rule Congress funded the bloat so Executive branch has to spend the money."

Ignore the judge. Everybody does it.

Posted by: fd at November 22, 2024 04:48 PM (vFG9F)

154 Cut their salaries in half and move them to Minneapolis.
Posted by: Helena Handbasket at November 22, 2024 04:47 PM (KcwUg)

Move them every 6 months.

Posted by: Oldcat at November 22, 2024 04:48 PM (n7h9X)

155
Libs of TikTok
@libsoftiktok

JUST IN: Alberto Morris, an illegal living in NYC, was arrested and then promptly released without bail after he allegedly m*rdered his friend's dog by tossing it from a 14-story building.

Posted by: Mister Ghost at November 22, 2024 04:48 PM (TGPs7)

156 17 January 1st: close Dept of Education
February 1st: Stop funding NGOs
march 1st: close ????

Posted by: Lizzy at November 22, 2024 04:21 PM (Hkcdp)

Stop the tax break for any charities that don't give 95% of their donations to the peeps the charity was established for.

Posted by: kathysaysso at November 22, 2024 04:48 PM (tYTvT)

157 I never knew that ambulances were a standard part of the VP and Presidential motorcade. I guess I did learn something today in spite of myself.

Posted by: lin-duh at November 22, 2024 04:48 PM (YDB6U)

158 Way simpler and cheaper...CANCEL ALL of the SS for folks 112 or older and tell them they need to reapply if they'd still like to receive benefits. See how many folks really are 112...
Posted by: Nova Local at November 22, 2024 04:41 PM (exHjb)

Simple data searches of existing sets... bounce the Social Security payments against Medicare payments for everyone over 80 years old... if there are no matches for a person, investigate... because just about everyone over 80 will see a Doctor at least once a year.

Posted by: Romeo13 at November 22, 2024 04:48 PM (QAkQ3)

159 the Regime has ordered all of its corrupt functionaries to start shoveling it into any stray Democrat's pockets."

They hate the American people, who doesn't hate them back nearly enough.
Posted by: Bubba at November 22, 2024 04:26 PM (4ZLnC)

---------------

They would if they knew who they were but the news media is making sure no news escapes out into the world.

Posted by: Decaf at November 22, 2024 04:49 PM (unUNN)

160 That statement from Musk and Vivek.....

Oh my. Oh my goodness! Fans self... I... Um...clears throat... I like this.

Posted by: Madame Mayhem (uppity wench) at November 22, 2024 04:49 PM (4XwPj)

161 I’m one of the Americans who’s paid far more into Medicare than to SS. I imagine it’s not a common circumstance.

Posted by: HR-approved Workplace Compliments at November 22, 2024 04:43 PM (FC8SQ)
==
If you are a highly paid person I guess it could be possible - but for most people you will pay about 4 times more into SS than Medicare ( 6.2% for SS/ 1.45 for medicare). For people paid over 200,000 per year you are charged an additional .9% tax, not matched by the employer. SO you would have to have around a $1M salary to pay more for medicare - and you still aren't paying for the value received.

Posted by: Black JEM at November 22, 2024 04:49 PM (GZYu7)

162 They say that they can cut $2 billion from the government's discretionary budget.

That seems like a reasonable goal... per day.

Posted by: t-bird at November 22, 2024 04:49 PM (/3Wsk)

163 I remember reading an article in the 90s about how some tiny amount of each federal dollar reached the program's end-user that it was designed to "help." Something like 10%.

I'm sure it's less than a penny of every dollar now.

Posted by: Boron Cobbie at November 22, 2024 04:49 PM (U0Dlz)

164 Problem is, next president can just jack the spending back up to where it was. Rehire the people fired.
__________________

After four years I expect that most people will have made other arrangements.

See, e.g., PATCO employees fired by Reagan.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at November 22, 2024 04:49 PM (YqDXo)

165 "Matt Gaetz to release damaging information regarding congressional stock trading"

Pelosi? Everybody already knows about that.

Posted by: fd at November 22, 2024 04:49 PM (vFG9F)

166 "The Biden administration is aiming to commit nearly every unspent dollar in its $50 billion microchip-subsidy program before President-elect Donald Trump takes over in January"

Last shred of hope for INTC?

Posted by: Peel gp A Grape at November 22, 2024 04:49 PM (5G6LU)

167 Can we throw out baseline budgeting while we are at it? That'd be helpful.
Posted by: CaliGirl at November 22, 2024 04:37 PM (dlOqM)

Set the baseline to 0.00 for each department and agency, and you can add percentages all you want.

Posted by: Hour of the Wolf - Remember Vic and VNN! at November 22, 2024 04:49 PM (VNX3d)

168 Eric Daugherty
@EricLDaugh

BREAKING: Matt Gaetz to release damaging information regarding congressional stock trading
Posted by: Mister Ghost at November 22, 2024 04:44 PM (TGPs7)
________________________

Heh, remember the Steve Buscemi character in Armageddon? He goes a little nuts while they're on the asteroid and is not really allowed to touch anything as a result. But, the fact remains that he could still screw up the mission at any moment by just blowing everyone up.

Ladies and Gentlemen...Matt Gaetz.

Posted by: Orson at November 22, 2024 04:50 PM (dIske)

169 BREAKING: Matt Gaetz to release damaging information regarding congressional stock trading
Posted by: Mister Ghost

Oh brother.
Posted by: Maj. Healey at November 22, 2024 04:46 PM (/U5Yz)

I think some people are regretting some of their statements on confirmations.

Posted by: Oldcat at November 22, 2024 04:50 PM (n7h9X)

170 155
Libs of TikTok
@libsoftiktok

JUST IN: Alberto Morris, an illegal living in NYC, was arrested and then promptly released without bail after he allegedly m*rdered his friend's dog by tossing it from a 14-story building.
Posted by: Mister Ghost at November 22, 2024 04:48 PM (TGPs7)

Dog was gay?

Posted by: Moslem at November 22, 2024 04:50 PM (QAkQ3)

171 > BREAKING: Matt Gaetz to release damaging information regarding congressional stock trading

Congress made insider stock trading legal for members of Congress. Nobody who pays any attention at all will be surprised members of Congress engaged in insider stock trading. I don't really know what Gaetz hopes to do here.

Posted by: bonhomme at November 22, 2024 04:50 PM (Odg76)

172 The NYT is nothing if not predictable.

Posted by: Northernlurker , Maple Syrup MAGA at November 22, 2024 04:50 PM (kTd/k)

173

I would like to see Elon and Vivek 69ing, while each is buggered by a time.

Don't tell Chas, he's a jealous little bitch...

Posted by: Peter Bootygig at November 22, 2024 04:50 PM (/sbPQ)

174 Do what I do with my Arby's stores. Pay all the federal "employees" minimum wage. Those that show up clean and sober for work get an extra ten cents per hour.

Hahahahaha!

Posted by: Dick Cheney, Mastermind On Viagra at November 22, 2024 04:50 PM (R/m4+)

175 17 January 1st: close Dept of Education
February 1st: Stop funding NGOs
march 1st: close ????

