Patterico's Pontifications

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Dana (bb8c7a) — 6/3/2025 @ 1:07 pm

I think Elon is just mad at how Congress works.

The reconciliation bill process is an absolute poor vehicle to encode any DOGE cuts (most cuts were discretionary, not mandatory spending)

I know there’s some stinkers in this bill, but it isn’t all bad:
This is a bit of spin, but Miller posted a long list of the items in the Big, Beautiful Bill that fulfill campaign promises:

*Largest tax cut and reform in history
*No tax on tips and overtime
*Massive tax cut for fixed-income Seniors
*Interest on car loans fully tax deductible if the car is American
*Fast-tracks new energy projects and provides protection against future regulation
*Terminates Green New Deal
*No welfare or gov’t healthcare for illegals
*Ends waste, fraud and abuse in government welfare, the largest welfare reform in history
*Full up-front funding for the entire border wall and water barriers (will never need to ask Democrats for these funds, denying them leverage on all future annual appropriations bills)
*Pay raise for ICE and Border Patrol
*Full funding for every border and immigration security priority the American People voted for, making it the most significant border and homeland bill in American history
*Port security to keep fentanyl out of the US
Funds the Golden Dome, a state-of-the-art shield against enemy missile strikes on our soil
*Defunds the transgender agenda and attacks on our kids
*Cuts 1.6 TRILLION in net mandatory spending
*The most pro-American tax bill ever, including 100% expensing on new American factories to ensure the future is Made in the USA

The big question is… will these survive the Senate shenanigans?

I’m doubtful…

whembly (09d73c) — 6/3/2025 @ 2:22 pm

Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett had their disagreements too.

nk (c272fd) — 6/3/2025 @ 3:06 pm

whembly (09d73c) — 6/3/2025 @ 2:22 pm

Aside from the massive deficits that will occur, everything else is hunky dory.

The budget bill passed by the House on May 22 would add $2.4 trillion to the debt over the 2025-2034 window and $10.8 trillion from 2025-2055. The Ways and Means title of the bill adds $3.9 trillion to the debt over the 2025-2034 window while the remaining titles of the bill raise $1.5 trillion in revenue over the 2025-2034 window. Over the 2025-2055 window, the Ways and Means title adds $18.0 trillion in debt while the remaining titles raise $7.1 trillion in revenue.

If the temporary tax provisions (no taxes on tips, overtime, and Social Security are set to expire after four years) became permanent, the cost over the 2025-2034 window is $4.0 trillion and over the 2025-2055 window is $18.7 trillion.

During the 2045-2055 window, the cost in additional interest (even assuming no increase in interest rates due to this bill) is over 80 percent of the direct costs of the bill as written, rising to around 90 percent if the temporary tax provisions became permanent.

If the tax provisions become permanent, with no additional tariff revenue, the debt-to-GDP ratio would hit approximately 191 percent in 2055. The only countries that currently have a higher debt-to-GDP ratio are Japan and Sudan.

Under each scenario for the bill (Permanent and temporary and with and without new tariff revenue), the deficit level increases over the 2025-2055 window.

Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 6/3/2025 @ 3:29 pm

We don’t need to balance the budget, we’ll just keep going until we default and then we won’t be able to borrow money, at which point we will have no choice but to eliminate all non-military funding.

I’m being sarcastic, but this is *clearly* the path the country is going to take, and at this point I think it’s the path that most Republican officeholders *prefer*.

aphrael (bcc15a) — 6/3/2025 @ 3:42 pm

#2 I am guessing that the “Miller” is Stephen Miller.

Which reminds me: I really do have to get around to asking him to change his last name to Ming, after his role model, the Flash Gordon character.

There are a lot of us Millers, and most would not want people to think we are related to Stephen.

Jim Miller (c55566) — 6/3/2025 @ 4:26 pm

The reconciliation bill process is an absolute poor vehicle to encode any DOGE cuts (most cuts were discretionary, not mandatory spending)

Trump has submitted a small ($9.4B) recission request to claw back funding of NPR/PBS and various foreign aid accounts.

………
The “rescissions” memo was officially transmitted Tuesday to Capitol Hill and seeks to eliminate $8.3 billion in foreign aid, along with $1.1 billion from public broadcasting, including for National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Service. It also asks Congress to claw back funding from more than a dozen accounts across the State Department, including U.S. contributions to UN peacekeeping efforts and $900 million for global health programs, as well as $800 million for migration and refugee assistance.

