Trump supporters, how do you square this?

[Westernhawk]

Starting with Health Care.

Yes. There is fraud and waste within the Medicare and Medicaid programs - usually by individuals and corporations outside the program taking advantage of the system.
But the cost of that fraud and waste is no where near the amount of $ extracted from the health delivery system by the business models of private health care corporations.
From drug prices to denials of care, the private health care system has one objective - maximize profit at any cost. With no regard for the best interests of the people.

This is spot on.

There is a fair amount of literature out there that suggests that the administrative inefficiency in for-profit insurance companies is higher than CMS (medicaid/medicare).

Also, since government is different from a for profit corporation, they don't have to maximize profits and minimize delivery to wow the shareholders like, say, United Health does.

The goal of a health insurer is to extract money from people and make a profit. They do NOT provide health care. They take a cut and manage risk. In short, they may not add as much value as a lot of you think they do.

This whole "privatize everything" idea is full of misconceptions and inaccuracies. Take, for example, the Medicare Advantage plans. That's a partially privatized Medicare that is run by the fine folks at places like United Health "Care". CMS, I've heard, really regrets privatizing that part of their work because patients now face denials and all kinds of administrative red tape that wasn't there when it was Medicare only. In short, we gave taxpayer money to massive corporations to manage as they see fit. That has made some people "big mad".

Watch this space, as the co-presidents in our current administration will try to privatize as much as possible, under the guise of "efficiency." However, this is really about transferring tax dollars to private companies to enrich themselves and their buddies who got those politicians elected. This is just a transfer of money.

I wonder if Space X will handle all US government contracts related to space and jet propulsion in the future????

 

[Westernhawk]

"In 2023, HHS Inspector General found potentially $7.5 billions in overpayments to UHC for billing practices."

Anyone surprised Musk and Trump are getting rid of these Inspector Generals uncovering this fraud.

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/21/unitedhealth-tumbles-12percent-on-wsj-report-the-doj-is-investigating-medicare-billing-practices.html

I wrote my post on United and Medicare Advantage plans minutes before I saw your post! Yeah!!!

 

[Westernhawk]

So this article just talks about him wanting to extend his tax cuts he made in his first term. The cuts he made back them didn't only help the ultra wealthy.

Here is some info from crfb.org: https://www.crfb.org/blogs/trump-tax-priorities-total-5-11-trillion

Depending on the details of these proposals, our rough estimate is that a package of this nature would:

• Reduce revenue by $5.0 trillion to $11.2 trillion over ten years.
• Lower revenue by 1.3 to 3.0 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
• Boost debt to between 132 and 149 percent of GDP by 2035, if not offset, compared to nearly 100 percent today and 118 percent under current law.

 

[Westernhawk]

So this article just talks about him wanting to extend his tax cuts he made in his first term. The cuts he made back them didn't only help the ultra wealthy.

Louder for those of you in the back: https://itep.org/a-distributional-analysis-of-donald-trumps-tax-plan-2024/

 

[thedukeofearl]

Trump supporters “How do you square this?”

https://www.npr.org/2025/02/20/nx-s1-5304454/jan-6-pardons-drugs-firearms

This Guy...

Federal prosecutors had accused Daniel Ball of Florida of throwing an "explosive device that detonated upon at least 25 officers" during the Capitol riot, and alleged that he "forcefully" shoved police trying to protect the building.

He was arrested in May 2023. According to charging documents, Ball had a criminal record before his arrest for Jan. 6, including for "Domestic Violence Battery by Strangulation," "Resisting Law Enforcement with Violence," and "Battery on Law Enforcement Officer."

But when federal agents originally arrested Ball on the riot charges, prosecutors alleged they also found a gun and ammunition in his possession, which would be illegal given his criminal history.

He pleaded not guilty to the gun case. After Ball was released from detention on his Jan. 6 charges, the Justice Department indicated it planned to pursue the gun case and had him rearrested. Then, this week, the federal prosecutors appeared to reverse their position and filed a brief motion indicating that they would like to dismiss that case, as well.