Posted by: Lizzy at November 22, 2024 04:21 PM (Hkcdp)
_______________

March 1st: file a RICO case against the Democrat Party, which God knows has earned it.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at November 22, 2024 04:51 PM (YqDXo)

176 121 I will believe it when I see it. It just sounds like pandering.

And $2bn is NOTHING in the scope of the government.

Posted by: Briny the Elder at November 22, 2024 04:42 PM (VR4cY)

I don't think $2B is the total they'll recommend slashing from FedGov expenditures. I think the items they list costing $2B are simply examples of items that Trump can easily and quickly cut using Executive Orders.

Posted by: Gref at November 22, 2024 04:51 PM (aBgBM)

177 If you are a highly paid person I guess it could be possible - but for most people you will pay about 4 times more into SS than Medicare ( 6.2% for SS/ 1.45 for medicare). For people paid over 200,000 per year you are charged an additional .9% tax, not matched by the employer. SO you would have to have around a $1M salary to pay more for medicare - and you still aren't paying for the value received.
Posted by: Black JEM at November 22, 2024 04:49 PM (GZYu7)

Also NIIT, which was part of Obamacare, but is just a Medicare tax.

What you have to remember is SS is capped, but Medicare is not.

Posted by: HR-approved Workplace Compliments at November 22, 2024 04:51 PM (FC8SQ)

178 Did you mean 'buggered by a mime?'

Posted by: Peel gp A Grape at November 22, 2024 04:51 PM (5G6LU)

179
"Fox News
@FoxNews
Mayor Adams calls for the 'involuntary removal' of people who are 'a danger to others' on the streets"

Posted by: Nova Local at November 22, 2024 04:52 PM (exHjb)

180
Health insurance should only be available for catastrophic events. All routine care should be fee for service.
Posted by: Biff Pocoroba at November 22, 2024 04:46 PM (Dm8we)

Yes, this is my idea to fix the health care industry is catastrophic insurance along with a HSA. The government could pay people to buy insurance and any money left in their HSA at the end of the year could be rolled over into their retirement accounts.
You need incentives for people to act like they're spending their own money.

Posted by: CaliGirl at November 22, 2024 04:52 PM (dlOqM)

181 I remember reading an article in the 90s about how some tiny amount of each federal dollar reached the program's end-user that it was designed to "help." Something like 10%.

I'm sure it's less than a penny of every dollar now.

Posted by: Boron Cobbie at November 22, 2024 04:49 PM (U0Dlz)

The grift is ALWAYS the point. Burn it all to the ground.

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at November 22, 2024 04:52 PM (i24o9)

182 MXNBC - who would be the better program director? Tucker, or Catturd?

Posted by: Tom Servo at November 22, 2024 04:52 PM (TAHLa)

183 Simple data searches of existing sets... bounce the Social Security payments against Medicare payments for everyone over 80 years old... if there are no matches for a person, investigate... because just about everyone over 80 will see a Doctor at least once a year.
Posted by: Romeo13 at November 22, 2024 04:48 PM (QAkQ3)

make it a requirement to do so. Health care is good, right.

Posted by: Oldcat at November 22, 2024 04:52 PM (n7h9X)

184 BREAKING: Matt Gaetz to release damaging information regarding congressional stock trading

Congress made insider stock trading legal for members of Congress. Nobody who pays any attention at all will be surprised members of Congress engaged in insider stock trading. I don't really know what Gaetz hopes to do here.

Posted by: bonhomme at November 22, 2024 04:50 PM (Odg76)
__________________

Name and shame. Nothing will clobber some Congressman's re-election chances by being called out for insider trading.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at November 22, 2024 04:52 PM (YqDXo)

185 hope he renames it "42069".

I can't be the only one who has no idea what that number signifies.
Posted by: Archimedes

It's Elon Musk's trolling number.

420: pot reference, 4:20PM is the time to smoke it.

69: uh, ask Beavis.

Posted by: mikeski at November 22, 2024 04:52 PM (DgGvY)

186 I never knew that ambulances were a standard part of the VP and Presidential motorcade. I guess I did learn something today in spite of myself.
Posted by: lin-duh at November 22, 2024 04:48 PM (YDB6U)

In Biden's case, it also includes a Diaper Service truck.

Posted by: Hour of the Wolf - Remember Vic and VNN! at November 22, 2024 04:52 PM (VNX3d)

187 It's 2 trillion they'll be able to cut.

Hell, each year we spend over 600 billion that isn't even authorized any longer by Congress.

Posted by: Sharkman at November 22, 2024 04:52 PM (O85lV)

188 That quantum computing will revolutionize AI is almost certainly nonsense. They are very different things. AI needs huge networks of calculation. QC has trouble keeping a few bits of information.
Posted by: Oldcat at November 22, 2024 04:33 PM (n7h

I don't think you are up to date on the AI and Quantum computing connection. Lots of info out there on the subject.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at November 22, 2024 04:52 PM (y60WL)

189 But what about the norms??? He can't cut costs and ignore the norms!!!

Posted by: Marcus Gravey at November 22, 2024 04:53 PM (TIizU)

190 "January 1st: close Dept of Education
February 1st: Stop funding NGOs
march 1st: close ????"

Defund PBS, NPR, NEA, etc.

Posted by: Peel gp A Grape at November 22, 2024 04:53 PM (5G6LU)

191 Eric Daugherty
@EricLDaugh

BREAKING: Matt Gaetz to release damaging information regarding congressional stock trading
Posted by: Mister Ghost at November 22, 2024 04:44 PM (TGPs7)

nice !!

Posted by: runner at November 22, 2024 04:53 PM (V13WU)

192 "Fox News
@FoxNews
Mayor Adams calls for the 'involuntary removal' of people who are 'a danger to others' on the streets"

Posted by: Nova Local at November 22, 2024 04:52 PM (exHjb)
_______________

This just in: Eric Adams is now going to run for re-election as a Republican. He's had enough.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at November 22, 2024 04:53 PM (YqDXo)

193 Simple data searches of existing sets... bounce the Social Security payments against Medicare payments for everyone over 80 years old... if there are no matches for a person, investigate... because just about everyone over 80 will see a Doctor at least once a year.
Posted by: Romeo13 at November 22, 2024 04:48 PM (QAkQ3)

Split it up. Let people bid for airtime slots every so often.

Posted by: Oldcat at November 22, 2024 04:53 PM (n7h9X)

194 Almost time for me to scurry off home, all. Have a good weekend!

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at November 22, 2024 04:53 PM (J2vNu)

195 It is my understanding that Pelosi is the biggest benefactor.

Posted by: runner at November 22, 2024 04:54 PM (V13WU)

196 53 I guess they could learn to ~~code~~ shovel.

Posted by: fd at November 22, 2024 04:31 PM (vFG9F)
----
FIFY

Posted by: Ciampino - bureaucrats can move the bureaus? at November 22, 2024 04:54 PM (i0xsb)

197 Health insurance should only be available for catastrophic events. All routine care should be fee for service.

Posted by: Biff Pocoroba at November 22, 2024 04:46 PM (Dm8we)
==

Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner.

Posted by: Black JEM at November 22, 2024 04:54 PM (GZYu7)

198 178 Did you mean 'buggered by a mime?'
Posted by: Peel gp A Grape

Fucking Autocucumber!

