DOGE Tracker

Dodger12 said:

Massie is a punk. Tell me this...if he's so concerned with the debt and not grandstanding, then tell me why he voted to increase the debt ceiling under the previous administration that spent recklessly on the Green New Deal and other giveaways? Where were his principles then?

I have no doubt that there can be more cuts in this bill. But there's also a plan to address the debt ceiling with the increase in tariffs and GDP. If Trump thinks he needs to increase the debt ceiling, then I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt because I believe he knows the issues facing the country and has a long term plan to address it.

Trump at least has a history with the economy. His first term was derailed by COVID which I suspect was deliberate to alter the election. All of us here were probably better off during the first Trump term....at least I was, by far. He has to fix the mess that the fraud in the White House and the deep state with the auto pen left the county in.

Keep reading...

I haven’t followed Massie’s every word or action or vote to be able to answer your question so I’ll have to defer to you so perhaps you’re right about him. All I can say is I at least like his lip service but maybe that’s all it is

As far as the debt ceiling goes, I’m just against it. I’m a staunch anti-increased debt person. I guarantee you there is a massive amount of waste in this bill and the excess spending across DC has been pointed out by doge (but not ended) and if all the elected assholes would get off their asses, read the damn bills and strike the shit out of all the nonsense, they wouldn’t need an increase in the debt ceiling.

Maybe Massey is full of shit, but it appears Rand is not and he openly said he’s not voting for the bill as long as the debt ceiling is in it. If everyone in Washington was that adamant about getting rid of our debt, we wouldn’t need a debt ceiling increase. Hopefully his actions and anyone else opposed for the same reasons at least forces the bill to be edited to remove as much excess as possible because you know damn well it’s there.

Every damn bill is bloated with bullshit and even Rand pointed out an example in the video I sent. I haven’t read it, but I suspect there’s tons of stuff that could be cut, but little change will happen and I’m sure it’ll pass, the debt will continue to go up and someday soon we’re all gonna wish someone had the to temerity to stop it or discipline to keep it from happening in the first place.

I do have hope tariffs and growth can reduce the deficit, but as long as theres a debt ceiling, there will be some MFer in DC finding a way to spend it

Also, while I’m for tariffs, they are hurting businesses that made orders before the tariffs went into effect. I think the Trump administration needs to take a closer look at how it’s affecting those people who made equipment orders, etc., prior to the implementation of the tariffs. So for example, someone purchased a $500,000 piece of equipment prior to the tariff being enacted on China. It arrives at a US port when the tariffs are now 140% and the guy has to pay over over 1 million for it and may not have the funds to make up the difference, forcing it to stay at the dock, be sold at auction or destroyed but the buyer is still out for the purchase price. That doesn’t seem fair and is an unfair burden on the person who made the purchase when the tariff wasn’t in effect so I think there should be a grandfather clause where they don’t apply to purchases prior to the tariffs and Trump should be made aware of this fact
and create the necessary exception

And I don’t give Trump the benefit of the doubt because he passed the $8 trillion bill when he was president and it was loaded with bullshit. Go read it. There was $1 billion for the Smithsonian Institute written into it for example and that’s just the tip of the iceberg It was supposed to be for Covid relief not the money grab it became. He should’ve vetoed it on principle and forced it to be rewritten only to support the most needy in our country. I didn’t need a $1200 check. I bet you didn’t either and I bet almost anyone that reads this didn’t need it either. Even if someone did need it, $1200 probably didn’t do diddly squat to make their situation any better

Every solution in DC always seems to be about spending, never about cutting and once they get the greenlight to spend in one area, it never stops

yimyammer said:

I don’t agree at all, they’re both against raising the debt ceiling and despise how high our debt has become, everyone should agree with this and be vigilantly working to drastically lower this debt, better yet, get rid of it altogether. Rand is making great points about the BBBill and I’m glad he’s pushing back on it to get it revised and spending cut where it can easily be done. He also wants the raising of the debt ceiling removed from this bill so that it can be voted on as a separate issue (and hopefully defeated)

I find Rand and Massie reasonable and cut from the same cloth I am

Here’s a good interview with Rand discussing the BBBill and Iran. He makes some interesting points about Iran but seems to imply sanctions, etc are going to keep them from getting nukes, I think all the deals done with Iran regarding nukes just kick the can down the road while they continue to work to obtain them. I’m not sure what the solution is because it kind of feels like we’re damned if we do something and damned if we don’t, so hopefully whatever Israel’s doing will work and a miracle happen where Iran falls (relatively) peacefully from within, and the country can return to a place where it was back in the 70s where it’s not an enemy and more moderate. The people seem great, all the Iranians I’ve ever met are awesome, fun and talented.

