I look forward to and appreciate these updates. My family and friends do to, as I send them along. You write in a way that is very understandable to those of us not in politics and don't want to wade through the nonsense to get to the facts. Thank you very much. Lynn Cole
"Realistically, there is no way to reach fiscal sustainability through cuts alone. Let’s say we want to at least get somewhat close to balancing the budget, but we don’t want to cut Medicare, Social Security, or refuse to pay interest on current debt. That’s almost half the budget. So if we have to find 22% savings and we’re starting out by taking half the budget off the table, then the rest would have to be cut by about 44% - including defense and veteran health care. And if defense and veteran health care were also taken off the table, that means you’d have to almost zero out the entire rest of the budget: energy, transportation, Medicaid (which includes 40 million kids), education, environment, NASA, air traffic control, border control… Poof. Gone. And that isn’t going to happen. So the way you’ll know that there’s a serious, realistic conversation about the budget is that it will include a discussion about reduced spending and a discussion about revenue from our highest earners and largest corporations. There’s just no way to make the math work without including both."
So remember this every time you hear a Republican whine that they have put forward a responsible bill, and Biden should come to the table. They are lying, as usual.
Why am I not surprised that the previous president raised the debt ceiling 3 times? It's his personal M.O. When you can't pay your bills you just simply declare bankruptcy. He's done it multiple times.
Thanks for your information and it is greatly appreciated. I live in Texas Congressional District No. 1, formerly Louie Gohmert's district and never felt represented by him. The book is out on Nathaniel Moran to see if he will act responsibly instead of performatively. The country is tired of this type of politics. Your candor and shared insight is greatly appreciated. The folks in North Carolina are well represented.
Once again, thank you for adding clarity and education to this conversation. It is no wonder people are so ignorant about it all; there are some politicians who want them to be ignorant, so they can yell & howl & lie to get their way even when their way makes absolutely no sense and has no path forward.
I know much of this is theater and McCarthy knows he’s going to have to raise it and he’s going to have to compromise with Dems. His plan to squeeze the working poor won’t yield pennies or go very far in increasing revenue.
Yet, the coward is terrified to push a repeal to ridiculous tax cuts & stop the special loopholes, tax hiding shelters & offshoring for million & billionaires & corporations, so they pay closer to their actual tax rate.
That’s how we get more revenue. That’s how we stop borrowing. That’s how we take care of children, elderly, disabled, vets, & others in need.
Do we have a spending problem in the US? Of course we do. But the REAL problem we have is a revenue issue. And it ain't from what's left of the middle class! If we don't level the playing field, and roll back ALL tax cuts since around 1982, we will never have fiscal balance. It's that simple.
It is always about taxes. Democrats want fair taxation and safety nets. The minority running the GOP want NO taxation and NO social authority except as needed for police and military forces. God will take care of the children.
Thank you for the conscience explanation of how the process works. Your straightforward expression of you opinions and options is helpful and necessary. We absolutely need to find some middle ground upon which the country can move forward and I encourage you to continue to do so. As a nation we must find a way to breakout of the morass that was created by the previous administration.
I look forward to your emails. It’s nice to know what goes on first hand, and in layman’s terms! You make it easy to understand, and I am very grateful. Keep up the good fight!
This is such an excellent and lucid explication, Jeff, the best I have seen anywhere about what is actually going on with the debt situation. I am so glad we have you there to cut through what passes for news stories and actually educate us. Thank you for your service.
Really well done Jeff, thanks. It's nice to see some reasonable ideas come from Congress because it is so rare. Maybe the Speaker has a senior staffer or an elder statesperson contact who could let the 18 know that there will be no adverse actions taken against them for supporting the discharge petition while he remains as Speaker. That sort of cover might even take the place of a spine for enough of them to get the job done.
We need to find a way to reduce the deficit. It was understandable during COVID or during times of war, but neither are the case now. We need to reign in government spending.