Wait, is that a thing?

Posted by: Peter Bootygig at November 22, 2024 04:54 PM (/sbPQ)

199 BREAKING: Matt Gaetz to release damaging information regarding congressional stock trading
Posted by: Mister Ghost at November 22, 2024 04:44 PM (TGPs7)

Gaetz settling all family business? Nice.
Posted by: Heavy Meta at November 22, 2024 04:47 PM (Tw+JN)

I know I said I'm not a fan of the guy but this makes me like him a lot more.

Good on him!

Posted by: Robert at November 22, 2024 04:55 PM (wYWll)

200 Trump Is Building the Most Anti-Semitic Cabinet in Decades

Donald Trump has vowed to “defeat anti-Semitism.” His Cabinet picks tell a very different story.

Of all the promises, from quixotic to horrifying, that Donald Trump has made about the next four years, the one that seems least likely to be fulfilled is his vow to “defeat anti-Semitism.” He has nominated a slew of cranks who have dabbled in the oldest conspiracy theory of them all, a belief that Jews control the world.

https://tinyurl.com/5n6k55kd

Posted by: Mister Ghost at November 22, 2024 04:55 PM (TGPs7)

201
A Gaetz congressional revenge tour would be epic.

Posted by: Auspex at November 22, 2024 04:55 PM (j4U/Z)

202 Congress made insider stock trading legal for members of Congress. Nobody who pays any attention at all will be surprised members of Congress engaged in insider stock trading. I don't really know what Gaetz hopes to do here.

Posted by: bonhomme at November 22, 2024 04:50 PM (Odg76)
__________________

Name and shame. Nothing will clobber some Congressman's re-election chances by being called out for insider trading.
Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara
----------------
I'm good with bringing some sunlight to this. The way the winds are blowing right now it may get some traction. People are still pissed and paying a bit more attention.

Posted by: scampydog at November 22, 2024 04:55 PM (2bFN5)

203 182 MXNBC - who would be the better program director? Tucker, or Catturd?
Posted by: Tom Servo at November 22, 2024 04:52 PM (TAHLa)

Alex Jones.

/Mic drop

Posted by: Romeo13 at November 22, 2024 04:55 PM (QAkQ3)

204 Defund PBS, NPR, NEA, etc.

Posted by: Peel gp A Grape at November 22, 2024 04:53 PM (5G6LU)
________________

What? Close down the Ministry of Truth? PBS/NPR claim to receive little Federal subvention. Great, then they won't miss having such cut out.

And what is the deal with NEA? Government funding for arts? WTF? That historically was funded by the wealthy. Government funding guarantees subvention for socialist realist art. Sturdy peasant boys on tractors, beautiful peasant girls smiling as they toil in the fields, that sort of thing.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at November 22, 2024 04:56 PM (YqDXo)

205 I used to work a government job and we had an auditor once who was shocked at the bloat, incompetence and make-work that existed

Literally nothing we did made sense or was efficient. In one example we used a software vendor that the government contracted with that turned the workload of entering paper documents into the system from a 30 second exercise to now taking over 10 minutes to complete, because the software was pure garbage

There was also the matter of inventory, where everything we bought were purchased at insanely marked up prices. A rubber stamp would cost $300 each when it would normally cost $15 at Office Max

and this was a county government, so imagine it at the federal level

Posted by: The Unvaxed and Unmasked Ranger - Certified Wagshambas Expert at November 22, 2024 04:56 PM (M7vhK)

206 When you haven't had a budget for the nation since W Bush it is pathetic. All show. Posturing. Bullshite.

This alone in a decrease of salary for the poohbahs might have them see the wisdom of term limits vs Pelosi being there since the Civil War.
Posted by: ChristyBlinkyTheGreat at November 22, 2024 04:30 PM (gi+MR)

----------------

Not just Pelosi, half of congress is so old they predate Noah's Ark.

As for no budget since Bush, but of course it the only way to hide all the mis-allocation of funds and simple fraud. Musk and Vivek should insist on a budget or everything gets cut.

Posted by: Decaf at November 22, 2024 04:56 PM (unUNN)

207 Eric Daugherty
@EricLDaugh

BREAKING: Matt Gaetz to release damaging information regarding congressional stock trading

Great, I'm gonna have to call the doctor again. It was just almost 4 hours since Elon hinted at buying PMSNBC.

Posted by: Ian S. at November 22, 2024 04:56 PM (l2Jq9)

208 MXNBC - who would be the better program director? Tucker, or Catturd?
Posted by: Tom Servo at November 22, 2024 04:52 PM (TAHLa)
__________________

Vlad the Impaler.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at November 22, 2024 04:56 PM (YqDXo)

209 There are so many scammers using SSDI claiming 'mental problems.' Cut. Them. Off.

Posted by: Maj. Healey at November 22, 2024 04:56 PM (/U5Yz)

210 An Instapundit article referenced some tweets (x-eets?) regarding California's spending of massive amounts (almost a billion) for cheap houses that have produced between zero and zero houses.

With all the AI and business technology out there, it should be much easier to identify 'odd' trends in disbursements of funds - what accounts is the money transferring to? Who authorized? And is there any email in the government servers related to those authorizations? How does that compare to the backups?

Computing power nowadays could also analyze this quickly, along with a group of number-crunchers raised on puzzle games to hunt for them. They might even do the task for free, crowd-sourced even.

Especially since the government of California defaulted on a multi-billion-dollar loan and is making the companies located in the state to pay for it instead. If a business did that, it would be headed for bankruptcy, not around another 4 years for another election.

Posted by: Another Anon at November 22, 2024 04:56 PM (QNMaY)

211 I understand there will be a lot of lettuce picking jobs in the near future. So they won’t even need unemployment benefits.

Posted by: ThisIsMyNameRightHere at November 22, 2024 04:57 PM (N9jW3)

212 Trump Is Building the Most Anti-Semitic Cabinet in Decades

Donald Trump has vowed to “defeat anti-Semitism.” His Cabinet picks tell a very different story.

Of all the promises, from quixotic to horrifying, that Donald Trump has made about the next four years, the one that seems least likely to be fulfilled is his vow to “defeat anti-Semitism.” He has nominated a slew of cranks who have dabbled in the oldest conspiracy theory of them all, a belief that Jews control the world.

https://tinyurl.com/5n6k55kd
Posted by: Mister Ghost at November 22, 2024 04:55 PM (TGPs7)

Most of Biden's government are Hamas operatives

Posted by: Oldcat at November 22, 2024 04:57 PM (n7h9X)

213 There are so many scammers using SSDI claiming 'mental problems.' Cut. Them. Off.

Posted by: Maj. Healey at November 22, 2024 04:56 PM (/U5Yz)

Reddit, TikTok and Bluesky hardest hit.

Posted by: HR-approved Workplace Compliments at November 22, 2024 04:57 PM (FC8SQ)

214 But what about the norms??? He can't cut costs and ignore the norms!!!
Posted by: Marcus Gravey at November 22, 2024 04:53 PM (TIizU)

He's listening to the Bobs, though. The Norms weren't whispering loud enough.

