Co-President Musk

[mcmurtry66]

But it is Congress that makes the decision. If Congress votes to over fund the military, it is over funded. There is no,"but a businessman would not spend but 75%" clause in the Constitution. We went DEEP in debt during the Revolution. Do you recall Washington surrendering to save money? A businessman may well have told Japan if they paid damages we would call it square. If money is your only objective building that military, the most powerful in world history, was a waste no business man would accept

Or look at our military strategy, since WW2 it has been "steel, not blood". We invest heavily to guarantee casualties are lower. Fire superiority and airpower rule American strategy. But it is far cheaper to take the Russian route, let the privates die en masse.

We aren't a business. But the next time a hurricane hits Florida, let's tell them it isn't profitable to send aid. And to point it out, St Louis will be destroyed when New Madrid let's go. Sorry, I don't see how I can recoup my taxes by sending you aid. But best wishes.

I get it. The hope harkens back again to the article I keep referencing. That Musk shining a big light will influence congress to be more discerning to assuage bitching from their own constituents

As for the hurricane that’s part of what we do or don’t prioritize. But we can’t subsidize everything. That UPenn article says 20 years. We have to start making painful decisions. Twenty noted how we can raise more revenue. That’s easier to do, an easier sell I think, with concurrent cuts

 

[snarlcakes]

Thanks dude. No I’m done. 53 is too old. Will just focus on my existing businesses. No more new things

Considering Bitcoin CAGR is 45%, I doubt there is currently a better idea. Buying Bitcoin, chilling, and playing pickleball is the smart play.

Starting a business, that might fail, and deal with endless headaches sounds terrible in comparison. Plus, you would miss out on pickleball.

 

[mcmurtry66]

Considering, Bitcoin CAGR is 45%, I doubt there is currently a better idea. Buying Bitcoin, chilling and playing pickleball is the smart play.

Starting a business, that might fail, and deal with endless headaches sounds terrible in comparison. Plus, you would miss out on pickleball.

Starting a business is the most fun thing I’ve done in my entire work life. And doing it with friends is even better. But there’s a timeframe and years you need to build in and there’s just not enough time to do it again. Or money really. We’ve put everything we have and don’t have into these

 

[Marvin the Martian]

I get it. The hope harkens back again to the article I keep referencing. That Musk shining a big light will influence congress to be more discerning to assuage bitching from their own constituents

As for the hurricane that’s part of what we do or don’t prioritize. But we can’t subsidize everything. That UPenn article says 20 years. We have to start making painful decisions. Twenty noted how we can raise more revenue. That’s easier to do, an easier sell I think, with concurrent cuts

He said the magic words. Cutting needs done, I have no qualms. But we need revenue too. A $1000 Bitcoin transaction tax would go a long way...

I still do not recall Trump saying one time he would submit this to Congress.

I am not a fanof Senator Warren, don't hate her like some but didn't vote for her, but she sent a letter identifying $2 trillion in cuts over 10 years. Now there are cuts, but some are revenue by cutting loopholes. She didn't have to terrorize workers nor put a backdoor into the system

Exclusive: Warren's Plan for Musk to Cut U.S. Spending

The Senator sent Musk a letter with 30 ideas for how his DOGE commission could cut $2 trillion in U.S. spending.

time.com

The biggest cost-saving idea in Warren’s letter is to preserve $200 billion by renegotiating Defense contracts. She points to an Inspector General report from 2011 that found contractors regularly hike prices for the military. One egregious example includes the Air Force overpaying 7,943% on soap dispensers. To rectify the problem, she urged passing legislation she previously introduced with Mike Braun, the former Republican Senator from Indiana, that would close loopholes to prevent defense contractors from price gouging the DOD. “There is a huge problem of the government being able to supervise these contractors carefully enough to be able to make sure we're getting our money's worth,” says Don Kettl, an expert on government administration and former dean of the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland.​

One area ripe for bipartisan cooperation may be tackling wasteful spending and abuse in the healthcare industry, such as ending or overhauling Medicare Advantage. Non-partisan analysts estimate the insurance program overcharged taxpayers by more than $83 billion last year alone. Warren also wants to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices, an idea for which Trump has previously expressed support. At the same time, Warren proposed cracking down on Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs), which Trump once castigated as “famous middlemen” who “rip off Medicare patients.” There has already been some movement in Congress. Last year, Warren introduced legislation with Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri that would prohibit the parent company of a PBM from owning a pharmacy—a form of market domination that allows them to charge higher prices with impunity.​

 

[mcmurtry66]

He said the magic words. Cutting needs done, I have no qualms. But we need revenue too. A $1000 Bitcoin transaction tax would go a long way...

I still do not recall Trump saying one time he would submit this to Congress.

I am not a fanof Senator Warren, don't hate her like some but didn't vote for her, but she sent a letter identifying $2 trillion in cuts over 10 years. Now there are cuts, but some are revenue by cutting loopholes. She didn't have to terrorize workers nor put a backdoor into the system

Exclusive: Warren's Plan for Musk to Cut U.S. Spending

The Senator sent Musk a letter with 30 ideas for how his DOGE commission could cut $2 trillion in U.S. spending.

time.com

The biggest cost-saving idea in Warren’s letter is to preserve $200 billion by renegotiating Defense contracts. She points to an Inspector General report from 2011 that found contractors regularly hike prices for the military. One egregious example includes the Air Force overpaying 7,943% on soap dispensers. To rectify the problem, she urged passing legislation she previously introduced with Mike Braun, the former Republican Senator from Indiana, that would close loopholes to prevent defense contractors from price gouging the DOD. “There is a huge problem of the government being able to supervise these contractors carefully enough to be able to make sure we're getting our money's worth,” says Don Kettl, an expert on government administration and former dean of the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland.​

One area ripe for bipartisan cooperation may be tackling wasteful spending and abuse in the healthcare industry, such as ending or overhauling Medicare Advantage. Non-partisan analysts estimate the insurance program overcharged taxpayers by more than $83 billion last year alone. Warren also wants to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices, an idea for which Trump has previously expressed support. At the same time, Warren proposed cracking down on Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs), which Trump once castigated as “famous middlemen” who “rip off Medicare patients.” There has already been some movement in Congress. Last year, Warren introduced legislation with Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri that would prohibit the parent company of a PBM from owning a pharmacy—a form of market domination that allows them to charge higher prices with impunity.​

Yep all great stuff

 

[Marvin the Martian]

Yep all great stuff

It has been fun, but Billy Joel and Sting start soon. It was my bad, I thought it was Billy Joel and Stig.

