The BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL - PASSED THE HOUSE

[LumRaiderFan]

57 minutes ago, baddog said:

Like crude oil

lol, yep.

Funny how the stock market, social security and whatever else you want to name is being destroyed by the Trump administration.

And when these false prophesies don’t come to pass, they continue with the predictions like no one noticed.

[OlDawg]

Not a fan of omnibus Bills. I think they’re a cop out by Congress and always lead to pork. That said, I wanted the tax cuts to stay & reduce spending to pay for them.

Reps are gonna have a hard time explaining because taxes never went up again from the 2017 cuts. People won’t notice a big change except for—possibly—medical. Dems & media will have a field day with that. Grandma will be dying daily.

[Boyz N Da Hood]

C'mon midterms! GRIDLOCK

[CardinalBacker]

It’s math. We had massive tax cuts in 2017, then the debt exploded. 

But since it had the opposite effect last time (increased debt, NOT economic growth that would solve the debt problem), the solution is to keep those cuts in place, and cut even more?

 

It’s like giving my first wife a credit card. 
 

At some point we’ve got to realize that we simply aren’t paying enough in taxes to pay for all of the things that we want. So you’re going to have to decide whether to go up on taxes or give up your freebies. 
 

You know what’s funny? Nobody ever says “I receive this benefit… I think we can prune that program back.”  It’s always “we need to make our cuts over THERE… that program from which I receive no benefit.”

That’s my question for you all… what program that you support (or from which you receive, or have received a benefit) do you feel could sustain budget cuts?

[5GallonBucket]

10 minutes ago, CardinalBacker said:

It’s math. We had massive tax cuts in 2017, then the debt exploded. 

But since it had the opposite effect last time (increased debt, NOT economic growth that would solve the debt problem), the solution is to keep those cuts in place, and cut even more?

 

It’s like giving my first wife a credit card. 
 

At some point we’ve got to realize that we simply aren’t paying enough in taxes to pay for all of the things that we want. So you’re going to have to decide whether to go up on taxes or give up your freebies. 
 

You know what’s funny? Nobody ever says “I receive this benefit… I think we can prune that program back.”  It’s always “we need to make our cuts over THERE… that program from which I receive no benefit.”

That’s my question for you all… what program that you support (or from which you receive, or have received a benefit) do you feel could sustain budget cuts?

I have 5 kids….i ve never understood the child tax credit….my kids my responsibility.

 

[AggiesAreWe]

9 minutes ago, 5GallonBucket said:

I have 5 kids….i ve never understood the child tax credit….my kids my responsibility.

 

THIS!!!!!

[thetragichippy]

24 minutes ago, 5GallonBucket said:

I have 5 kids….i ve never understood the child tax credit….my kids my responsibility.

 

As part of my divorce, I fought and received joint custody of my Son. The legal arrangement was a week at my house, a week at hers. My agreement I made to my Son was he could stay as long or as short as he wanted at my house.  At 16 he decided he wanted to live with me. I let her take the tax credit all 17 years.....like you said, my kid, my responsibility. 

[tvc184]

 

[OlDawg]

On 7/7/2025 at 10:08 AM, thetragichippy said:

As part of my divorce, I fought and received joint custody of my Son. The legal arrangement was a week at my house, a week at hers. My agreement I made to my Son was he could stay as long or as short as he wanted at my house.  At 16 he decided he wanted to live with me. I let her take the tax credit all 17 years.....like you said, my kid, my responsibility. 

Sound so similar to me. My ex decided she liked someone else better, left me with my son (6 months old at the time), then wanted full custody. I fought and received managing conservator & joint. We split time. But, I took care of all his schooling, etc. As part of the settlement, I let her claim him even though I paid for everything & she had him during the summers & all the fun times while I put him through school and all the work. I guess I didn't screw him up too bad. We have a super DIL, 3 beautiful grandkids, and they've been married going on 13 years.

My wife could probably get disability and other benefits now. But, we are doing okay and others have greater financial need. We take advantage of using the handicap placard--when there's a spot open which is rare--and assistance with ACA premiums. But, we still pay into the system even though we're living on personal savings.

[thetragichippy]

48 minutes ago, OlDawg said:

Sound so similar to me. My ex decided she liked someone else better, left me with my son (6 months old at the time), then wanted full custody. I fought and received managing conservator & joint. We split time. But, I took care of all his schooling, etc. As part of the settlement, I let her claim him even though I paid for everything & she had him during the summers & all the fun times while I put him through school and all the work. I guess I didn't screw him up too bad. We have a super DIL, 3 beautiful grandkids, and they've been married going on 13 years.

My wife could probably get disability and other benefits now. But, we are doing okay and others have greater financial need. We take advantage of using the handicap placard--when there's a spot open which is rare--and assistance with ACA premiums. But, we still pay into the system even though we're living on personal savings.

You are a good man.  Child support system in Texas needs revising. Men get the short end of the stick in most cases. Some men deserve it if they abandon their kids, but for us that are there, it needs to be MUCH fairer. 

[DCT]

On 7/5/2025 at 5:50 PM, Reagan said:

I doubt the Parliamentarian is constitutional.  We need answers on this!

Do you think it was a good idea to get rid of FEMA?

[baddog]

5 minutes ago, DCT said:

Do you think it was a good idea to get rid of FEMA?

Well, he hasn’t gotten rid of it yet. 
 

President Trump has stated his intention to 

phase out or significantly reduce the role of FEMA, but he has not eliminated it. 