Posted by: Hour of the Wolf - Remember Vic and VNN! at November 22, 2024 04:57 PM (VNX3d)

215 There are so many scammers using SSDI claiming 'mental problems.' Cut. Them. Off.

Posted by: Maj. Healey at November 22, 2024 04:56 PM (/U5Yz)

Including my freeloading layabout cousin.

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at November 22, 2024 04:58 PM (i24o9)

216 Cut every line item in half, and see how it goes.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at November 22, 2024 04:58 PM (lTGtQ)

217 >>> 197 Health insurance should only be available for catastrophic events. All routine care should be fee for service.

Posted by: Biff Pocoroba at November 22, 2024 04:46 PM (Dm8we)
==

Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner.
Posted by: Black JEM at November 22, 2024 04:54 PM (GZYu7)

Is there any reason this is *not* how we do things, other than hiding just how fcking much money is spent on illegals and slacker locals not paying for shit?

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at November 22, 2024 04:58 PM (KcwUg)

218 >Wait, is that a thing?
Posted by: Peter Bootygig at November 22, 2024 04:54 PM (/sbPQ)

Posted by: Marcel Marceau at November 22, 2024 04:58 PM (Tw+JN)

219 I suspect they'll get the economy quite quickly.

Posted by: Wyatt Earp at November 22, 2024 04:58 PM (xu8AK)

220
Ever notice how Rachel Maddow consistently talks out of the right side of her mouth? I mean, physically, not metaphorically. Watch her, if you can stomach it.

Posted by: Sphynx at November 22, 2024 04:58 PM (P6qMv)

221 190 "January 1st: close Dept of Education
February 1st: Stop funding NGOs
march 1st: close ????"

Defund PBS, NPR, NEA, etc.
Posted by: Peel gp A Grape at November 22, 2024 04:53 PM (5G6LU)

Air America. Hard to bitch at Russia for a few F Book ads, when we use Tax dollars to fund Radio Stations in Europe that broadcast to Russia, in Russian.

Posted by: Romeo13 at November 22, 2024 04:58 PM (QAkQ3)

222 JUST IN: Alberto Morris, an illegal living in NYC, was arrested and then promptly released without bail after he allegedly m*rdered his friend's dog by tossing it from a 14-story building.
Posted by: Mister Ghost at November 22, 2024 04:48 PM (TGPs7)

If it makes you feel better, his friend is also from central america and has only been in the US (illegally, I'm sure), for about a year.

Interesting how two recently arrived illegals already have apartments and enough money to buy dogs and go to parties in williamsburg, AND enough money to uber home with stolen apartment keys and toss a guys dog out of a window.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at November 22, 2024 04:58 PM (Evo1G)

223 Air America. Hard to bitch at Russia for a few F Book ads, when we use Tax dollars to fund Radio Stations in Europe that broadcast to Russia, in Russian.

I thought Air America was that failed "we're gonna have a left wing Rush Limbaugh" thing.

Posted by: Ian S. at November 22, 2024 05:00 PM (l2Jq9)

224 Congress made insider stock trading legal for members of Congress. Nobody who pays any attention at all will be surprised members of Congress engaged in insider stock trading. I don't really know what Gaetz hopes to do here.

Posted by: bonhomme at November 22, 2024 04:50 PM (Odg76)
__________________

Name and shame. Nothing will clobber some Congressman's re-election chances by being called out for insider trading.
Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara
----------------
I'm good with bringing some sunlight to this. The way the winds are blowing right now it may get some traction. People are still pissed and paying a bit more attention.

Posted by: scampydog at November 22, 2024 04:55 PM (2bFN5)
_________________

(proffering microphone in the miscreant's face) "So, wealthy Congressman Karl Marx, do you support making insider trading illegal again for Congress? Hmmm?"

"Oh, yes, of course I do." (gulps)

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at November 22, 2024 05:00 PM (YqDXo)

225 Air America. Hard to bitch at Russia for a few F Book ads, when we use Tax dollars to fund Radio Stations in Europe that broadcast to Russia, in Russian.
Posted by: Romeo13 at November 22, 2024 04:58 PM (QAkQ3)

And in Ohio

Posted by: Oldcat at November 22, 2024 05:00 PM (n7h9X)

226 Ever notice how Rachel Maddow consistently talks out of the right side of her mouth? I mean, physically, not metaphorically. Watch her, if you can stomach it.
Posted by: Sphynx
----------
Billy Idol did it better. Albeit left side of mouth.

Posted by: scampydog at November 22, 2024 05:00 PM (2bFN5)

227 Cut every line item in half, and see how it goes.
Posted by: Thomas Paine

Wait - how about cut every other line item out completely, and the remaining by half, and see how it goes?

Posted by: Tonypete at November 22, 2024 05:00 PM (WXNFJ)

228 Interesting how two recently arrived illegals already have apartments and enough money to buy dogs and go to parties in williamsburg, AND enough money to uber home with stolen apartment keys and toss a guys dog out of a window.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes

You're paying for their apartments, and also their 'free' healthcare, plus $2,000 per month walking around money.

Thanks, taxpayer.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at November 22, 2024 05:00 PM (lTGtQ)

229 One of the biggest impacts of the illegal immigrant invasion is the impact on our health care system. People often talk about the criminals. What they haven’t highlighted are the tens of thousands of people in need of medical care who have crossed the border and are overloading our system. It’s squeezing out Americans in need of treatment. If you see it first hand it defies belief. Anyone who has been to a healthcare facility in a major city know this.

Posted by: Marcus T at November 22, 2024 05:01 PM (YF3RS)

230 All the right people are shitting their panties.

Posted by: ShainS -- We shot them under DOD Directive 5240.01 at November 22, 2024 05:01 PM (T6TND)

231 Texas requires state agencies to use historical underutilized businesses, ie mainly women and black owned businesses even if it costs the state more while at the same time requiring agencies to save the state money whenever possible. Those 2 things don't generally go together.

Posted by: lin-duh at November 22, 2024 05:01 PM (YDB6U)

232 istr a story several years ago about a panic on the subway, with passengers falling over themselves to get out of the car when the train stopped, because some rando decided to start reading a passage from the Bible out loud.

REEEEE EEEEE EEEEE!!!

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at November 22, 2024 04:45 PM (KcwUg)

Yes, I forgot that. Oh those poor luvvies.
https://tinyurl.com/4wmy9wpv

Posted by: Scarymary at November 22, 2024 05:02 PM (t8a1K)

233 Government funding guarantees subvention for socialist realist art. Sturdy peasant boys on tractors, beautiful peasant girls smiling as they toil in the fields, that sort of thing.
Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at November 22, 2024 04:56 PM (YqDXo)

Best we can do is a bullwhip inserted in a guy’s anus and child porn.

Posted by: NEA Grant Writer and Total Pervert at November 22, 2024 05:02 PM (FC8SQ)

234
Garsh, we cut too many? We can bring some back.

Your feelz are hurt? Suck it up, buttercup!

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at November 22, 2024 05:02 PM (xG4kz)

235 You're paying for their apartments, and also their 'free' healthcare, plus $2,000 per month walking around money.

Thanks, taxpayer.
Posted by: Thomas Paine at November 22, 2024 05:00 PM (lTGtQ)

Yes I know I am.