I look forward to and appreciate these updates. My family and friends do to, as I send them along. You write in a way that is very understandable to those of us not in politics and don't want to wade through the nonsense to get to the facts. Thank you very much. Lynn Cole
Here's the most important part:
"Realistically, there is no way to reach fiscal sustainability through cuts alone. Let’s say we want to at least get somewhat close to balancing the budget, but we don’t want to cut Medicare, Social Security, or refuse to pay interest on current debt. That’s almost half the budget. So if we have to find 22% savings and we’re starting out by taking half the budget off the table, then the rest would have to be cut by about 44% - including defense and veteran health care. And if defense and veteran health care were also taken off the table, that means you’d have to almost zero out the entire rest of the budget: energy, transportation, Medicaid (which includes 40 million kids), education, environment, NASA, air traffic control, border control… Poof. Gone. And that isn’t going to happen. So the way you’ll know that there’s a serious, realistic conversation about the budget is that it will include a discussion about reduced spending and a discussion about revenue from our highest earners and largest corporations. There’s just no way to make the math work without including both."
So remember this every time you hear a Republican whine that they have put forward a responsible bill, and Biden should come to the table. They are lying, as usual.
Another decent communique from a reasonable source. We forward these on to our subscribers as a public service. Keep it clean and keep it up.
Love your updates. So appreciate your concise , real, rare to the public letters. So grateful for your time. Many thanks.
Why am I not surprised that the previous president raised the debt ceiling 3 times? It's his personal M.O. When you can't pay your bills you just simply declare bankruptcy. He's done it multiple times.
Congressman Jeff,
Thanks for your information and it is greatly appreciated. I live in Texas Congressional District No. 1, formerly Louie Gohmert's district and never felt represented by him. The book is out on Nathaniel Moran to see if he will act responsibly instead of performatively. The country is tired of this type of politics. Your candor and shared insight is greatly appreciated. The folks in North Carolina are well represented.
Bobby Mims
Tyler, Texas
Once again, thank you for adding clarity and education to this conversation. It is no wonder people are so ignorant about it all; there are some politicians who want them to be ignorant, so they can yell & howl & lie to get their way even when their way makes absolutely no sense and has no path forward.
I know much of this is theater and McCarthy knows he’s going to have to raise it and he’s going to have to compromise with Dems. His plan to squeeze the working poor won’t yield pennies or go very far in increasing revenue.
Yet, the coward is terrified to push a repeal to ridiculous tax cuts & stop the special loopholes, tax hiding shelters & offshoring for million & billionaires & corporations, so they pay closer to their actual tax rate.
That’s how we get more revenue. That’s how we stop borrowing. That’s how we take care of children, elderly, disabled, vets, & others in need.
Do we have a spending problem in the US? Of course we do. But the REAL problem we have is a revenue issue. And it ain't from what's left of the middle class! If we don't level the playing field, and roll back ALL tax cuts since around 1982, we will never have fiscal balance. It's that simple.
It is always about taxes. Democrats want fair taxation and safety nets. The minority running the GOP want NO taxation and NO social authority except as needed for police and military forces. God will take care of the children.
Thank you for the conscience explanation of how the process works. Your straightforward expression of you opinions and options is helpful and necessary. We absolutely need to find some middle ground upon which the country can move forward and I encourage you to continue to do so. As a nation we must find a way to breakout of the morass that was created by the previous administration.
Thank you for helping me understand the debt ceiling our country is facing. Explaining the muttle of politics is easier to understand coming from you.
I look forward to your emails. It’s nice to know what goes on first hand, and in layman’s terms! You make it easy to understand, and I am very grateful. Keep up the good fight!
This is such an excellent and lucid explication, Jeff, the best I have seen anywhere about what is actually going on with the debt situation. I am so glad we have you there to cut through what passes for news stories and actually educate us. Thank you for your service.
Really well done Jeff, thanks. It's nice to see some reasonable ideas come from Congress because it is so rare. Maybe the Speaker has a senior staffer or an elder statesperson contact who could let the 18 know that there will be no adverse actions taken against them for supporting the discharge petition while he remains as Speaker. That sort of cover might even take the place of a spine for enough of them to get the job done.
We need to find a way to reduce the deficit. It was understandable during COVID or during times of war, but neither are the case now. We need to reign in government spending.
Spoken like a lame branded Dem….you, you fool, voted for the current excessive spending! Grow a set and quit going along with insanity