Here's a summary based on recent reports:

• Trump's stated intentions: President Trump expressed a desire to reduce the federal government's role in disaster response and shift responsibility to the states. He mentioned potentially phasing out FEMA after the 2025 hurricane season.
• Actions taken: The Trump administration took steps that some argue diminished FEMA's capacity, such as layoffs of experienced staff and cuts or freezes to certain programs. According to NRDC, these actions included slashing staff, freezing funding for local risk reduction projects, and refusing to enforce legally adopted standards for resilient recovery efforts. The FEMA Review Council, co-chaired by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, is expected to recommend further changes.
• Challenges and Concerns: Critics, including former FEMA officials, warn that significantly reducing or eliminating FEMA could leave states unprepared for major disasters, as many states lack the resources to handle such events independently. LiveNOW from FOX notes that some states have already experienced delays in receiving FEMA assistance following severe weather.
• FEMA's current status: As of July 8, 2025, FEMA remains an active federal agency within the Department of Homeland Security. It continues to respond to disasters and provide assistance across the country. 

Note: Eliminating FEMA entirely would require congressional action. 

[DCT]

26 minutes ago, baddog said:

Well, he hasn’t gotten rid of it yet. 
 

 

President Trump has stated his intention to 

phase out or significantly reduce the role of FEMA, but he has not eliminated it. 

Here's a summary based on recent reports:

• Trump's stated intentions: President Trump expressed a desire to reduce the federal government's role in disaster response and shift responsibility to the states. He mentioned potentially phasing out FEMA after the 2025 hurricane season.
• Actions taken: The Trump administration took steps that some argue diminished FEMA's capacity, such as layoffs of experienced staff and cuts or freezes to certain programs. According to NRDC, these actions included slashing staff, freezing funding for local risk reduction projects, and refusing to enforce legally adopted standards for resilient recovery efforts. The FEMA Review Council, co-chaired by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, is expected to recommend further changes.
• Challenges and Concerns: Critics, including former FEMA officials, warn that significantly reducing or eliminating FEMA could leave states unprepared for major disasters, as many states lack the resources to handle such events independently. LiveNOW from FOX notes that some states have already experienced delays in receiving FEMA assistance following severe weather.
• FEMA's current status: As of July 8, 2025, FEMA remains an active federal agency within the Department of Homeland Security. It continues to respond to disasters and provide assistance across the country. 

Note: Eliminating FEMA entirely would require congressional action. 

Is FEMA set up in Texas along with Red Cross?

[baddog]

8 minutes ago, DCT said:

Is FEMA set up in Texas along with Red Cross?

This is what I could find. Notice there are no exemptions for political affiliations.

Yes, Texas does have FEMA. 

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 is the agency that provides disaster assistance to states, and Texas has been declared a disaster area for severe storms, straight-line winds, and flooding, making FEMA assistance available 

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. Specifically, FEMA is providing assistance to Texas for the severe storms, straight-line winds, and flooding that began on July 2, 2025. 

 

FEMA's role in Texas includes:

• Supplementing recovery efforts:

  FEMA provides federal disaster assistance to help Texas recover from the recent severe weather. 

   
• Operating Disaster Recovery Centers:

  FEMA, along with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the State of Texas, is opening Disaster Recovery Centers to offer face-to-face help to residents. 

   
• Providing Individual Assistance:

  FEMA's Individual Assistance program provides financial assistance to individuals and households for losses not covered by insurance, 

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• Supporting Public Assistance:

  FEMA also provides funding to state and local governments, as well as eligible private non-profit organizations, for emergency work and the repair or replacement of damaged facilities. 

[OlDawg]

9 hours ago, thetragichippy said:

You are a good man.  Child support system in Texas needs revising. Men get the short end of the stick in most cases. Some men deserve it if they abandon their kids, but for us that are there, it needs to be MUCH fairer. 

Just felt I could raise him better, in a more stable environment, and that he shouldn’t have to suffer because she decided she wanted out of our marriage. If we’d had a girl, I probably would have supported all I could—but not pursued managing custody. I would have felt she could’ve connected better with a daughter.

Of course, she’s been through 3 husbands since. So, a daughter wouldn’t have had it great either I guess. Meanwhile, I’ve been married to my sweetheart, and lived in the same house, for 35 years.

It took a lot for a man to get custody back in the ‘80’s in Texas. I was in and out of court for 5 years. Spent just about every dime I had because she kept accusing me of all kinds of stuff. You know the drill. As a man in a custody battle—guilty until proven innocent.

[CardinalBacker]

31 minutes ago, OlDawg said:

Just felt I could raise him better, in a more stable environment, and that he shouldn’t have to suffer because she decided she wanted out of our marriage. If we’d had a girl, I probably would have supported all I could—but not pursued managing custody. I would have felt she could’ve connected better with a daughter.

Of course, she’s been through 3 husbands since. So, a daughter wouldn’t have had it great either I guess. Meanwhile, I’ve been married to my sweetheart, and lived in the same house, for 35 years.

It took a lot for a man to get custody back in the ‘80’s in Texas. I was in and out of court for 5 years. Spent just about every dime I had because she kept accusing me of all kinds of stuff. You know the drill. As a man in a custody battle—guilty until proven innocent.

My son came to live with me when he was two years old. His mom was supposed to pay $126/month…. Supposed to, lol. 

 

 

[baddog]

10 minutes ago, CardinalBacker said:

My son came to live with me when he was two years old. His mom was supposed to pay $126/month…. Supposed to, lol. 

 

 

I guess I’m blessed not to have dealt with divorce and with kids involved. I would probably be in jail. I know lots of men who would make the better single parent, but the courts see it differently. I count my blessings.