Meanwhile, I'd HAPPILY pay to get the schizophrenics and drug users off the streets so I don't have to be accosted by deranged homeless people nearly daily, but that's not in the cards.

Three free meals a day, apartments, free phones, cash benefits, etc. are available for some dude who showed up from Ecuador two minutes ago though.

Wild how that works.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at November 22, 2024 05:02 PM (Evo1G)

236 229 One of the biggest impacts of the illegal immigrant invasion is the impact on our health care system. People often talk about the criminals. What they haven’t highlighted are the tens of thousands of people in need of medical care who have crossed the border and are overloading our system. It’s squeezing out Americans in need of treatment. If you see it first hand it defies belief. Anyone who has been to a healthcare facility in a major city know this.
Posted by: Marcus T at November 22, 2024 05:01 PM (YF3RS)

Or the (very real) housing crisis in most cities in the US.

Do we think having 50+ million illegal aliens, plus 50+ million legal aliens in this country puts any upwards pressure on the cost of housing? Or food? Or policing? Or education? Or any other service we use?

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at November 22, 2024 05:03 PM (Evo1G)

237 BREAKING: Matt Gaetz to release damaging information regarding congressional stock trading

Congress made insider stock trading legal for members of Congress. Nobody who pays any attention at all will be surprised members of Congress engaged in insider stock trading. I don't really know what Gaetz hopes to do here.

Posted by: bonhomme at November 22, 2024 04:50 PM (Odg76)

Remind people that whatsherface, you know, the Chef lady, went to prison for sharing a stock tip with her daughter. Her fucking daughter and she went to jail.

Posted by: Chairborne!...Desk From Above! at November 22, 2024 05:03 PM (JvtuU)

238 >>> 200 Trump Is Building the Most Anti-Semitic Cabinet in Decades

Donald Trump has vowed to “defeat anti-Semitism.” His Cabinet picks tell a very different story.

Of all the promises, from quixotic to horrifying, that Donald Trump has made about the next four years, the one that seems least likely to be fulfilled is his vow to “defeat anti-Semitism.” He has nominated a slew of cranks who have dabbled in the oldest conspiracy theory of them all, a belief that Jews control the world.

https://tinyurl.com/5n6k55kd
Posted by: Mister Ghost at November 22, 2024 04:55 PM (TGPs7)

This must be why the people who think JOOOS control the world are telling me that OrangeManBad and his admin are controlled by the JOOOS.

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at November 22, 2024 05:04 PM (KcwUg)

239 Collin Rugg @CollinRugg 2h
JUST IN: Elon Musk taunts that he is thinking about buying MSNBC after Comcast announced they were putting it up for sale.

"How much does it cost?" Musk asked.

"The most entertaining outcome, especially if ironic, is most likely," he followed up.

The comment comes as a meeting was held between top "talent" at MSNBC Rachel Maddow, Chris Jansing, and Katy Tur where they discussed MSNBC's future.

Maddow recently took a $5M pay cut as the outlet continues to struggle.

Posted by: andycanuck (hovnC) at November 22, 2024 05:04 PM (hovnC)

240 180
Health insurance should only be available for catastrophic events. All routine care should be fee for service.
Posted by: Biff Pocoroba at November 22, 2024 04:46 PM (Dm8we)
----
You do realize that you can't get prescriptions renewed unless you've seen the doctor in the last 6 months? State law? Also for pain medication there is no renewal without a visit and a prescription is supposedly only good for a month's supply (State laws).
What happened to "My Body, My Choice"?
So on a fixed income those costs add up tremendously.

Posted by: Ciampino - bureaucrats at November 22, 2024 05:04 PM (i0xsb)

241
Somewhere out on the biways and highway underpasses of America, "excessed" former Twitter employees are going into conniption fits again upon hearing this news and the RIF process that GOPE will bring to bear.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at November 22, 2024 05:04 PM (xG4kz)

242 Matt Gaetz to release damaging information regarding congressional stock trading

That is one of his axes to grind: the insider trading and fraud, which is what really pisses off congress against him.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at November 22, 2024 05:05 PM (RsS92)

243 Looking forward to all the new parking lots that get built in DC after all these cuts.

Posted by: Crazy at November 22, 2024 05:05 PM (LZQuM)

244 I guess Gaetz is going to list stuff like this.

House Rep. Blake Moore began to buy JNJ stock on February 24 and 25, 2021 just two days before the FDA issued emergency use authorization to the company’s vaccine. He’s continued to buy the stock and hold.

Posted by: Orson at November 22, 2024 05:05 PM (dIske)

245 I thought Air America was that failed "we're gonna have a left wing Rush Limbaugh" thing.

Posted by: Ian S. at November 22, 2024 05:00 PM (l2Jq9)
______________________

And the laughable "Coffee Party" was the Reds' pathetic attempt to respond to the Tea Party.

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at November 22, 2024 05:06 PM (YqDXo)

246 Do we think having 50+ million illegal aliens, plus 50+ million legal aliens in this country puts any upwards pressure on the cost of housing? Or food? Or policing? Or education? Or any other service we use?

Posted by: Harry Paratestes

Add to that the fact that we have a good ten million Americans on welfare, because their jobs have been outsourced or else given to the illegals to 'save money'.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at November 22, 2024 05:06 PM (lTGtQ)

247 DOGE is gonna take a page or 1,000 out of Milei's Argentinian economic miracle playbook.

Watched a recent two-hour interview with Javier Milei by Lex Fridman (really interesting & entertaining -- you can tell the dude was an Economics Professor & Philosopher) -- and I got the biggest kick out of him occasionally ending rants with "Am I right?" HONORARY HORDE MEMBER IF NOT LURKER!!!

youtube.com/watch?v=8NLzc9kobDk

Posted by: ShainS -- We shot them under DOD Directive 5240.01 at November 22, 2024 05:06 PM (X6nuc)

248 229 One of the biggest impacts of the illegal immigrant invasion is the impact on our health care system. People often talk about the criminals. What they haven’t highlighted are the tens of thousands of people in need of medical care who have crossed the border and are overloading our system. It’s squeezing out Americans in need of treatment. If you see it first hand it defies belief. Anyone who has been to a healthcare facility in a major city know this.
Posted by: Marcus T at November 22, 2024 05:01 PM (YF3RS)

My mother, who is 92, refuses to go anywhere near an emergency room after her last experience. She waited 6 hours to be seen. Because of all the 'sparks of divinity' crowding the place.

Posted by: Chairborne!...Desk From Above! at November 22, 2024 05:06 PM (JvtuU)

249 Gaetz is like " you want to leak dirt on me? Hold my beer..."

Posted by: steevy at November 22, 2024 05:06 PM (YbbtK)

250 I won’t be happy until I see office furnishings floating in the Potomac.

Posted by: Marcus T at November 22, 2024 05:07 PM (YF3RS)

251 GOPe and Mitch the Bitch already hard at work subverting the will of the people.

"@EricLDaugh Nov 17
🚨 ALERT RE: McConnell - something sketchy is going on.

This news of McConnell telling Trump "no recess appointments" has been DELETED by the D.C.-based New Yorker reporter…. AFTER a sitting US Senator (@BasedMikeLee) and basically the entirety of X got wind of the news.

