1w ago

'Let the squealing begin': Ex-GOP chair warns DOGE cuts to hit red states more than blue

www.rawstory.com 'Let the squealing begin': Ex-GOP chair warns DOGE cuts to hit red states more than blue

Former Republican Party chairman Michael Steele warned that expected cuts coming from the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, will harm MAGA areas more than Democratic cities. Although Congress has not officially created Elon Musk's largely symbolic department, he is pursuing his promise o...

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Lots of maga people are going to find out quickly that a major function of government jobs and social welfare programs are to redistribute wealth from the rich cities to the country.
- You may be surprised if they don't.
  
  I think an often overlooked part of the MAGA demographic is that it's comprised of two large groups: often rural, working class, conservative voters who vote on emotional or single issue areas like abortion, 2nd amendment, or military support and wealthy upper class business owners who benefit from reduced economic and environmental regulation. It seems Republicans in power always seem to pass legislation that benefits the later while screwing over the former, and yet they keep voting for Republicans anyway.
  
  Those demonrats really messed things up this time! Now I don't even get muh benefits! This is all Bidens fault! /s
- They dont understand their daily life is subsidized by the federal government, and that cutting those programs means their share of the costs go up.
  The majority of red states aren't self sustainable.
  If blue states said fuck it and stopped sending the Fed money, it would go broke along with every red state except Texas I think. But they need federal funding every year for climate disasters
  
  They won't understand after, either, as they'll be told that Democrats are somehow keeping them from getting their due. And for some reason they'll believe it.
- They'll learn real quick when their SSI and Disability checks dry up...

"Here's the rub: no one in Washington gives a damn," said Steele. "Not on Capitol Hill, not on K Street, because they're all trying to figure out how they get a piece of it or get protected...So, we're all bought in here onto this. The American people signed on the dotted line. Do more of this. And they think that they're going to benefit."
He explained that $2 trillion in cuts would have to impact the MAGA world. One of Trump's first actions was to roll back President Joe Biden's 2022 executive order lowering prescription drug prices for those in Medicare and Medicaid.
"They're not telling you where it's coming from. And you know who's going to ultimately pay for it? All the MAGA in places like Alabama and Mississippi, who already rely on a lot of federal dollars to make their ends meet in those states," said Steele. "It's not going to hurt California. It's not going to hurt New York. They contribute massive amounts of dollars and get back very few federal dollars. Where this comes home to roost is in the very center of MAGA land, and they seem to be okay with that. So cut away, my friend, and just let the squealing begin."
- No shit. For all their railing against taxes and entitlements, Red states overwhelmingly benefit from them while Blue states largely fund them. 4 of the top 5 most dependent states are Red (Alaska, West Virginia, Mississippi, and Montana). And 4 of the top 5 least dependent states are Blue (Minnesota, New Jersey, Delaware, and Illinois). They are shooting themselves in the foot, as always.
  Source: https://smartasset.com/data-studies/states-most-dependent-federal-government-2023
  
  Interesting link and based on it every single state but New Mexico is paying in more than they are getting out, meaning that 49 of the 50 are carrying their own water. What the high contribution states like Minnesota are really paying for is all of the other stuff that the Federal Government does.
- If California could somehow give me option to redirect my federal tax to the state I would gladly do it.

Let’s not act like they will learn from this. They did not in the past and they won’t in the coming clusterfuck.
Stop acting like we are dealing with adults.
- they didn't get hit nearly as hard as they are going to this time around. You might still be correct, some will literally suck his dick with their dying breath, but some will also get a new drug bill and freak du'fuq out
  
  And then continue to blame the Democrats.
  
  I hope you are right. But they probably will continue to blame immigrants, democrats, gay people, etc.

There are still Brexit supporters. As an example.
There is no bottom.
They will never change their minds because their decisions aren't based on facts or logic.
- You can't reason someone out of a position that they didn't reason themselves into.

Can we call it DGE since 'of' isn't normally included in acronyms, for example DMV and not DOMV
- Let's call it shit.
  It's not an acronym but it's fitting.
  
