quote:

Originally posted by chellim1:
As for Trump's threat about "no more rocket launches, satellites" — referring to Musk's company SpaceX — good luck following through on that. SpaceX is the reason the U.S. is leading the global space race.

I’d like this Trump/Musk soap opera to go away. Both of them just need to shut up and do their jobs.

Musk, primarily, needs to stop with his childish behavior and his BS about starting a third party. The man (and his money) has entirely too much power. He’s no different that Soros, Zuckerfuck, Bezos, and Gates. None of them should have any more effect on our governance than you or I do. Yet each of them influences our nation to an unimaginable extent. That has to stop. Somehow.

This bill shows that nothing will ever change in DC. More trillion dollar deficits as far as the eye can see. No serious attempt to rein in spending. There is absolutely zero reason why pre Covid-era spending levels shouldn't be restored (inflation adjusted if necessary). Yes there are some good things in the bill, but it proves once and for all that spending in DC will never go down. There was a real movement and a real moment with Trump's election to change things, but even he can't get it done (not that she showed any real desire to make big cuts).

All in all, it's a sad day that this is the best we can get.

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:
Musk, primarily, needs to stop with his childish behavior and his BS about starting a third party.

quote:

Originally posted by ChicagoSigMan:
This bill shows that nothing will ever change in DC.

And here we have why Musk won't shut up about a third party. Let's speak frankly: Trump is not a Republican. Not in the modern sense, anyway. He simply ran with the party more aligned with his values, the party more likely to cooperate with, and enact his agenda. Trump is a third party candidate, but given our political system, nothing gets done unless you're aligned with one party or the other.

I said it earlier in the thread and I'll say it again: I am utterly disgusted with the Republican brand. Like the Democrats and their abortion bullshit, Republicans pretend to care about the 2A and cutting spending unless and until it comes to actually making any real changes. When they have the horsepower to get things done, they won't, and when they don't have the horsepower, they panic and fear porn us into giving them campaign contributions to put them back into office where they again get nothing done.

Professional. Losers.

So tell me exactly why we don't need, or even shouldn't have a third party? Neither one represents or cares to actually fight for my values. Not really. Not when they have the political capital to get it done and when it really matters. So why should I continue to vote Republican? And the typical smarmy shit where nothing should have to be explained to me because I'm too stupid to get it courtesy of the standard "because the other lizard will get into power if I don't" stuff, at some point, just doesn't cut it anymore. Our system is fucked, it needs change. What is to be that change if neither of the two parties aren't afraid of actually, really losing? They have viciously fought against every real or perceived thread to the change in the balance of power this century, starting with the TEA party, then the Libertarian party, and then Trump, who I see as the spiritual successor to those movements who saw the need to try to change one side or the other from within.

Now, is this the time to talk about a third party if you're Elon Musk? I think not. I think his timing sucks. Maybe all the rabble-rousing will place some needed pressure on these clowns to deliver a less fucked up version of the bill to the president's desk, but maybe it has the opposite effect because they're all a bunch of petulant children. I don't know. I want to see more of Trump's agenda enacted, I want to see him get more work done before we all start having serious big talks about a third party, but make no mistake, that's a discussion I think we really ought to have. We have a uniparty at worst, and at best, two parties that are just professional paid opposition. It's farcical.

quote:

So tell me exactly why we don't need, or even shouldn't have a third party? Neither one represents or cares to actually fight for my values. Not really. Not when they have the political capital to get it done and when it really matters.

Other parties, often generally termed “third parties”, in the U.S. include The Green Party, Libertarians, Constitution Party and Natural Law Party.

It's just that it's easier to win if you are aligned with a "major" party.

Trump had enough money, and enough fame and ability to command "free media" that he was able to win the 2016 Republican primary and "take over" the Republican Party.

Musk has enough money, and enough fame and ability to command "free media" that he would be able to "take over" the Libertarian Party which is the most established and largest “third party". Or, he could start a new one.

quote:

I don’t work for the Senate parliamentarian. I work for the PEOPLE.

That’s why I just filed an amendment to delete their dud and replace it with the strong House bill we passed weeks ago.

The Senate’s version of the Big Beautiful Bill guts key Trump provisions—all at the behest of an unelected parliamentarian.

I can't disagree with that...

I'm kind of hoping they don't just rubber-stamp the Senate.

I hope it doesn’t pass. It’s business as usual.

Tax cuts are not "business as usual".

I want it to pass and it will pass.

I agree. Lets move on a get more business done for America. And those that want to join us.

BBB is the means to the MAGA end. It's a transformation bill. Sure it may not have everything we wanted but it is far better than what we have.

If we are honest with ourselves, Congress is the worst functioning part of our federal gov. This is the transition. This bill really sets the path of what we need Congress to do.

Trump made the VP seat, with Vance, a functional working position, not some lame place holder.

BBB is going to do the same with Congress. And he has 3.5 years to fundamentally change the Legislative Branch and I believe he will.

Have faith and hold the line.

A link to email your senators and rep all at once through the FPC widget.

https://www.firearmspolicy.org...ick-widget-container

quote:

https://x.com/Rep_Clyde/status/1940125710640943546

Like most folks here, I admire Musk enormously for what he has accomplished. No normal person could have done it. But the brilliance that made Tesla, SpaceX, The Boring Company, Starlink, Neuralink (what have I forgotten) possible is also responsible, I think, for a black and white view of the political world. It overlaps a lot with Trump's views, but not completely. Trump by nature is a realist and has great intuition for what can be done and what is not possible--at this time. I think Elon lacks that kind of intuitive understanding of politics. As someone on X wrote today, I'll just pretend this feud between two of my favorite people in public life is not happening.

Meanwhile Rep. Thomas Massie says he has the votes to block it...

President Trump, meanwhile, met with holdouts at the White House as Democrats and Republicans argued over the merits of the bill on the House floor.

At the end of the day, Johnson has little room for maneuvering - as any changes to the bill would send it back to the Senate for further deliberation that could drag on for weeks.

Members of the House Freedom Caucus are livid over measures added to the Senate that increases costs.

"The Senate doesn’t get to be the final say on everything. We’ve got to work this out," said Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) Wednesday morning, adding that there are enough Republicans "right now" who wanted to reopen the bill and don't care about the July 4 recess deadline.

More moderate Republicans objected to Medicaid cuts approved by the Senate that went deeper than the House's May iteration.

https://www.zerohedge.com/poli...lvage-trump-tax-bill

WTF?

https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/1940594876175032640

The Democrats are stalling...

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), however, decided to throw a massive tantrum that's been going on for more than five hours in what's known as the "magic minute," a privilege for party leaders in the chamber that allows them to speak for as long as they want. According to Fox News, Jeffries was seen arriving with multiple binders - one of which he read from for around three hours. If the rest of the binders also contain portions of his speech, we could be waiting for a while.

https://x.com/tpbreaking/statu...er-gop-votes-advance



Hakeem Jeffries is warning that a "deportation machine will be unleashed on steroids" if Trump's Big, Beautiful Bill passes.

Tempt us with a good time?

https://www.zerohedge.com/poli...er-gop-votes-advance

Yeah, Dollar Store Obama thinks he's a hero, but in the end, his bullshit will amount to nothing.

Ha! Even a Dollar Store Obama would be better quality than Jeffries. He's more like Temu Obama.

Lets fire that machine up!

These people and their horseshit. They cannot take themselves seriously. Just a dog and pony show for their people.

Voting now Dollar Store just shut up, 217-2-1


Update= 218 for the Bill passes just like DJT wanted before the 4th...