Keep reading...

I like Massie. I completely understand where he is coming from. Republicans keep going along with the crowd and never doing what they say they will do. If Republicans are different than Dems, the cut spending while you have the chance. That's the only way this is going to get fixed or at least avoid the US going over a fiscal cliff.

I don't like the lack of tolerance on the right. We look like Democrats when we act like purists. What makes us better is the diversity of opinions.

As for Iran, we should have learned that toppling a country and installing Democracy is not easy. We cannot bomb a country into submission., at least not without nukes. After the bombing stops we need to send in ground troops and no one wants that.

Damn, did Massie say something recently to get Trump fired up or is it just because he's likely to vote against the BBBill?

yimyammer said:

Damn, did Massie say something recently to get Trump fired up or is it just because he's likely to vote against the BBBill?

Keep reading...

Massie took issue with the bombing of Iran. I believe he called it unconstitutional. It's strange because I thought Massie was smarter than that. There is nothing unconstitutional about the bombing of Iran, as long as it does not turn into another war.

Creeper said:

Massie took issue with the bombing of Iran. I believe he called it unconstitutional. It's strange because I thought Massie was smarter than that. There is nothing unconstitutional about the bombing of Iran, as long as it does not turn into another war.

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I just looked this up, where was the outrage?

yimyammer said:

I just looked this up, where was the outrage?

View attachment 18847

Keep reading...

Every president since the War Powers Act was signed into law has used the military to launch some kind of attack on someone. Obama sent Hillary to congress to argue that the WPA did not apply to his extensive bombing of Libya because it was somehow an emergency. (Then, oddly, when US consulate personnel,. including the US ambassador to Libya, were under attack, Obama and Hillary refused to send help. Incompetence has consequences.

yimyammer said:

I don’t agree at all, they’re both against raising the debt ceiling and despise how high our debt has become, everyone should agree with this and be vigilantly working to drastically lower this debt, better yet, get rid of it altogether. Rand is making great points about the BBBill and I’m glad he’s pushing back on it to get it revised and spending cut where it can easily be done. He also wants the raising of the debt ceiling removed from this bill so that it can be voted on as a separate issue (and hopefully defeated)

I find Rand and Massie reasonable and cut from the same cloth I am

Here’s a good interview with Rand discussing the BBBill and Iran. He makes some interesting points about Iran but seems to imply sanctions, etc are going to keep them from getting nukes, I think all the deals done with Iran regarding nukes just kick the can down the road while they continue to work to obtain them. I’m not sure what the solution is because it kind of feels like we’re damned if we do something and damned if we don’t, so hopefully whatever Israel’s doing will work and a miracle happen where Iran falls (relatively) peacefully from within, and the country can return to a place where it was back in the 70s where it’s not an enemy and more moderate. The people seem great, all the Iranians I’ve ever met are awesome, fun and talented.

Keep reading...

Yim, go check out their voting history and get back to us.

Like I said, I think both of them are grandstanding blowhards. Neither one of them is a true MAGA. Both of them need to be run out of office.

yimyammer said:

Damn, did Massie say something recently to get Trump fired up or is it just because he's likely to vote against the BBBill?

Keep reading...

Massie is not on Trump's side and never has been from what I can tell.

He's a dipstick.

yimyammer said:

Damn, did Massie say something recently to get Trump fired up or is it just because he's likely to vote against the BBBill?

Keep reading...

Just listen to this guy Yim. He's a narcissist and thinks he represents the MAGA base that got Trump elected. He can't be gone soon enough. And Rand Paul can go with him........these are not serious and principled people. They're grandstanders.

Dodger12 said:

Just listen to this guy Yim. He's a narcissist and thinks he represents the MAGA base that got Trump elected. He can't be gone soon enough. And Rand Paul can go with him........these are not serious and principled people. They're grandstanders.

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will do, I'll start to look into them more and check their voting record. If true, then they hoodwinked me because the few times 'Ive heard them speak, they echo a lot of my sentiments which I'm not backing off of regardless of whether these two are full of it, the debt and spending needs a massive enema and I believe there will be hell to pay for everyone if it doesnt happen sooner than later (but I have little hope its going to happen given all the yahoos in DC where according to you and dbair, even the ones that echo my sentiments are FOS)

Dodger12 said:

Just listen to this guy Yim. He's a narcissist and thinks he represents the MAGA base that got Trump elected. He can't be gone soon enough. And Rand Paul can go with him........these are not serious and principled people. They're grandstanders.