  SHIT:
  Stupid
  Human
  Interfering with
  Things
- That whole thing is already redundant and pointless similar to the meme coins he did before inauguration.
  There's already Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
  
  Doge is a good dog meme and doesn't deserve to be saddled with all this bullshit.
- Just call it the fake agency because it's not real. Presidents cannot create executive branch departments.

Of course. Those cuts are, largely, going to fall on welfare and welfare recipients, because they're not cutting entitlements and they're not cutting the military.
It's the impoverished southern states that utilize welfare the most. (And they never thank California or New York.)
- And in those southern states, those that use those welfare services are most at risk and also have their vote suppressed the most. Hourly workers that rely on WIC, Headstart and medicaid can't take a day off work to be sick let alone vote. And most economically suppressed districts have 4-6 hour wait times.
  It's harder than ever for working Americans to vote and it's the worst it's ever been last election. These people couldn't even vote against their interests if they wanted to.
  https://www.splcenter.org/resources/guides/fight-vote-overcoming-voter-suppression-south/
  
  I ldid not vote because I did not have physically have time to vote.
  In the South, they limit the number of polling places in urban areas. You won’t need to wait if you live in fucking Anadarko, but the city centers are going to be 4+ hour waits.

A lot of them will be fine with this as long as it hits their black neighbours harder than them. They’re poorer, but still have their white pride, and don’t have to worry about their place in the hierarchy of races being eroded away.

I think one of the biggest fallacies is that some places are cheaper or more expensive to live. Cost of living is only based on the opportunities available to the average person. That logic is too hard for most MAGA nuts to crack
- There are some other factors besides jobs that make places more attractive. Cal is extremely expensive not just cause of high-paying jobs (and lack of housing supply), but also weather, geography, convenience etc

Good, I hope the idiots receive exactly what they voted for.
- Wow you can't say that. So much for the tolerant left smh my head.
  
  They voted to hurt me. If they hurt themselves in the process, I'm allowed to enjoy it.
  
  deleted by creator
  
  Shake my head my head.

Cognitive dissonance is about to be cranked up to 11 all over the country.
- And that friction is all set to be directed squarely at the most vulnerable populations. It doesn't matter that part of this is a loop, so long as there's brown and gay folks to blame.
- Sorry, we were already on 11, you're going to have to break those nobs if you want to go higher.

Because blue states are the economic powerhouses of the US. They're not dumb enough to attack that.

Sure, red states are the biggest welfare queens

There are no DOGE cuts. It's just some bullshit that Trump and Elon pulled out of their ass. There is no way to cut $2 trillion from the budget by a stroke of the President's pen. And even if there was, they would have no intention of actually doing so. Sick of the gullible media taking Trump at his word. Just like his last term, there will be no spending cuts, just tax cuts for the rich and massive deficits.
- What's this then?
  https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/hiring-freeze/
  By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order a freeze on the hiring of Federal civilian employees, to be applied throughout the executive branch. As part of this freeze, no Federal civilian position that is vacant at noon on January 20, 2025, may be filled, and no new position may be created except as otherwise provided for in this memorandum or other applicable law. Except as provided below, this freeze applies to all executive departments and agencies regardless of their sources of operational and programmatic funding.
  This order does not apply to military personnel of the armed forces or to positions related to immigration enforcement, national security, or public safety. Moreover, nothing in this memorandum shall adversely impact the provision of Social Security, Medicare, or Veterans’ benefits. In addition, the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) may grant exemptions from this freeze where those exemptions are otherwise necessary.
  Within 90 days of the date of this memorandum, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), in consultation with the Director of OPM and the Administrator of the United States DOGE Service (USDS), shall submit a plan to reduce the size of the Federal Government’s workforce through efficiency improvements and attrition. Upon issuance of the OMB plan, this memorandum shall expire for all executive departments and agencies, with the exception of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This memorandum shall remain in effect for the IRS until the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Director of OMB and the Administrator of USDS, determines that it is in the national interest to lift the freeze.
  