The request now starts a 45-day clock — not counting breaks longer than three days — for Congress to either approve or rebuff Trump’s recommendation to claw back funding that’s supposed to be flowing now.

While Speaker Mike Johnson vowed Tuesday to “act quickly” to approve the package, it faces longer odds in the Senate, despite the fact that the chamber can approve it at a simple-majority bar without having to worry about clearing the filibuster: Trump’s previous request to revoke $15 billion during his first term in office was defeated in 2018.
………..
“It’s extremely complex in the rules, because there hasn’t been a successful rescission package in many, many years,” (Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins) said, noting that lawmakers aren’t allowed to claw back funding from an account that isn’t already targeted in the president’s memo.

Rolling back federal funding for public broadcasting is a piece lawmakers are likely to consider striking from the package, since many Republicans are fond of local PBS programming in their districts and states. Republican Sen. Mike Rounds, for instance, said Tuesday that he will be scrutinizing the proposed cut to public broadcasting, since native American tribes in South Dakota rely on public radio stations and rural areas use the emergency broadcasting system.
………..

Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 6/3/2025 @ 5:11 pm

“*Largest tax cut and reform in history”

… for the rich. The bottom 40% or so gets tax hikes. The cuts start getting really nice above the 99% percentile, especially if you can operate a pass-through.

“*Massive tax cut for fixed-income Seniors”

Yeah… they’ll need it to up for that crater in Medicare, especially those in red states.

Speaking of, folks in rural areas should keep an eye on their local hospitals, and make sure they know how to get to the next-closest one in case it closes. Expect a lot (more) of them to do so in the coming years.

Enjoy your super duper budget!

…And I don’t want to hear a mumbling peep out of people like this about deficits ever again. Stumpy is on track to be responsible for fully 50% of the national debt over his two terms. This isn’t a budget, it is a bust-out.

john (142c21) — 6/3/2025 @ 6:32 pm

*Largest tax cut and reform in history

Lost me on the first line, because it’ll add trillions to our national debt. It’s fiscally irresponsible.

Paul Montagu (7d3956) — 6/3/2025 @ 6:45 pm

Elon didn’t get the memo that the deficit only matters under a Democrat administration.

Davethulhu (091413) — 6/3/2025 @ 7:39 pm

Haven’t heard Davethulhu complain about egg prices lately. Maybe he thinks Biden is back in charge.

lloyd (caf093) — 6/3/2025 @ 8:45 pm

When you have a 5-vote majority, passing a major bill is less of a team thing than “what’s in it for me?” If reported fairly, we would have seen the same thing in the Obamacare bill. Beak-watering is rife in both of these corrupt parties.

Kevin M (a9545f) — 6/3/2025 @ 8:53 pm

I’m being sarcastic, but this is *clearly* the path the country is going to take, and at this point I think it’s the path that most Republican officeholders *prefer*.
aphrael (bcc15a) — 6/3/2025 @ 3:42 pm

Interesting, aphrael. Tell me, what path do most Democrats prefer?

lloyd (caf093) — 6/3/2025 @ 8:54 pm

Lost me on the first line, because it’ll add trillions to our national debt. It’s fiscally irresponsible.

And even as a tax cut, it does nothing to generate additional economic activity. Reagan’s HUGE cuts in tax rates added some to the deficit, but over time the increased economic activity mitigated that with increased revenue. If tax rates had stayed at 70%, the economic boom of the late 80’s and 90’s would not have happened. No investment bucks, no Buck Rogers.

Kevin M (a9545f) — 6/3/2025 @ 8:57 pm

Tell me, what path do most Democrats prefer?

Pandering to a different base. But that doesn’t excuse the current pandering. Nothing in this bill encourages additional investment; it’s all tax trinkets for targeted voters.

Kevin M (a9545f) — 6/3/2025 @ 9:00 pm

*Largest tax cut and reform in history
*No tax on tips and overtime

Well, not exactly. Some taxes and the forms will drive you nuts.

*Massive tax cut for fixed-income Seniors

Again, no. It’s an increase in the standard deduction for some seniors. It is only meaningful if a couple has significant income besides social security; those actually on a fixed income (or with modest investment income) already pay no tax

*Interest on car loans fully tax deductible if the car is American

Better idea is to not drive up interest rates with huge deficits.

*Fast-tracks new energy projects and provides protection against future regulation

I am pretty sure that this won’t happen. Besides, American cars are junk, except maybe for some trucks.

*Terminates Green New Deal

Most of the implemented parts of that were tax cuts and rebates, so this is just spinning away actual tax increases.