Keep reading...

My previous reply was before I watched this

he echoes mine and a lot of peoples concerns so I dont have a problem with what he said here. I dont want the Iran bombing to be like Vietnam where we started with supporting France and the next thing you know half a decade has passed, blood and treasure lost and nothing gained. Whats wrong with voicing that concern and why does that make him a grandstander?

I don't identify as "MAGA" but I like a lot of things about the movement but it doesnt get a blank check from me as if they can do no wrong and are above criticism. I prefer the phrase America First but these are just slogans that dont mean much at the end of the day, what matters are actions

Perhaps I'm different for Massie in that while I am concerned about getting involved with Iran, I've always been more concerned about them getting the bomb and thought the entire process of the past seeking to negotiate some kind of agreement that would keep Iran from obtaining nukes was a fools errand because they are lying sacks of shit imo. So while I may be concerned about where the current sitution will lead us, I feel like we better deal with them while we can before they get nukes.

My gut reaction is to question the ceasefire, now that we've gone ahead and bombed them and Israel has taken out so many key people, why give Iran a ceasefire? Seems to me they're just bullshitting US to buy time, reload and replace personal, move the development of nukes elsewhere and we're right back where we started where all we've done is kick the can down the road. Having said that, I don't want boots on the ground so if the regime falls, its gonna have to come from within which I hope happens and Iran can no longer be a source or violence and instability in the world but I dont think we're anywhere near saying that at this juncture

seems to be a real damned if we do, damned if we don't situation

dbair1967 said:

Massie is not on Trump's side and never has been from what I can tell.

He's a dipstick.

Keep reading...

Massie has been right about some things. He is a fiscal conservative and we need for of that in Washington. But he has become something of a contrarian. I do not like that. He is/was absolutely wrong about the legality of Trump's attack on Iran. The constitution allows it, and the War Powers Act does not preclude it. Massie is a smart guy and should know better. There is a big difference between a single bombing sortie and a war. He was far to premature raising his objection.

But on the spend spending bill, he is right. It does not go far enough cutting spending. The problem is, it is too late to take small steps towards fiscal health. We need a willingness to do bog things, like DOGE, to get back to a balanced budget and lowering the nations debt. Where I disagree with Massie is it can't be done in reconciliation. He should be angry with Democrats who refuse to vote for anything proposed by Republicans even if it means saving the country from disaster. 60 votes to save the country should not be a bridge too far.

yimyammer said:

will do, I'll start to look into them more and check their voting record. If true, then they hoodwinked me because the few times 'Ive heard them speak, they echo a lot of my sentiments which I'm not backing off of regardless of whether these two are full of it, the debt and spending needs a massive enema and I believe there will be hell to pay for everyone if it doesnt happen sooner than later (but I have little hope its going to happen given all the yahoos in DC where according to you and dbair, even the ones that echo my sentiments are FOS)

Keep reading...

Don't believe anything you hear and all of what you see. The guy voted to increase the debt limit for Biden and now claims he's principled. Fuck him. Trump has a mandate and, quite frankly, while I agree with not overspending, if Trump says he needs something to get the economy going, then I'm going to support it. And so should these charlatans.

One down...just a few more to go. Gut the party and get rid of these RINO's.....

Dodger12 said:

One down...just a few more to go. Gut the party and get rid of these RINO's.....

Keep reading...

Has anyone noticed how Republicans who get defeated by Trump all start to act like Jeff Flake did? It seems to be some kind of natural reaction to losing to Trump. Jeff Flake was first. Trump and MAGA ddestroyed him so he turned on MAGA and the Republican party as his days in office wound down. Liz Cheney did it too. So did Adam Kinzinger. Now we have Tillis who defied Trump on the BBB and it seems last night he gave a speech lamenting the two independent Democrats who left Washington because they stood up to their party and some Republicans who did the same. He also criticized provisions of the bill, specifically some cuts to Medicaid.

It seems Tillis will spend the rest of his final months in office now criticizing his own party.

For the record, we have 72 million people on Medicaid. Yes the country claims their are less than half that many categorized as poor. That implies quite a bit of abuse or mismanagement in the program. defending it is kind of dumb.