  This is a symbolic move, note the long litany of exceptions at the bottom:
  In carrying out this memorandum, the heads of executive departments and agencies shall seek efficient use of existing personnel and funds to improve public services and the delivery of these services. Accordingly, this memorandum does not prohibit making reallocations to meet the highest priority needs, maintain essential services, and protect national security, homeland security, and public safety.
  This memorandum does not limit the nomination and appointment of officials to positions requiring Presidential appointment or Senate confirmation, the appointment of officials to non-career positions in the Senior Executive Service or to Schedule A or C positions in the Excepted Service, the appointment of officials through temporary organization hiring authority pursuant to section 3161 of title 5, United States Code, or the appointment of any other non-career employees or officials if approved by agency leadership appointed by the President. Moreover, it does not limit the hiring of personnel where such a limit would conflict with applicable law.
  I mean it's dumb, don't get me wrong. But in addition to being dumb, it's vague, which means it will be worked around and ignored as needed.
- Yeah I agree, he just sprouts some shit and then doesn't do anything. Just like his first term.

One of Trump's first actions was to roll back President Joe Biden's 2022 executive order lowering prescription drug prices for those in Medicare and Medicaid.
AFAIU, this did not cost the government very much at all. Negotiating with Pharma. If there was a government payment involved, I'd assume that it provided far more healthcare/medicare savings than the cost of those payments.

'you thought they'd just take the billions and billions of dollars from new york, chicago, and california?'
yes.

$400 in-saline and now this! LOL damn fools.
- Ok I can't determine what you misspelled. It was probably insulin, but then I thought 'wait no- he could have meant IV-Saline' then it dawned on me you could have meant a play on words like "insane saline" and it doesn't really matter because insulin and saline are both lifesaving and needlessly expensive compared to their base components and production costs.

Unleash the leopards.

They won't notice/care/learn. They'll probably blame Biden/democrats for anything bad that happens.

[Scene opens on a wide, desolate savanna at dusk. The camera slowly pans over a leopard lying under a tree, its large body barely able to move. The sun is setting, casting a cold, dim light over the scene. Soft wind rustles through the dry grass. The leopard’s eyes are dull, its breathing labored.]
Narrator (soft, somber voice): In the wild, leopards are meant to stalk, to hunt, to climb. But for some, this is no longer possible. These are the leopards of the forgotten savanna... the ones who can no longer live the life they were born to lead.
[Cut to a close-up of another leopard, this one lying next to a watering hole, panting heavily. The camera lingers on its enormous, bloated body, its paws barely able to reach the ground. The leopard’s eyes seem vacant, devoid of the wild spark they once had.]
Narrator: Overfed and unable to move, these leopards have been left to a slow, painful existence. They can no longer hunt their prey, no longer climb the trees to escape danger, no longer feel the thrill of the chase. They are trapped in their own bodies.
[Cue the soft, mournful opening chords of "Angel" by Sarah McLachlan. The camera slowly pans over a third leopard, sluggishly trying to rise, but its massive weight prevents it from standing. It lets out a heavy sigh, its once-strong legs buckling beneath it.]
Narrator: They are the forgotten victims of a world that has abandoned them. Too fat to run, too weak to fight... These leopards are slowly fading, one breath at a time. They need your help.
[Cut to a shot of a leopard staring out over the savanna. The camera lingers on its face, eyes half-closed, its expression one of quiet resignation.]
Narrator: For just $3 a day, you can provide the care and support these leopards so desperately need. A donation will help give them the chance to live a life of dignity. Help them find their way back to the wild they were meant to roam.
[The music swells as the camera fades to black, and the words "Your donation can make a difference" appear in white text on the screen.]
Narrator (whispering): Please, don’t let them suffer in silence. The time to act is now.
[The music fades out, and the SPCA logo appears in the corner, along with a toll-free number and website for donations.]
- 1-800-ATE-FACE

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