*No welfare or gov’t healthcare for illegals

Not a federal expense

*Ends waste, fraud and abuse in government welfare, the largest welfare reform in history

Wanna bet?

*Full up-front funding for the entire border wall and water barriers (will never need to ask Democrats for these funds, denying them leverage on all future annual appropriations bills)

OK, but again so what? Most immigrants under Biden walked up to the crossing point and say “Help Help I’m being oppressed and need asylum.”

*Pay raise for ICE and Border Patrol

They make rather a lot now.

*Full funding for every border and immigration security priority the American People voted for, making it the most significant border and homeland bill in American history

Like sending 30yos who can’t speak Spanish back to a country they’ve never lived it, or maybe South Sudan

*Port security to keep fentanyl out of the US

HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA

*Funds the Golden Dome, a state-of-the-art shield against enemy missile strikes on our soil

The scariest part of this is that some politician might believe it will work, and miscalculate. But it’s great for Lockheed-Martin.

*Defunds the transgender agenda and attacks on our kids

Saving millions

*Cuts 1.6 TRILLION in net mandatory spending

Adds $5 trillion in new spending

*The most pro-American tax bill ever, including 100% expensing on new American factories to ensure the future is Made in the USA

You will see the most amazing abuse of this. 1000 new Solyndras building sham factories then going broke.

Kevin M (a9545f) — 6/3/2025 @ 9:17 pm

The median yearly total compensation at ICE is reported to be $143,500

(AI generated)

Kevin M (a9545f) — 6/3/2025 @ 9:25 pm

Besides, American cars are junk, except maybe for some trucks.

I’ve bought three new American cars since moving back to the country in 1997, and was delighted with all of them.

The Mustang lasted 19(!) years.

The Fusion hybrid was still running like new after almost 9 years, averaging 40.0 MPG over its lifetime.

The new Escape hybrid is only 3 months old; but not a single problem. Mileage is about the same.

Dave (1725ea) — 6/4/2025 @ 3:48 pm

I had an Escape Hybrid from 2008 to 2023. It ran fine. I didn’t get 40MPG, but then I don’t drive like I probably should. But most American cars are substandard compared to a Kia or Hyundai.

Dollar for dollar, there is no comparison; the cost of my 2023 Hyundai hybrid was the same as the cost (in unadjusted dollars) of that Escape. And it is a MUCH better car. I also get free service for the first 3 years.

Of course, the same trim 2025 Hyundai is more $13,000 expensive now than in 2023, due to rat-brains tariffs.

Kevin M (58c6e4) — 6/4/2025 @ 4:39 pm

But most American cars are substandard compared to a Kia or Hyundai.

Why do you hate America?

Dave (b1d5bc) — 6/4/2025 @ 6:23 pm

The most prominent fiscal conservative in this hemisphere isn’t even an American, he’s Argentine President Milei…

Argentinian President Javier Milei threatens to VETO a law that passed the lower chamber and heads to the Senate to increase pensions because it threatens the deficit-zero policy.

This is leadership. Unafraid of rejecting populism.

The most prominent American fiscal conservative wasn’t even born here, but he’s right that Trump’s ugly bill is a “disgusting abomination”

Anyway, Musk happens to be right: The One Big Beautiful Bill Act — its actual name! — is indeed a disgusting abomination. But this is one of those cases where it takes one to know one. Few men have done as much damage out of sheer arrogance, ignorance and pettiness as Elon Musk. He has thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands, of deaths on his hands.

And even his parting blast is destructive, demonstrating that he has learned nothing from his abject failure as a policymaker. The OBBBA is terrible, but not at all for the reasons Musk claims.

Paul Montagu (7eb32e) — 6/5/2025 @ 9:02 am

What goes around comes around:

President Trump’s fiery breakup with former adviser Elon Musk quickly escalated Thursday as the commander in chief floated slashing “Billions and Billions” in federal funding for Musk’s companies.

“The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts. I was always surprised that Biden didn’t do it!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
…………
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO’s firms have wide-ranging relations with federal agencies, including for Starlink internet service, pricey space mission and electric vehicle subsidies.
……….

Rip Murdock (27f597) — 6/5/2025 @ 12:30 pm

Rip Murdock (27f597) — 6/5/2025 @ 12:30 pm

More:

Tesla’s shares were poised for their worst decline since 2020 after the dispute between President Trump and Elon Musk escalated rapidly.

