I am a suspicious person normally, but now I’m wondering if Trump’s advisors who are running this windup monkey, are actually deliberately destroying the middle class so there will be more workers in our fields (somebody’s got to pick those vegs and fruit) and people will be desperate to work for less just to put food on their tables and pay their rent to corporations who have bought up thousands of middle class homes.
We need to take to the streets to fight before we are forced to take to the fields to pick vegetables for huge agricultural conglomerates that have destroyed Americas family farms for the sake of more profits.
Hmmm. Not only workers in the fields but on the killing floors so Americans can consume cows, pigs, chickens, etc. Someone has to decapitate and disembowel those creatures.
Suggested Edit - "and pay their rent to corporations who have bought up thousands of middle class homes" and keep jacking up the prices every couple of years.
I’d say yes. The same for carving away at child labor laws. Pushing women to have children. (Now they are resorting to bribery as though women don’t realize $1000-$5000 isn’t enough to cover costs of a child, tariffs and more taxes.)
Yes, they are. It's part of the "serf" class in the techno-feudal Christian nationalist society they envision. Where the majority are unhealthy and poor but plentiful; figurehead King Trump and his nobles (the oligarchs) running things with a professional class to handle medical and other things.
So true, but I fear that it will also take a plague to make the lords and masters have to give up some power only because most of the workers die because of no affordable healthcare, affordable housing…
Exactly! And when people live in precarity, the physical and emotional trauma will make them (us) easier to control, less likely to rise up in protest. Jodi nailed it: “NeoFeudalism”We should really be using this term - as well as “fascism” to describe the regime” (not “administration” as that implies a normal presidency) and “kidnapping” (instead of “deportation” which implies normalized procedure). Language is everything: it creates/solidifies concepts. Judd, your reporting is extremely depressing but we need to hear it because it’s our new reality. Thank you for your dedication and bravery in providing us with actual journalism!
You know or rather you can't know how much what you said pissed me off because it's so GD true! There are people I know who give me the most pitying look when I say something like what you just said (actually wrote but you get it).
EVERYONE living in a place with a Republican in Congress needs to call their Senators and Representatives and tell them they will lose their job if they pass this bill. Tell them vote NO on this bill designed to destroy benefits that we have paid for and are entitled to. CALL NOW. DO NOT WAIT.
It is good to let Dems know you’re watching or thank them. Plus the budget bill is being set up to be a vehicle for things on their wishlist that failed as stand-alone bills.
• One provision they want to hang on this bill would allow the Treasurer to declare any non-profit is aiding terrorism. Then take away their non-profit status.
A bill giving that power to the Treasurer passed the House last year with 15 Dems voting for it. I suspect they didn’t want to be called “pro-terrorists.” Then after the election results the Dems nixed it.
• They are tired of so much losing & want to weaken federal courts: “No court of the United States may use appropriated funds to enforce a contempt citation for failure to comply with an injunction or temporary restraining order if…”
GOP aims at contempt of court in House reconciliation text
Critics say provision would free the Trump administration to ignore court orders
The analyses I have seen by Richardson, Hubbell et al point out that the worst of the cuts will not be felt until 2029—planned that way so the Dems will get the blame—so it is imperative that we get the truth out about this budget plan far and wide, NOW.
This might get discussed more because to get it out of committee they got the so called conservatives to vote “present” — with a promise they’ll get more of what they want.
One thing I read they want is for the work provisions to go into effect sooner — cuts they say aren’t cuts
It's so awful how so many fail to see how that strategy works and fall for it every damn time.
It's much easier and much more emotionally satisfying to "blame the dems" as opposed to really thinking about this or any other issue. Thinking is work and many are "too tired to think" after working all day! Not that that's a reasonable excuse on account of it ain't.
And protect our elections and our right to vote. They are after that, too, and it is our real last chance to get rid of them. Call your Senators and tell them NO SAVE ACT. It saves us from nothing, and takes away the vote from millions of Americans.