Yeah, he is a solid Maga Citizen

 

[PCHawk]

I understand that logic, but mine as I said in other posts is the fact they're making such drastic changes so fast I don't think they've had the time to really look into what they're doing. Point being laying off the nuclear weapon workers. There's place's where cuts can/can't be made, and to be honest I think they're so caught up in the overhaul of the government as we know it, that they're overlooking or don't care what they're cutting.

We can talk about the USA going bankrupt, but we could also say that there's a good chance the cost of Trump's Superbowl, Daytona 500, and vacations cost taxpayers a hell of a lot more then a lot of the programs that are being cut. Our government has an obligation to the citizen's of this country, so while it may need to run like a business, there's other line items that are still operating the same as they've always run that, IMO should be minimized before the health and wellbeing of those individuals that should be the priority.

I think there should be an annual max amount the president can spend on vacations. There is a value on the president going in public (like the super bowl) so I'm kinda indifferent on not doing things like that. I definitely see both sides on that one. Having a president MIA was a bad look. Bit bothe the super bowl and the Daytona 500 is overkill.

 

[PCHawk]

Beat me to it and like a business it seems pretty clear to me that the CEO's are going to be taking care of themselves and their investors at the expense of the lower level employees.

I think the business analogy stops at not losing money.

 

[PCHawk]

On official WH X account. King is preparing his throne whilst his supporters thrill and America dies

View attachment 11317

That's dumb as shit.

 

[PCHawk]

Trump supporters “How do you square this?”

https://www.npr.org/2025/02/20/nx-s1-5304454/jan-6-pardons-drugs-firearms

I guess if you're operating under the premise that prosecution overstepped by arresting him in the first place, you probably should drop charges for crimes found while arresting him. Kind of in the way that if a cop pulls you over for no reason, then searches your car for no reason and finds weed, you should probably have charges dropped later. I don't really like criminals getting let off because of how the crime was discovered. But I also don't like cops that abuse their power. Trump decided most of Jan 6th prosecutions were an abuse of power. So I guess it makes sense you have to drop those extra charges.

 

[PCHawk]

Here is some info from crfb.org: https://www.crfb.org/blogs/trump-tax-priorities-total-5-11-trillion

Depending on the details of these proposals, our rough estimate is that a package of this nature would:

• Reduce revenue by $5.0 trillion to $11.2 trillion over ten years.
• Lower revenue by 1.3 to 3.0 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
• Boost debt to between 132 and 149 percent of GDP by 2035, if not offset, compared to nearly 100 percent today and 118 percent under current law.

I read somewhere where he broke his promise on no tax on tips. From reading this it sounds like that's not true.

 

[Westernhawk]

I read somewhere where he broke his promise on no tax on tips. From reading this it sounds like that's not true.

I'll be watching to see if some of the super important campaign promises come true:

1. Lower grocery prices
2. Decreased inflation
3. Lower federal deficit
4. Economic growth (not inflation or recession)
5. Lower unemployment.

These are some of the core things that got Trump elected, in addition to the immigration platform.

It will be interesting to see how it all goes. Currently, inflation is on an upward trend, going from 2.4% last September, to 3.0% in January. Inflation is a big one. We'll see I guess.

It will also be interesting to see how tariffs play into consumer prices. I imagine some items (autos) will go up a fair amount.

All in all, it looks like my taxes will increase slightly, inflation will continue, there will be upward pressure on prices due to tariffs, and the federal deficit will continue to expand at a rapid rate. All of this winning is painful.

 

[SCHawkeye2]

I understand that logic, but mine as I said in other posts is the fact they're making such drastic changes so fast I don't think they've had the time to really look into what they're doing. Point being laying off the nuclear weapon workers. There's place's where cuts can/can't be made, and to be honest I think they're so caught up in the overhaul of the government as we know it, that they're overlooking or don't care what they're cutting.

We can talk about the USA going bankrupt, but we could also say that there's a good chance the cost of Trump's Superbowl, Daytona 500, and vacations cost taxpayers a hell of a lot more then a lot of the programs that are being cut. Our government has an obligation to the citizen's of this country, so while it may need to run like a business, there's other line items that are still operating the same as they've always run that, IMO should be minimized before the health and wellbeing of those individuals that should be the priority.

In Trump's first term, the GAO determined that his first four weekend trips to Mar a Lago cost the US taxpayers $14.5 million, or $3.4 million per trip.