Trump threatened to eliminate government subsidies and contracts for Musk’s businesses, while the billionaire Tesla CEO called the president “ungrateful” after his support during the 2020 campaign.
……….
Tesla shares are down about 30% this year but still well above where they were trading before Trump’s election. Tesla is back below the $1 trillion market cap for the first time in weeks. It hit a record market cap of $1.5 trillion in December—nearly double its value on election day.

Tesla’s shares are down about 14% now.

Rip Murdock (27f597) — 6/5/2025 @ 12:39 pm

Kinda wondering when elongated muskrat OD’s on K? sH has this buddy that can help him with this problem, just have to do a wee bit of treason.

Colonel Klink (ret) (9dbb75) — 6/5/2025 @ 12:50 pm

Rip Murdock (27f597) — 6/5/2025 @ 12:39 pm

More bad investor news for Tesla

Tesla investors are taking cover in the options market. The put-call ratio for Tesla options jumped to its highest level since late April, according to Cboe Global Markets. That indicates investors are flocking to bearish put options that would pay out if the stock falls, rather than bullish calls.
…………

Rip Murdock (27f597) — 6/5/2025 @ 1:00 pm

Musk is no fiscal conservative, and he doesn’t even cosplay one very convincingly.

Dave (051b5e) — 6/5/2025 @ 1:00 pm

https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1930703865801810022

Time to drop the really big bomb:
@realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public.

Have a nice day, DJT!

Popcorn time!

BuDuh (91cb3a) — 6/5/2025 @ 1:00 pm

”I was always surprised that Biden didn’t do it!”

The fact that canceling government contracts in retaliation for protected political speech is flagrantly illegal might have had something to do with it.

Dave (051b5e) — 6/5/2025 @ 1:08 pm

>Interesting, aphrael. Tell me, what path do most Democrats prefer?

Raise taxes to the level which pays for the programs the Democrats want.

aphrael (7c47ea) — 6/5/2025 @ 1:25 pm

@realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public.

He can’t possibly be so naive as to think a sex scandal would damage Trump.

Dave (fc8ec1) — 6/5/2025 @ 1:33 pm

How does Musk know what is in the Epstein files?

nk (bb1548) — 6/5/2025 @ 1:47 pm

Heh.

The Unexpected UPSIDE of the Trump-Musk Feud: The Dems Just Lost Their Only Talking Point

And in Wisconsin, they finally found it:

In Wisconsin, Democrats think they may have figured out a playbook that will help them as they gear up for the midterms. They sought to use Musk’s influence against him, framing the race as yet another example of the world’s richest man — a “special government employee” often by Trump’s side — wielding undue influence over the country.

Musk’s approval ratings consistently lag behind Trump’s, and the president has repeatedly had to defend his senior adviser as Democratic messaging has coalesced around criticism of Musk as an unelected “oligarch.”

“He’s becoming electoral poison,” said Evan Roth Smith, a Democratic pollster. “The Democratic Party is going to make Elon a central issue in its messaging, as it should, and Democrats are getting better at focusing on what matters to voters, which is the threat he poses to entitlements.” [emphasis added]

Thus, they pivoted. They went from vilifying Trump to vilifying Musk:

Throughout the campaign, Democrats strategically positioned Musk as the primary antagonist, framing his substantial financial contributions as an attempt to “buy” the election. Judge Crawford and her supporters emphasized this narrative in their messaging, portraying Musk’s involvement as an unprecedented assault on democracy.

In her victory speech, Crawford declared, “Today, Wisconsin defended against an unprecedented attack on our democracy, our equitable elections, and our Supreme Court. Wisconsin has firmly declared that justice cannot be bought; our courts are not for sale.” This rhetoric resonated with voters who were wary of corporate interference in judicial matters and galvanized Democratic turnout. [emphasis added]

And it worked! It was such an effective rallying cry, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Democratic presidential frontrunner Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) built an entire “Fighting Oligarchy” tour around it.

That was the Democrats’ big takeaway: It’s easier to run against Musk than Trump.

But if Trump is ALSO fighting against Musk, who, then, is really fighting the oligarchy?

Furthermore, if the face of the evil, awful oligarchy — i.e. the world’s richest man — hates the Big Beautfiul Bill this much, does that mean Democrats should support it?

All at once, their “Fighting Oligarchy” talking point became a muddled, incomprehensible mess.

I’m still hopeful that Trump and Musk will find a way to mend fences. But even if they don’t, it’s not all storm clouds: Weirdly enough, it might actually hurt the Democrats more than Republicans.

And that’s the story behind the story.

whembly (62f634) — 6/5/2025 @ 1:49 pm

Musk should hope that Trump pulls contracts from his company. The punitive damages will be awesome. He should file suit over the threats.

