Hornswoggling over 100 Days

Tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies…

The Big Hornswoggle. Republican lawmakers will hornswoggle constituents out of their benefits using trickery: sleight of hand and wordsmithing, but they will never be honest or straightforward.

The Deceit. Deceit is saying you are keeping Medicaid—“for those originally intended”—when the real plan is not mentioned. The real plan is to cancel Federal contributions (90%) for Medicaid Expansion. Sleight of hand is they will say states should pick up their own costs. States don’t have $10 billion of excess funds a year to fund this national heathcare program for those at minimum wage. [Medicaid Expansion is part of the popular Affordable Care Act (ACA).]

Who would actually lie to you like that? A crook would do that, not an honest person. The honest person would be straightforward. The honest person would say truthfully:

We are keeping Medicaid, but must cut Medicaid Expansion.

Nothing wrong with being honest and straightforward, but the Medicaid Expansion program covers over 20 million people and is exceedingly popular. Republicans cannot deal with their constituents’ backlash. So they lie to their constituents at town halls—and get their asses handed back to them by the irate, the incensed. So now Republicans don’t hold town halls. The mandated outlays, the current deficit, the lame duck $4.5 trillion from the expiring Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017 are mountains too big to climb.

The deficit was caused by the last tax cut that started January 1, 2018. Studies show the Tax Cut and Jobs Act (TCJA) increased the federal debt and after-tax incomes disproportionately for the wealthy. The TCJA led to an estimated 11% increase in corporate investment, but its effects on economic growth and median wages were smaller than expected and modest at best. Wealth is being hoarded.

The Target Pool For New Budget Cuts. To those in touch with the overall budget, it is a given where the cuts must be sourced. Let’s slice and dice this a few ways for you to pick out the best areas to make cuts. This is a top-down look at the annual budget from different perspectives.

They Come for Medicaid Expansion. Medicaid subsidizes medical care for low-income individuals and long-term care for many eligible. After Social Security and Medicare, Medicaid is the nation’s third-largest government entitlement program. In 2025, states and the federal government will spend some $873 billion on Medicaid, equaling national defense appropriations. They are not cutting Defense. They intent to grow that to $1 trillion.

They are growing Defense to $1 trillion, equivalent to the combined defense budgets of all other nations combined.

Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Cuts? Actually, fraud and abuse were never found by DOGE. Every line item called waste was highly debatable. Food for starving children worldwide is not waste (unless you are a white Christian nationalist). I am particularly offended by Musk’s far-fetched DOGE scam. What a billionaire will do for a tax cut? Selling one’s integrity is reprehensible. Frankly, Musk Shat His Brands, and turned worldwide sentiment against him.

Now, Musk is hated around the globe.

The Musk-led DOGE effort has been a bust. It has saved nothing. DOGE touted a lot of illegal largesse; however, when its added costs are factored, it is a bust royal. By “added costs”, I mean the legal costs that go with each lawsuit filed by each fired employee. I can’t add that up fast, but can ballpark each employee to be awarded back pay, legal expenses, and $1 million in punitive damages. Just call that $2 million each. That totals $400 billion in DOGE-added cost, figuring 200,000 employees are affected. These $400 billion in to-be-awarded claims must be budgeted for 2027.

How Much Hate Has Musk Engendered? I will never buy a Musk product. Not even his new mechanical heart when it comes out with the 10-year battery. I would rather die first. My first and only tattoo will be instruction to caregivers emblazoned across my chest showing how much hate: “Install No Musk Products”. Taking food and medicine from children. What a creep.

Musk has proven to be a hoarder of wealth. The lack of empathy is astounding. He is hated for good reason: he earned that.

Trump On an Illegal Stump. When it comes to lacking empathy, Trump is part of that narcissistic cult—its leader. All narcissists lack empathy. They do not feel the same as normally expected. Over 100 days, Trump has shown his cards via 142 executive orders, almost all of which will be found illegal by our courts. He is now facing over 200 lawsuits.

Trump Needs Attention. Ridicule Kills Him. Trump sends out more than 5 tweets a day on Truth Social. The recent polls showing his favorability is down had him in a rant calling the pollsters “crooks”.

Trump Has Taken 20 Trips from DC To Golf at his Properties. Trump spends $3 million a trip to golf most every weekend. It looks to me like 31 days out of the first 100.

During her testimony before the House's Delivering on Government Efficiency subcommittee on Tuesday, April 8, Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett shamed the Trump Administration for hypocrisy when it comes to government spending.

“If we are gonna talk about efficiency… let’s talk about the fact that, as of March 30, Trump’s golfing has cost us approximately $26 million,” Crockett said. I would ballpark that golf trip cost at $1 million per day to get a handle on the wasteful perks Republicans enjoy. I don’t think he is worth it.

I will spend my time and money protesting this jerk, until they shoot me. That is how I will enforce equitable equality—as Jackson Browne sang—til I go down.

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