Presidential Travel: Secret Service and DOD Need to Ensure That Expenditure Reports Are Prepared and Submitted to Congress

We were asked to examine the cost of 4 trips to the Mar-a-Lago resort by the President and 3 international trips by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump...

www.gao.gov

In his first term, Trump visited Mar a Lago 134 times.
https://www.citizensforethics.org/r...stigations/trump-500-visits-trump-properties/

If he repeats that performance in this term, the taxpayer bill may be estimated to be as much as $455 million ($3.4 million X 134 trips). Nearly half a billion $$$ for him to weekend at just one of his properties. He visited his properties a total of 500 times in his first term.
If Musk is looking to save a quick billion for us taxpayers, perhaps he could stop paying for Trumps golf and vacations.

 

[Westernhawk]

I read somewhere where he broke his promise on no tax on tips. From reading this it sounds like that's not true.

It sounds like he still wants to do this. This may help lower wage workers, which is one of the few things he might actually do to improve things for regular people and not just billionaires.

I'm hearing that it might be messy to execute this, so this is also worth watching to see if it actually occurs.

Another option is to pay people a livable wage and get rid of the whole tipping system, but that's another topic.

 

[Westernhawk]

In Trump's first term, the GAO determined that his first four weekend trips to Mar a Lago cost the US taxpayers $14.5 million, or $3.4 million per trip.

Presidential Travel: Secret Service and DOD Need to Ensure That Expenditure Reports Are Prepared and Submitted to Congress

We were asked to examine the cost of 4 trips to the Mar-a-Lago resort by the President and 3 international trips by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump...

www.gao.gov

In his first term, Trump visited Mar a Lago 134 times.
https://www.citizensforethics.org/r...stigations/trump-500-visits-trump-properties/

If he repeats that performance in this term, the taxpayer bill may be estimated to be as much as $455 million ($3.4 million X 134 trips). Nearly half a billion $$$ for him to weekend at just one of his properties. He visited his properties a total of 500 times in his first term.
If Musk is looking to save a quick billion for us taxpayers, perhaps he could stop paying for Trumps golf and vacations.

He's a true public servant. Lol

 

[Westernhawk]

In Trump's first term, the GAO determined that his first four weekend trips to Mar a Lago cost the US taxpayers $14.5 million, or $3.4 million per trip.

Presidential Travel: Secret Service and DOD Need to Ensure That Expenditure Reports Are Prepared and Submitted to Congress

We were asked to examine the cost of 4 trips to the Mar-a-Lago resort by the President and 3 international trips by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump...

www.gao.gov

In his first term, Trump visited Mar a Lago 134 times.
https://www.citizensforethics.org/r...stigations/trump-500-visits-trump-properties/

If he repeats that performance in this term, the taxpayer bill may be estimated to be as much as $455 million ($3.4 million X 134 trips). Nearly half a billion $$$ for him to weekend at just one of his properties. He visited his properties a total of 500 times in his first term.
If Musk is looking to save a quick billion for us taxpayers, perhaps he could stop paying for Trumps golf and vacations.

I'm surprised there's still a Government Accountability Office. I can imagine Elon wants to remove anything related to Inspectors or accountability.

 

[CP87]

It sounds like he still wants to do this. This may help lower wage workers, which is one of the few things he might actually do to improve things for regular people and not just billionaires.

I'm hearing that it might be messy to execute this, so this is also worth watching to see if it actually occurs.

Another option is to pay people a livable wage and get rid of the whole tipping system, but that's another topic.

The loophole that allows employees who receive gratuities to be paid less than minimum wage is dumb as shit. Pay the person what they are worth, price it into my bill, and let's get rid of this stupid tipping thing.

 

[PCHawk]

I'll be watching to see if some of the super important campaign promises come true:

1. Lower grocery prices
2. Decreased inflation
3. Lower federal deficit
4. Economic growth (not inflation or recession)
5. Lower unemployment.

These are some of the core things that got Trump elected, in addition to the immigration platform.

It will be interesting to see how it all goes. Currently, inflation is on an upward trend, going from 2.4% last September, to 3.0% in January. Inflation is a big one. We'll see I guess.

