By Michael Woyton
Now that both the Senate and the House have passed President Donald J. Felon’s gift to the ultra wealthy budget, more details are emerging.
It is increasingly clearer that “the burden for health care, food assistance and other programs” that states depend on will be shifted onto them — if they still want their constituents to have them, reporting in the New York Times said.
One economist explained that states basically have three options to deal with the federal spending package.
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Investments in health and food assistance affected by the new law can be scaled back, insuring that people will have to do without. Money could be shuffled from other state resources to keep health insurance, cutting, say, education or law enforcement. Or there could be tax increases on the state level.
It has been estimated that the budget contains nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts by 2034 and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program has been sharply curtailed.
Long story short: If the grifter-in-chief and his toadies in Congress don’t want to pay for something you need, it’s going to have to come out of your pocket one way or another.
All this needs to be kept in mind as the 2026 midterms get closer and closer.
The link to the full New York Times article is free.
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I’m sure those of you who have had any dealings with the Social Security Administration received the email Thursday with the headline “Social Security Applauds Passage of Legislation Providing Historic Tax Relief for Seniors.”
Usually emails from the SSA are utilitarian and provide basic information, like how to contact them, what their hours are, what changes to compensation might be coming up, etc.
But this one, man, it was totally kissing the ass of the golfer-in-chief and, not surprising, was totally a lie.
“The Social Security Administration has sent a misleading email to beneficiaries stating that President Donald Trump’s sweeping tax cuts and spending law eliminates taxes on Social Security benefits for most recipients,” NBC reported.
The budget does extend expiring tax cuts enacted in 2017 and creates a temporary tax deductions for tips and overtime earnings.
However, NBC explains, it does not totally eliminate federal taxes on Social Security.
There is a temporary tax deduction of up to $6,000 for seniors 65 and older or $12,000 for married seniors. Availability is limited based on adjusted gross incomes.
Remember that word “temporary.” The deduction will expire at the end of 2028.
The Center for American Progress said eliminating taxes on Social Security in the bill was “impossible” because there’s a congressional restriction that limits what can be included in a reconciliation bill in the Senate.
So is it any surprise that this administration is lying about how wonderful the most unpopular piece of legislation will be for the American public?
This, too, needs to be kept in mind as we get closer to the midterms in 2026.
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Lead art by Michael Woyton
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