 

[jet812]

A process that respects that Congress determines what is spent?

I agreed with conservatives, Biden did not have the power to blanket waive student loans. The exact same principle applies.

If they take it to Congress, great. I may well agree with much. But so far I have not heard Musk or Trump say they want Congress involved

Congress is the source of the fraud & corruption. The courts can decide if the Executive branch is overreaching.

 

[jet812]

People keep saying the problems are in Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid. It is true, everything else combined is just the skin of the apple.

What has been proposed by Trump to solve those problems?

The same thing that’s been proposed for the past however long. They are going after WASTE and FRAUD, & the people griping about it are either beneficiaries or only care about WHO is doing it, not what they’re doing.

 

[jet812]

It has been fun, but Billy Joel and Sting start soon. It was my bad, I thought it was Billy Joel and Stig.

Billy Joel loves Little Zagreb…

 

[hoot1]

Congress has no appetite for it. And honestly much of congress are just dipshit people. Little relevant experience in anything. Just politicians. Adept at running campaigns.

MM66, I won't even give House Reps credit for being adept at campaigning as over 90% of the campaigns aren't competitive. Furthermore, the negative ads they run are put together by campaign consultants and all sound the same depending on the party.

Worse of all, the negativity displayed in the ads about political opponents carries over to the body politic as can be seen on social media.

 

[TyWebbIU]

Americans in my opinion voted for Trump due mainly to issues such as inflation and what has been called open borders.

On top of that, the Harris and Biden shift just seemed a violation of the traditional American way. Harris simply didn't earn the nomination.

Opponents to Trump warned us about a takeover of the Federal government which would result in placing too much power in the Oval Office.

A takeover which runs contrary to the Founders philosophy about checks and balances.

I for one, thought Trump' s opponents exaggerated the power threat.

Lately I've begin to think many of the Trump voters may wake up someday thinking they are getting more than they bargained for.

Still hoping my fears are unfounded.

Woke ideology hurt dems badly as well.

Please list the reasons for your change of heart. What Trump moves have you so concerned about a power threat.

 

[snarlcakes]

This is good news.

 

[Joe_Hoopsier]

but what can we do

First, stop accepting that we can not do the hard, heavy lifting things, because if we do we will not be elected again.
second. ... I got nothin.

We either die together, OR we die together with hope of re-election because we didn't do the hard things to fix shit. OHH OHHH how much $$$ can I get for being re-elected? <-- The problem.

 

[hoot1]

The same thing that’s been proposed for the past however long. They are going after WASTE and FRAUD, & the people griping about it are either beneficiaries or only care about WHO is doing it, not what they’re doing.

On the spending side all we hear about is waste, fraud, and abuse.

Meanwhile on the revenue side we seem to believe businesses and individuals always pay all the taxes they owe. IRS agents along with their scrutiny and auditing are simply part of the waste and abuse.

 

[jet812]

On the spending side all we hear about is waste, fraud, and abuse.

Meanwhile on the revenue side we seem to believe businesses and individuals always pay all the taxes they owe. IRS agents along with their scrutiny and auditing are simply part of the waste and abuse.

Nobody believes that businesses & individuals pay all they owe & doing good on one isn’t dependent on the other.

 

[GooglyMooglyWooglyBoogly]

First, stop accepting that we can not do the hard, heavy lifting things, because if we do we will not be elected again.

This is so damn true Joe.

I feel like past generations of Republicans would pay lip service to Conservative ambitions but then wilt once in office. Or throw their defeatist hands up and say” it’s too hard”. Most of all, they were scared of provoking a reaction from the left.

1. We want to be done with Roe v Wade
2. We want to move the embassy to Jerusalem
3. We need to gut Chevron
4. We want to cut the department of education (we’ll see how this goes)
5. We need to massively slash corporate taxes

Trump tries hard to keep his promises. That’s admirable.

 

[Marvin the Martian]

Billy Joel loves Little Zagreb…

Really, he has been there? I had no idea

 

[jet812]

Really, he has been there? I had no idea

Watch him induct Mellencamp into the R&R Hall of Fame…

 

[Marvin the Martian]

Watch him induct Mellencamp into the R&R Hall of Fame…

I wouldn't have to see Mellencamp would I?

 

[CO. Hoosier]

View embedded media

This is good news.

Why aren’t these safeguards in effect now?

Would we even know about this if Musk didn’t have access to the payment data?

Why would anybody object to implementing these actions?

Why is government so f cking incompetent?

 

[jet812]

I wouldn't have to see Mellencamp would I?

Yeah, he’s a douche, but you can stop before he gets up there. I think BJ said it was the best steak he’s ever had or something to that effect…

 

[Baller23Boogie]

Thanks dude. No I’m done. 53 is too old. Will just focus on my existing businesses. No more new things

Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?

 

[mcmurtry66]

Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?

You have to bear in mind that it’s not like we’re starting successful businesses. There’s only so much we can take

 

[dbmhoosier]