The middle class has always been a target of opportunity. As with "middle children", the middle class is perpetually anxious as a class because they want to please their bosses in the upper class while fearing a downward slide to the lower class. I think Trump has capitalized on those fears to weaponize the middle class as voters while at the same time fulfilling their worst fears. Intelligent people can figure this out for themselves, but people who aren't very good at thinking clearly are going to blame the lower class for their woes, including immigrants. It's classic misdirection.
What are the ways that people elected to both parties, and all citizenry can learn exactly how the opposite has occurred from: " Trump directed Republican lawmakers to 'go after the things that are going to help middle-class folks.'" ? As soon as "the people" learn how they are being harmed financially and possibly losing their health care, they will make their voices heard across our country. Thank you for the detailed analysis. Who can be relied upon to articulate these outcomes so that everyone understands them? Elizabeth Warren? We need all those who can speak to those who cannot explain what is happening here.
The Affordable Care Act, SNAP, etc. actually save our society money in the long run because it is always more cost effective to prevent poor health than to deal with the results of not having the health care or the proper nutrition. As for work requirements for Medicaid, all it does is add an expensive layer of bureaucracy while cutting the help available to people who need Medicaid.
Democrats need to synthesize this information into four concise statements, then publicize it widely. It particularly needs to be publicized by the moderate Democrats, since Republicans can too easily dismiss the so-called socialist Democrats, something that our billionaire-supported media enables.
Those services increase the workforce. Not having enough food in the home & not having medical care through Medicaid reduces the number of people available to work, increases the cost of indigent care & without a payor for that care more hospitals (especially in rural areas) will close.
The exploding deficit -- I believe Trump would not have been elected in 2024 if the legacy media had done its job on even this one issue. The Republican hypocrisy on the deficit is enormous. They yammer on and on about reducing the deficit when Republican administrations have consistently overseen greater increases in the debt than Democratic ones. Study after study has found that giving tax cuts to the rich have had little to no economic benefit to the country. But they have consistently exploded the national debt. 25% of the total debt accumulated in the history of this country was added during Trump's first term. None of this was clearly communicated to the American people. The legacy media have enabled our current situation.
I strongly disagree, Jon. The legacy media cover this issue routinely. However, for the media illiterate, who make up the bulk of the MAGA world, the message may as well be in a note inside a bottle thrown into the Gulf Stream. "Clearly communicating to the American people" requires that the American people be "well-informed" as per James Madison's warning about a successful democratic republic. Decidedly, about half of American voters are not well-informed as they swim in a sea of disinformation. To blame the legacy media for this is to shift the blame in exactly the wrong direction. The legacy media, while not without problems, did not bring us Trump2.
Bruce, yes and no. Yes, the legacy media did not bring us Trump2 all on their own. The majority of blame for those doing harm should always fall on those doing the harm. In this case, that is the Republicans primarily. But others can also be responsible to some degree by enabling that harm. Some voters did. Of course, the right-wing media and the disinformation cesspool significantly enabled. But I targeted the legacy media in my comment because I have a slight but ever-dimming hope that they still care about democracy and American values. They may cover this issue routinely, but it is far from thoroughly. As a result, they are enabling autocracy.
You skip over the large growing number of Americans who block out the news. Their ‘sources’ are more likely to be random memes or whatever that show up in their social media feed.
There is a direct correlation between the amount of attention people pay to the news and who they voted for. In addition there are the ones who stay home because they figure no one is going to fix their key issues.
There is a surreal off-world level of revulsion re: "commoners" woven into the deliberately cruel legislation that legalizes willful malevolence courtesy of arrogantly enriched elitists. They literally, like 47, couldn't care less. Beautiful BS (pinch yer nostrils)!!
The second worst thing about this latest Republican outrage after gutting Medicaid so Musk, Bezos and Trump can get a tax cut is that they are delaying the cuts to 2029 so they can avoid the blame. These monsters know that the bill is toxic. They know it will cost them the House and probably the Senate if the voters are seeing the impact so they push it off until the next administration so the next president, likely a Democrat, will take the blame.