@EricLDaugh
By the way - this person is not stupid and knows a total forest fire was lit on X over the news SHE reported. Not issuing an immediate clarification or retraction signifies there was no error… someone just didn’t like the news being reported.

Odds are, it’s a private event, and no video."

Posted by: illiniwek at November 22, 2024 05:07 PM (Cus5s)

252
Reciss. You know what that sounds like.

Recess?

Recess! Dibs on the swings!

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at November 22, 2024 05:07 PM (xG4kz)

253 If Gaetz really wanted to shake these fucks to their core, he'd release all of the suspicious activity reports from the immediate family of members of congress.

Posted by: bonhomme at November 22, 2024 05:07 PM (Odg76)

254 Air America. Hard to bitch at Russia for a few F Book ads, when we use Tax dollars to fund Radio Stations in Europe that broadcast to Russia, in Russian.

I thought Air America was that failed "we're gonna have a left wing Rush Limbaugh" thing.
Posted by: Ian S. at November 22, 2024 05:00 PM (l2Jq9)

He’s thinking of Voice of America.

Air America was the airline that was actually a front for the CIA in Indo-China.

It later was the name for a left-wing talk radio venture that crashed and burned.

Posted by: NEA Grant Writer and Total Pervert at November 22, 2024 05:07 PM (FC8SQ)

255 Medicare has premiums, co-pays ,etc.

Medicare is free and eligibility is different than Medicare. . The expenditures of both are relatively the same.

And woefully incorrect doesn't make sense when you agreed with 2 out of the 3 points I made.

Posted by: Sebastian Melmoth at November 22, 2024 04:47 PM (y60WL)
==
You are woefully incorrect that anyone pays anything remotely close to the cost of Medicare, so much so that it overpowered the other excellent points in your post. No one pays close to the value received.

No one - and I have seen the arguments I have paid for it. You paid for SS - and got screwed big time in your return - but you mostly got your money back plus maybe a percent unless you are a black male where you typically lose money in the process.

Medicare - the costs are astronomical - and everyone needs to realize - if you don't like welfare - that is what medicare is. Welfare.

Posted by: Black JEM at November 22, 2024 05:07 PM (GZYu7)

256 212 Trump Is Building the Most Anti-Semitic Cabinet in Decades

--

Saw a graphic of Trump's picks with religion as- buncha Papists and Joos, plus two Hindoos.
Worst nazee evah

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at November 22, 2024 05:07 PM (WL2lA)

257 Trump nominated Kelly Loeffler for Sect'y of Agriculture. Interesting timing with Gaetz's vowing to release insider trading records of Congress. Loeffler made a butt-ton of money on insider trading shortly before COVID hit.

Posted by: fly gal at November 22, 2024 05:08 PM (bmwu5)

258 It's cute that the dynamic duo will nibble at a small portion of spending. Cute.

Posted by: Medicare, and "entitlements" at November 22, 2024 05:08 PM (1m82a)

259 Add to that the fact that we have a good ten million Americans on welfare, because their jobs have been outsourced or else given to the illegals to 'save money'.
Posted by: Thomas Paine at November 22, 2024 05:06 PM (lTGtQ)

I mean, I don't respect the decision, but I do get it -- "hey you can flip burgers for $12 an hour, or you could live an equivalent lifestyle on welfare and not have to flip burgers, we'll get some mexican to flip 'em for you. What do you think?"

Where in a normal economy, if McDonalds can't find people to flip burgers at $12 an hour, they'd have to offer more money to get people.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at November 22, 2024 05:08 PM (Evo1G)

260 The left made many attempts at a "left wing Rush Limbaugh". Funny how much Fox News or talk radio galls them when they push their message overwhelmingly in every medium.

Posted by: steevy at November 22, 2024 05:08 PM (YbbtK)

261 He’s thinking of Voice of America.

Air America was the airline that was actually a front for the CIA in Indo-China.

It later was the name for a left-wing talk radio venture that crashed and burned.
Posted by: NEA Grant Writer and Total Pervert at November 22, 2024 05:07 PM (FC8SQ)

Air America was also a movie with Mel Gibson.

Posted by: Hour of the Wolf - Remember Vic and VNN! at November 22, 2024 05:09 PM (VNX3d)

262 Giggity

Posted by: It is Go Time Donald at November 22, 2024 05:09 PM (l/Kmi)

263 And the laughable "Coffee Party" was the Reds' pathetic attempt to respond to the Tea Party.
Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at November 22, 2024 05:06 PM (YqDXo)

I thought that was the “Lemon Party”?

(DO NOT Google that.)

Posted by: NEA Grant Writer and Total Pervert at November 22, 2024 05:10 PM (FC8SQ)

264 just to note, when Recess appointments used to be done, they were almost always done towards the end of the year, on posts that for some reason had just been too contentious to get someone confirmed. They've never been done at the beginning of an admin.

Posted by: Tom Servo at November 22, 2024 05:10 PM (wyMQY)

265 The CIA front is what the Mel Gibson movie was about

Posted by: steevy at November 22, 2024 05:10 PM (YbbtK)

266 Medicare - the costs are astronomical - and everyone needs to realize - if you don't like welfare - that is what medicare is. Welfare.

Posted by: Black JEM

Yes, social security too. The supreme court ruled in 1934 that the SS tax was just another income tax, and any payment from the system was welfare.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at November 22, 2024 05:10 PM (lTGtQ)

267 233
Best we can do is a bullwhip inserted in a guy’s anus and child porn.

Posted by: NEA Grant Writer and Total Pervert at November 22, 2024 05:02 PM (FC8SQ)
----
How about a gas-pump nozzle up the brown?

Posted by: Ciampino - bureaucrats need stimulation too at November 22, 2024 05:10 PM (i0xsb)

268 "and permit Trump to cancel, or 'reciss,' spending."

* "rescind"

Posted by: Alex at November 22, 2024 05:11 PM (EcUen)

269 OF skank who claimed to have slept with 250 high school boys is a tranny.

http://tiny.cc/8trwzz

Posted by: bonhomme at November 22, 2024 05:11 PM (Odg76)

270 Air America. Hard to bitch at Russia for a few F Book ads, when we use Tax dollars to fund Radio Stations in Europe that broadcast to Russia, in Russian.

Yeah the whole "RUSSIANS SPENT MONEY TO INFLUENCE THE ELECTION" thing was, um, yeah and? That's been going on for a century or more. England used to spend money to influence our elections in the 1800s for crying out loud.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at November 22, 2024 05:11 PM (RsS92)

271 The guy the left put forward to be the Rush Limbaugh of the left(well, one of them) was....Al Franken

Posted by: steevy at November 22, 2024 05:11 PM (YbbtK)

272 “My mother, who is 92, refuses to go anywhere near an emergency room after her last experience. She waited 6 hours to be seen. Because of all the 'sparks of divinity' crowding the place.
Posted by: Chairborne!...Desk From Above! at November 22, 2024 05:06 PM (JvtuU)”

It’s not even the emergency room anymore. I went to an appointment in a major city at what once was a very good hospital system. I was probably one of three people who were actually citizens. There were at least 15 others, most of whom didn’t speak English. There was actually one guy speaking Pashto and the receptionist had no idea what he was saying .

