Susan Collins won’t say what she thinks about the bill so we can count on her as a yes.

Here’s the thing though. It’s a terrible bill and will especially hurt rural Americans in red states. But this is what they voted for and there is a GOP majority in all branches. So it may be the quickest (albeit painful) way to get past the shibboleth that the GOP is fiscally responsible and that MAGA is the party of middle America.

This tracker from punchbowl is hilarious. Different categories of Big Mad Republicans in house and senate. Nearly all will fold and vote for this turd.

https://share.hsforms.com/1TplTLBV9TEOcD5slEPoeBQbmwiy

I’m happy they can’t sell federal lands in this bill

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:GOP behind closed doors are not happy with 1) the repeal of the ITC for solar and other tax credits and 2) the impact on medicare/medicaid, which Thune has called unacceptable.

Ooohh behind closed doors they are unhappy.

Meanwhile they’ll all march like lemmings off a cliff

+1 Trump Wants a big beautiful bill by July 4th with largest increase in debt limit ever and that’s what “fiscally responsible” Republicans will deliver to him

Anonymous wrote:GOP behind closed doors are not happy with 1) the repeal of the ITC for solar and other tax credits and 2) the impact on medicare/medicaid, which Thune has called unacceptable.

I was hopeful with Thune for a brief minute, but he's proven to be Trump's lapdog over and over again. Thune and Speaker Johnson are pathetic. I see little hope for congressional and senate Republicans. Careerist losers.

Anonymous wrote:GOP behind closed doors are not happy with 1) the repeal of the ITC for solar and other tax credits and 2) the impact on medicare/medicaid, which Thune has called unacceptable.

Ooohh behind closed doors they are unhappy.

Meanwhile they’ll all march like lemmings off a cliff

GOP behind closed doors are not happy with 1) the repeal of the ITC for solar and other tax credits and 2) the impact on medicare/medicaid, which Thune has called unacceptable.

This thing is an abomination— it’s explodes the deficit— probably 100-1000x more debt than we saw in “savings” from DOGE and what do we get for that deficit? Tax breaks for the very rich and cuts in services for everyone else.

No wonder this is the most unpopular big bill ever

Anonymous wrote:Are they still trying to Pass the Big Middle Class Tax Bill?

Magic 8 Ball says Future unclear, ask again later.

Are they still trying to Pass the Big Middle Class Tax Bill?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Budget bill proposes $17 billion in cuts to medical services for veterans, Trump’s VA Secretary is trying to hide that with utter incompetence.

\

There's the budget FY21 - FY25:

https://www.usaspending.gov/agency/department-of-veterans-affairs?fy=2025

$306 Billion in 2021
$460 Billion in 2025

So the VA budget increased 50% in four years.

You may have heard that two wars ended in 2020 and 2021 so there were a lot more veterans to take care of?

Oh, because they weren't being taken care of in theater, but now they are suddenly?

Stop.

On what planet do budgets rise 50% in four years? Maybe one where there are no cost controls.

And of course, if anyone tries to rein in anything spending related, they're evil and people are gonna die.

Congress passed the PACT act in 2022. Huge new entitlement for all veterans and the bill specifically created the Toxic Exposure Fund.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Budget bill proposes $17 billion in cuts to medical services for veterans, Trump’s VA Secretary is trying to hide that with utter incompetence.

\

There's the budget FY21 - FY25:

https://www.usaspending.gov/agency/department-of-veterans-affairs?fy=2025

$306 Billion in 2021
$460 Billion in 2025

So the VA budget increased 50% in four years.

You may have heard that two wars ended in 2020 and 2021 so there were a lot more veterans to take care of?

Oh, because they weren't being taken care of in theater, but now they are suddenly?

Stop.

On what planet do budgets rise 50% in four years? Maybe one where there are no cost controls.

And of course, if anyone tries to rein in anything spending related, they're evil and people are gonna die.

They’re not veterans when they’re in theater.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Budget bill proposes $17 billion in cuts to medical services for veterans, Trump’s VA Secretary is trying to hide that with utter incompetence.

\

There's the budget FY21 - FY25:

https://www.usaspending.gov/agency/department-of-veterans-affairs?fy=2025

$306 Billion in 2021
$460 Billion in 2025

So the VA budget increased 50% in four years.

You may have heard that two wars ended in 2020 and 2021 so there were a lot more veterans to take care of?

Oh, because they weren't being taken care of in theater, but now they are suddenly?

Stop.

On what planet do budgets rise 50% in four years? Maybe one where there are no cost controls.

And of course, if anyone tries to rein in anything spending related, they're evil and people are gonna die.

The point is that Collins was unable to explain what medical care would be cut with the $17 billion. Maybe PAs can provide the services at lower costs or maybe there’s some other efficiency that the VA has identified. Unfortunately Collins had absolutely no idea what would be cut. Zero. That’s the problem.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Budget bill proposes $17 billion in cuts to medical services for veterans, Trump’s VA Secretary is trying to hide that with utter incompetence.

\

There's the budget FY21 - FY25:

https://www.usaspending.gov/agency/department-of-veterans-affairs?fy=2025

$306 Billion in 2021
$460 Billion in 2025

So the VA budget increased 50% in four years.

You may have heard that two wars ended in 2020 and 2021 so there were a lot more veterans to take care of?

Oh, because they weren't being taken care of in theater, but now they are suddenly?

Stop.

On what planet do budgets rise 50% in four years? Maybe one where there are no cost controls.

And of course, if anyone tries to rein in anything spending related, they're evil and people are gonna die.

DP. When people say wars are expensive, this is one of the biggest costs that they are referring to. Politicians know this. Trump doesn't. Musk doesn't. But they are wrong.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Budget bill proposes $17 billion in cuts to medical services for veterans, Trump’s VA Secretary is trying to hide that with utter incompetence.

\

There's the budget FY21 - FY25:

https://www.usaspending.gov/agency/department-of-veterans-affairs?fy=2025

$306 Billion in 2021
$460 Billion in 2025

So the VA budget increased 50% in four years.

You may have heard that two wars ended in 2020 and 2021 so there were a lot more veterans to take care of?

Oh, because they weren't being taken care of in theater, but now they are suddenly?

Stop.

On what planet do budgets rise 50% in four years? Maybe one where there are no cost controls.

And of course, if anyone tries to rein in anything spending related, they're evil and people are gonna die.