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Chris J. Karr's avatar

Migraine it is.

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Cameron Sprow's avatar

I am a #nevertrumper, but i do admire his attempt to downsize the Federal Government. The problem, though, will always be Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. Until, and unless, Congress gets it's act together and becomes willing to eliminate those 3 unconstitutional programs, we will continue down this road of fiscal insolvency until total disaster strikes, i.e., hyperinflation or massive depression.

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SGman's avatar

SCOTUS upheld Social Security's constitutionality; I am unable to find that Medicare/Medicaid have ever been challenged in court though I think those fall under the ability of Congress to write laws creating new agencies and funding them via taxes.

So since that portion is not likely accurate - focus on realistic changes to them.

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Cameron Sprow's avatar

They ARE unconstitutional no matter the SCOTUS interpretation, but setting that aside, Congress possesses neither the backbone, nor the intellectual honesty it would take to get anything done with these programs which might help our economic plight.

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SGman's avatar

That is definitely not how the constitution works re these programs. You'll have to actually persuade people on their reform or removal.

For example, reform ideas as part of a wider focus on the debt: https://manhattan.institute/article/a-comprehensive-federal-budget-plan-to-avert-a-debt-crisis-2024

Or specific to Medicaid: https://nypost.com/2025/02/28/opinion/yes-we-have-to-cut-medicaid-its-grown-out-of-control/

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SGman's avatar

That's perhaps the bigger issue with DOGE and the way things are being done: removal of federal government employees is basically just removing oversight of contractors and distribution of funds to state/local agencies without removing the actual programs themselves. This means things will just work really inefficiently and poorly: that is likely one goal (because making government worse allows for attacking government for working poorly), besides the ideological purge.

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Curtis Stinespring's avatar

A lot worth thinking about. I do not believe Trump expects to win every battle, but he does intend to show that things don't have to be the way they are now. If the ponderous Federal Government were perfect, we would not need Congress and an Executive branch. We would just need a sheriff. Significant change in less than four years will necessarily be chaotic.

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