Posted by: Marcus T at November 22, 2024 05:11 PM (YF3RS)

273 NOOD y'all

Posted by: Martini Farmer at November 22, 2024 05:12 PM (Q4IgG)

274 >>> 248 229 One of the biggest impacts of the illegal immigrant invasion is the impact on our health care system. People often talk about the criminals. What they haven’t highlighted are the tens of thousands of people in need of medical care who have crossed the border and are overloading our system. It’s squeezing out Americans in need of treatment. If you see it first hand it defies belief. Anyone who has been to a healthcare facility in a major city know this.
Posted by: Marcus T at November 22, 2024 05:01 PM (YF3RS)

My mother, who is 92, refuses to go anywhere near an emergency room after her last experience. She waited 6 hours to be seen. Because of all the 'sparks of divinity' crowding the place.
Posted by: Chairborne!...Desk From Above! at November 22, 2024 05:06 PM (JvtuU)

I had to take my mom to the ER one time when we were still in CO. There were probably 60 people waiting, most of whom were Mexicans with the cold or flu.

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at November 22, 2024 05:12 PM (KcwUg)

275 Government funding guarantees subvention for socialist realist art. Sturdy peasant boys on tractors, beautiful peasant girls smiling as they toil in the fields, that sort of thing.
Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at November 22, 2024 04:56 PM (YqDXo)

Best we can do is a bullwhip inserted in a guy’s anus and child porn.

Posted by: NEA Grant Writer and Total Pervert at November 22, 2024 05:02 PM (FC8SQ)
________________

What about the crucifix stuck in a jar of pee?

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at November 22, 2024 05:13 PM (YqDXo)

276 The guy the left put forward to be the Rush Limbaugh of the left(well, one of them) was....Al Franken

Posted by: steevy at November 22, 2024 05:11 PM (YbbtK)

Was that before or after he stole that MN Senate seat?

Posted by: Chairborne!...Desk From Above! at November 22, 2024 05:13 PM (JvtuU)

277 I had to take my mom to the ER one time when we were still in CO. There were probably 60 people waiting, most of whom were Mexicans with the cold or flu.

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at November 22, 2024 05:12 PM (KcwUg)
_______________

ER doctor going through the ER:

"You need rest and chicken soup."

"You need rest and chicken soup."

"You need rest and chicken soup."

"You need rest and chicken soup."

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at November 22, 2024 05:14 PM (YqDXo)

278 Is there any reason this is *not* how we do things, other than hiding just how fcking much money is spent on illegals and slacker locals not paying for shit?
Posted by: Helena Handbasket
_________

From what I understand, it all started during WWII when wage controls were in effect. Offering health insurance was a way to lure workers since you couldn't pay more.

Posted by: Biff Pocoroba at November 22, 2024 05:14 PM (Dm8we)

279
At one point, he confronted an employee who was responsible for a multimillion-dollar contract related to website security and said his electric vehicle company, Tesla, spent far less on the same task. After the employee pushed back, Mr. Musk said she was no longer with Twitter.

Ah yes, let the hate flow through you...

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at November 22, 2024 05:14 PM (y9nCu)

280 Quiver Quantitative @QuiverQuant 6h
We posted this report on a suspicious purchase of Fair Isaac stock by a U.S. Congressman in May.

$FICO has now risen 108% since the trade.

Look at this screenshot from Quiver:
https://tinyurl.com/48sewaru

Matt Gaetz @mattgaetz 5h
Stock trading is such a huge part of congress.

It shouldn’t be.

I can’t wait to tell all these stories of corruption, treason and betrayal.

Coming soon.

Posted by: andycanuck (hovnC) at November 22, 2024 05:15 PM (hovnC)

281 I had to take my mom to the ER one time when we were still in CO. There were probably 60 people waiting, most of whom were Mexicans with the cold or flu.

Posted by: Helena Handbasket at November 22, 2024 05:12 PM (KcwUg)

Yup, they use the ER as their primary care. Which is the most expensive kind of care you can get and the reason, in large part, why our medical care system is collapsing.

Posted by: Chairborne!...Desk From Above! at November 22, 2024 05:15 PM (JvtuU)

282 Emergency rooms at several (all, I think) hospitals nearest the border here closed years ago - guess why. I think some re-opened.

During The Great Idiocy, the only SoCal hospital ICU that was "full" (which is very close to their normal target, which nobody seems to understand) was the one closest to the border. But the idiot governor scared everyone (including clueless people I know) about "ICUs are full!!!!". Thanks to zillions of $ the feds have spent on hospital crisis capacity etc over the years, you can find the ICU utilization rate on the web, any time you want. Somebody quickly checked and of course Newsom was lying about the ICU situation.

It's a profoundly dumb and unserious society one must struggle against now.

Posted by: Medicare, and at November 22, 2024 05:15 PM (1m82a)

283 Meanwhile, I'd HAPPILY pay to get the schizophrenics and drug users off the streets so I don't have to be accosted by deranged homeless people nearly daily, but that's not in the cards.

***

There’s more money in keeping them on the streets. The Homeless industry is a massive grift.

One of the few areas I want government to spend money on welfare: get the crazies and the addicts off the streets, get them cleaned up, and try to find something productive for them to do. The can garden or something.

Better than letting them die on the streets, which is an abomination. But if they weren’t dying on the streets leftists would lose a major talking point and “homeless advocates” wouldn’t get multi-million dollar grants to “study” homelessness.

Posted by: NEA Grant Writer and Total Pervert at November 22, 2024 05:16 PM (FC8SQ)

284 belief that Jews control the world.

Naw, just the weather machine that keeps rain out of Iran.

Posted by: Commissar of Plenty and Lysenkoism in Solidarity with the Struggle at November 22, 2024 05:16 PM (QWhkt)

285 JD Vance @JDVance Nov 21
I’m extremely grateful for the work Matt put into the nomination process. He made his decision to withdraw entirely out of respect for President Trump’s administration. Matt is a patriot and I look forward to seeing what he does next.

Matt Gaetz @mattgaetz 23h
Thank you, Mr. VP-Elect!

I look forward to continuing the fight to save our country.

Just maybe from a different post 🇺🇸
===
My boldface.

Posted by: andycanuck (hovnC) at November 22, 2024 05:16 PM (hovnC)

286
Back in the early 90s, the Analytical Services Group (ASG) in DuPont of which I was a member underwent a reduction in force.

Each employee was asked to write out what they did in their present assignment (yes, "What is it you say you do here?").

Then those in charge took in all those job descriptions and cut out those things that they felt ASG no longer needed to do or which could be directed to other portions of the Company.

It was brutal, and it certainly was stressful, but it had the patina of being legally valid because "we are choosing no longer to do these things".

There were severance packages offered to those release to "pursue new opportunities", of course.

There also were stern warnings of "... and do NOT think that you will return those released under this program back into the fold by turning around and hiring them as contractors."

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at November 22, 2024 05:17 PM (xG4kz)

287 Biff Johnson is correct. Treating health care costs/insurance *not* as income started during the war, when competition for labor was hot, and wages were not a tool employers could use to lure bodies.