It will also be interesting to see how tariffs play into consumer prices. I imagine some items (autos) will go up a fair amount.

All in all, it looks like my taxes will increase slightly, inflation will continue, there will be upward pressure on prices due to tariffs, and the federal deficit will continue to expand at a rapid rate. All of this winning is painful.

Well he's getting everyone confirmed in that he wants. He's getting resistance from judges and things like that but the resistance doesn't seem to be working out that great. So if he doesn't get anything positive accomplished, as if now there's no excuses.

 

[PCHawk]

In Trump's first term, the GAO determined that his first four weekend trips to Mar a Lago cost the US taxpayers $14.5 million, or $3.4 million per trip.

Presidential Travel: Secret Service and DOD Need to Ensure That Expenditure Reports Are Prepared and Submitted to Congress

We were asked to examine the cost of 4 trips to the Mar-a-Lago resort by the President and 3 international trips by Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump...

www.gao.gov

In his first term, Trump visited Mar a Lago 134 times.
https://www.citizensforethics.org/r...stigations/trump-500-visits-trump-properties/

If he repeats that performance in this term, the taxpayer bill may be estimated to be as much as $455 million ($3.4 million X 134 trips). Nearly half a billion $$$ for him to weekend at just one of his properties. He visited his properties a total of 500 times in his first term.
If Musk is looking to save a quick billion for us taxpayers, perhaps he could stop paying for Trumps golf and vacations.

That's an absurd amount of money. I get that the president needs to be able to be mobile, and that costs a lot of money with security, but that's just stupid money. I'm pretty sure Biden was on vacation something like half of his presidency.

 

[Fryowa]

Another option is to pay people a livable wage and get rid of the whole tipping system, but that's another topic.

This sounds simplistic but will never work.

Wages should and do operate under the same conditions of supply and demand.

People of able body and mind should pursue jobs that pay them the amount that's commensurate with the standard of living they're looking for. Paying people $20 an hour to work at McDonalds would cause McDonalds to shut it's doors because no one is going to pay $15 for a quarter pounder. If people don't want to make $7.25 an hour, they should seek out different employment.

If $7.25 isn't enough, those folks looking for work can find jobs in numerous places making "livable" money. Factories, manual labor, etc. There are more than plenty of those jobs to go around for those who want to work. Yes, it's not as easy as working at McDonalds or a gas station, but that's not the burden of society.

The excuse of an able-bodied person that they "can't" find a higher paying job is bunk for 99% of people. They can, they just won't. We need dependable people badly in manufacturing where I work, who can start at mid $20's 45 hours a week, get great health insurance, 5% company match 401k, and we have a $2,000 sign on bonus after a year of employment. Zero experience needed, you don't even have to know how to read a tape measure or print. We train people from the get go and have a daycare reimbursement program. It's that way pretty much everywhere in America in manufacturing, agriculture, construction, etc.

We can't get enough people to work nor can most of the manufacturing and manual labor employers around the country. If I went to the local McDonalds and offered all of that to most of the people working there they wouldn't take it, however. If you don't want to work 40-45 hours a week M-F for a good wage and retirement plan that isn't the fault of society. If you've made choices in your life prior that make it impossible for you to work M-F 45 hours a week that isn't the fault of society. Both of my parents worked more hours than that the entire time I was living in their home. They sacrificed to make ends meet and always provided for themselves, me, and my brother because they were willing to work full time in jobs that weren't always fun but paid the bills.

If you have a legitimate disability that's a different story, but most

 

[Fryowa]

The loophole that allows employees who receive gratuities to be paid less than minimum wage is dumb as shit. Pay the person what they are worth, price it into my bill, and let's get rid of this stupid tipping thing.

If restaurants tripled their wages they would triple their prices to compensate, and there would be no people eating in those restaurants. Then there would be no restaurants for those folks to work in. It ins't that simple. Desired wages are the individual's motivation to get employment that meets employees' wants in life. If working at Subway 35 hours a week for $10 an hour doesn't pay for my apartment, vehicle, and food, I have two choices.

1) Apply somewhere that gives me wages and hours that meet what I need to live.

2) Complain that I don't get paid enough.

Neither of those is the responsibility of society as a whole to fix.