I want to see what happens to NASA if they stop using SpaceX. Probably have to change their name back to NACA.

Kevin M (a9545f) — 6/5/2025 @ 1:49 pm

Musk today:

Billionaire Elon Musk seemed to suggest support of a third political party as he escalated a growing fight with President Trump that boiled over Thursday.

“Is it time to create a new political party in America that actually represents the 80% in the middle,” Musk wrote in a post on social platform X to his more than 200 million followers on the site, which he owns.

Kevin M (a9545f) — 6/5/2025 @ 1:51 pm

You all do know, right, that Ghislaine Maxwell is legacy Mossad, through her father Robert Maxwell an unsung hero of modern Israel?

Epstein may have only been getting his jollies, but she could not help but get kompromat on all his prominent co-degenerates.

nk (bb1548) — 6/5/2025 @ 1:56 pm

Why do you hate America?

I don’t. I just hate rent-seeking tariff clients who build a lot of trash. For every F-150 there’s a Chevy Spark.

Do you favor Trump’s protectionism? Do you think it will lead to better cars?

Kevin M (a9545f) — 6/5/2025 @ 1:56 pm

Although, Dave, I’m gonna bet your preference is not “American cars” but UAW-built cars.

Kevin M (a9545f) — 6/5/2025 @ 1:58 pm

This Trump v. Musk tiff seems very… I dunno… tame?

Trump is usually way more bellicose than this when people attacks him.

whembly (62f634) — 6/5/2025 @ 2:07 pm

“The fact that canceling government contracts in retaliation for protected political speech is flagrantly illegal might have had something to do with it.”

If Trump cuts off Elon’s subsidies, I’ll vote for his third term.

Davethulhu (468890) — 6/5/2025 @ 2:09 pm

@40

“The fact that canceling government contracts in retaliation for protected political speech is flagrantly illegal might have had something to do with it.”

If Trump cuts off Elon’s subsidies, I’ll vote for his third term.

Davethulhu (468890) — 6/5/2025 @ 2:09 pm

I’m pretty sure the house bill does just that.

I seriously doubt it survives the Senate’s markups though.

whembly (62f634) — 6/5/2025 @ 2:14 pm

Yoicks.
You go away a few hours for a nice workout, steam sauna and hot tub, and come back to find the Internet blew up.

My guess last year was that Putin had the Epstein goods on Trump, which could explain Trump’s supine position toward the little Russian thug.

Paul Montagu (7eb32e) — 6/5/2025 @ 2:20 pm

Suppose you were a billionaire, and wanted Melania to rat out the Donald. What would you do?

My thought: Give her millions of dollars so she would have the freedom to do the right thing.

Jim Miller (29689b) — 6/5/2025 @ 3:10 pm

The last serious connection Epstein had with Trump was that when Jeffrey Epstein tried to recruit the daughter (who had just turned 18) of a Mar-a-Lago member to work a masseur for him, the manager barred him from the premises and he was backed up by Donald Trump.

Sammy Finkelman (e4ef09) — 6/5/2025 @ 3:27 pm

So because sH stopped going to child sex parties, he’s a good guy?

Just another evil thing on the Mt Everest sized mound of evil, stupid, or both.

Colonel Klink (ret) (9dbb75) — 6/5/2025 @ 3:50 pm

Although, Dave, I’m gonna bet your preference is not “American cars” but UAW-built cars.

Actually, given where I grew up, and when, it’s “Detroit-built cars”.

My protectionist streak only extends as far as not buying or driving foreign-make cars. It was sort of conditioned into me as an impressionable kid in the 70’s. My mom’s parents only drove Oldsmobiles – Pops drove me to high school in his Delta 88 every morning, and picked me up in the afternoons (I had a scholarship to a private suburban school so it was a long commute from home). My mom drove an AMC Rambler for most of my childhood. And my uncle had an office job working for Ford his whole career.

Back then, it wasn’t Teslas getting vandalized, it was sh!tbox Toyotas. The Big Three made employee-driven foreign cars park on the far edges of the lots, and security wasn’t real vigilant out there, if you get my drift.

With my callow understanding of economics at the time, I just rooted for the home team. To this day, I despise Toyotas, and when I see one on the road, I’ll usually curse at it. They offend my sight. Why would anyone drive something so #@$%!^& ugly?

Dave (3a0691) — 6/5/2025 @ 4:18 pm

6/3/2025

‘The Breakup’

45 Responses to “‘The Breakup’”

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