Posted by: Medicare, and at November 22, 2024 05:17 PM (1m82a)

288 I guess high income earners with big net income payments could get close to paying what a premium might look like in the private world. Let's say you make less than the top 1% - the IRS estimates that around 600,000. The base tax would generate 8700 a year. The additional step up tax would add 10,000. Just to keep round numbers. That is about equivalent to the cost of a single person huge high deductable plan for a month.

And that plan has you paying out of pocket costs approaching 5000-10000 a year. Do the math. It's welfare.

Posted by: Black JEM at November 22, 2024 05:17 PM (GZYu7)

289 Add to that the fact that we have a good ten million Americans on welfare, because their jobs have been outsourced or else given to the illegals to 'save money'.
Posted by: Thomas Paine at November 22, 2024 05:06 PM (lTGtQ)
_____________

Meanwhile who oh who will pick fruit and vegetables if we deport the illegals? Got any thoughts on that, welfare recipients?

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at November 22, 2024 05:17 PM (YqDXo)

290 Trump + Musk= new American classic.

Posted by: humphreyrobot at November 22, 2024 05:18 PM (UnB4P)

291 "You paid for SS - and got screwed big time in your return - but you mostly got your money back plus maybe a percent unless you are a black male where you typically lose money in the process.

Medicare - the costs are astronomical - and everyone needs to realize - if you don't like welfare - that is what medicare is. Welfare."

True, kind of. I mean, "you got screwed big time on your return"? OR, you accepted a guaranteed payout later for "getting screwed on your return".

But the older generations paid less, people will now pay more, and the costs are out of control ... largely because of government corruption. But imo it is certainly NOT welfare. That is for people that did nothing but get everything, and even more if one is an illegal.

Posted by: illiniwek at November 22, 2024 05:18 PM (Cus5s)

292 Breaking911 @Breaking911 4h
MATT GAETZ: "I'm still going to be in the fight, but it's going to be from a new perch. I do not intend to join the 119th Congress."
xcancel.com/therecount/status/1860…

The Recount
Matt Gaetz: I Don't Plan to Return to Congress in January
Nov 22, 2024 · 5:18 PM UTC

https://tinyurl.com/bdhwzzuk
2:13 minutes; podcast [?] interview.

Posted by: andycanuck (hovnC) at November 22, 2024 05:20 PM (hovnC)

293 One of the few areas I want government to spend money on welfare: get the crazies and the addicts off the street
______________

Crazies --> mental institutions
Addicts --> prison

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at November 22, 2024 05:20 PM (YqDXo)

294 Whoever was quoted up above was correct about not worrying about the feckless GOP doing any rescissions, most likely. They're relatively arduous and complicated actions. A Congress of this caliber and with these partisan numbers is unlikely to be interested in or capable of such responsible work.

Posted by: Medicare, and at November 22, 2024 05:20 PM (1m82a)

295 During The Great Idiocy, the only SoCal hospital ICU that was "full" (which is very close to their normal target, which nobody seems to understand) was the one closest to the border. But the idiot governor scared everyone (including clueless people I know) about "ICUs are full!!!!". Thanks to zillions of $ the feds have spent on hospital crisis capacity etc over the years, you can find the ICU utilization rate on the web, any time you want. Somebody quickly checked and of course Newsom was lying about the ICU situation.

It's a profoundly dumb and unserious society one must struggle against now.
Posted by: Medicare, and at November 22, 2024 05:15 PM (1m82a)

That reminds: during covid there was a breathless headline on CNN to the effect of “ICUs in South Dakota near collapse” and they were hyping, like a 5% increase in the utilization rate.

I looked it up and the state only had something like 44 ICU beds. And the historical utilization was on the web: it had increased by two beds.

Two ICU beds in South Dakota was worthy of a panic. Which perfectly summarizes the entire covid psyop.

Posted by: Disinterested FDA Director and Pfizer Board Member at November 22, 2024 05:21 PM (FC8SQ)

296 Yes, social security too. The supreme court ruled in 1934 that the SS tax was just another income tax, and any payment from the system was welfare.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at November 22, 2024 05:10 PM (lTGtQ)
==
Yes you can say that - however - you and your employer are paying in direct money to the program - and averaged out - as a white male you may see a total 1% return on that money from the first contribution through your last. It's essentially a no cost loan to the federal government for a 40 years.

Posted by: Black JEM at November 22, 2024 05:21 PM (GZYu7)

297 belief that Jews control the world.

Don't hold it against the current company, but that's what Larry Thurlow personally told me 29 years ago. Also that he made gloves for NASA spacesuits but NASA wouldn't let him advertise it. Nice gloves tho.

Posted by: Commissar of Plenty and Lysenkoism in Solidarity with the Struggle at November 22, 2024 05:21 PM (QWhkt)

298 Saw a Milton Friedman do an interview on how to balance the budget. Alarmingly sensible.

Posted by: Field Marshal Zhukov at November 22, 2024 05:22 PM (wBaIH)

299 GOPe and Mitch the Bitch already hard at work subverting the will of the people.

--------------

These scum can't die too soon or painfully for me.

GET THE F*CK OUT OF THE WAY, YOU DISGUSTING PEDOPHILE C*NT!

Posted by: ShainS -- We shot them under DOD Directive 5240.01 at November 22, 2024 05:24 PM (SzLGo)

300 But the older generations paid less, people will now pay more, and the costs are out of control ... largely because of government corruption. But imo it is certainly NOT welfare. That is for people that did nothing but get everything, and even more if one is an illegal.

Posted by: illiniwek at November 22, 2024 05:18 PM (Cus5s)
==
Not talking about illegals - they deserve nothing of course.
Costs for the government health care programs have been out of control from the beginning.

As to weather or not Medicare is or is not welfare, I appreciate the question. You did - at the point of a gun - pay into the system as required. You generally got value a factor of 20 times more than what you paid in. So can you only be kind of pregnant?

It's welfare. And there isn't any congresscritter anywhere who will touch it.

Posted by: Black JEM at November 22, 2024 05:25 PM (GZYu7)

301 Yup, they use the ER as their primary care. Which is the most expensive kind of care you can get and the reason, in large part, why our medical care system is collapsing.
Posted by: Chairborne!...Desk From Above! at November 22, 2024 05:15 PM (

Third party payers are also the most expensive and inefficient ways to purchase a good or service.

Posted by: CaliGirl at November 22, 2024 05:27 PM (dlOqM)

302
We can start by reassigning anyone with a women's studies degree to providing essential government services to Indian Reservations. Enough with the horrible way the US has treated Native American tribes, we should be making up for it.

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at November 22, 2024 05:30 PM (y9nCu)

303 Bitch McTurtle will chair the Rules Committee and the Appropriations Subcommittee for Defense for the next two years. He'll of course be fully on board with DOGE'nt.

Posted by: Meade Lux Lewis, Domestic Terrorist at November 22, 2024 05:31 PM (paSBy)

304 Two things I learned from an old boss when it comes to trimming staff.

Make your first cut the deepest.

Fire the tough ones first.

Posted by: Marty at November 22, 2024 06:04 PM (ELmyf)

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