The Middle ages was a period of feudalism in which the social structure defined the role of each member of society. Those at the top owned all the land, and all below them were termed vassals, who were allowed to live on the land in exchange for their loyalty. It lasted for 1000 years. The Magna Carta was created when the nobles united and forced the king to grant them rights. The American constitution was created when the vassals in America united to break away from the Nobles and King of Great Britain. In our Constitution titles of nobility are forbidden. The civil war was fought to end division by race. Trump lives by the ideology "divide and conquer", in his case conquer is measured by how much money he can put in his pocket. The king liked feudalism and trump would like to be king and division is the key to feudalism. Trump likes the middle east kingdoms because they are closest to feudalism. The "big beautiful (pitiful) bill" is just a move towards feudalism.
Understanding what is happening in real time is difficult for many people. By using this analogy, more people might have the wool lifted from their eyes. Good job!
As queen of mean billionaire & convicted fraudster Helmsley said: taxes are for little people.
How many ways can Trump & MAGA screw their base?...Regressive taxes, & elimination of critical services for the most vulnerable are only the beginning.
Musk & DOGE with the keys to Musk & DOGE with the keys to US data more valuable than the reserves at Fort Knox...all while his using his co-president to lock in multi billion dollar deals domestically & around the globe. MAGA congressional reps turn a blind eye ("not in my lane") to in your face corruption claiming that Trump is “transparent" about his criminality while spending years running weaponized investigations that collapse when their “evidence” is fabricated or non-existent. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Tj0rSX0ouw
This is horrible!! Every democrat in congress should be going on the news shows, cable, and social media and exposing this to Americans. You’ll probably have to make visuals as well.
This is truly a MAGA murder budget. And also, it is a concern about who is going to do the labor. Rabbi Sandra Lawson talks about this in her latest post...I urge everyone to read it.
No shit. The folks who thought that they wanted this got played and will again accede to being doubly played when they choose not to believe "their guy" would do this to them and blame.... Biden!!!
Donnie counted on that. There are not enough of the faithful to carry the day. He needs independents. This month most people think it is Trump’s economy. Consumer index is an its 2nd lowest point ever.
In December 45% of Americans knew tariffs were paid by the importing companies. 17% thought it was the opposite. 14% chose nonsense answers and the rest admitted they had no idea what tariffs are.
All the indicators are in alignment.
In April Americans had a pretty good idea that tariffs were going to take money out of their wallets. (89%).
Believe tariffs will cost the U.S. more money than they generate — in the short term (70%) as well as the long run (62%).
Almost half are worried about manufacturing jobs. (49%)
While you focus on pain, the fact is they have figured it out. Every time they pay for something they are reminded. Housing has not decreased & was largely ignored in the election - except for interest rates. Every disaster (3x in KY this yr) is a reminder. Every notices of DOGE closing buildings is a reminder. That’s not going to stop.
We had statewide historic flooding and small tornadoes in April. Local news put out notices for NWS like this:
— National Weather Service likely won’t confirm tornadoes for days due to staffing cuts. In the meantime, NWS officials are asking folks to send them photos of damage. “That way we can evaluate the damage and it will allow us to plan on where we need to go once we have the available staff to survey.”
— FEMA is months behind. This where most of the damage occurred last weekend. 17 people dead. 2 in 2 nearby counties. Some are living in tents.
Trump's "big, beautiful bill" showing once again how trickle-down economics is just the rich pissing on the middle class and the poor.
Now that "trickle down" explanation is something people can understand.
I am a suspicious person normally, but now I’m wondering if Trump’s advisors who are running this windup monkey, are actually deliberately destroying the middle class so there will be more workers in our fields (somebody’s got to pick those vegs and fruit) and people will be desperate to work for less just to put food on their tables and pay their rent to corporations who have bought up thousands of middle class homes.
We need to take to the streets to fight before we are forced to take to the fields to pick vegetables for huge agricultural conglomerates that have destroyed Americas family farms for the sake of more profits.
Yes, you get rid of your most educated so they become followers! That’s why they are damaging education. They want that for only the wealthy!
Hmmm. Not only workers in the fields but on the killing floors so Americans can consume cows, pigs, chickens, etc. Someone has to decapitate and disembowel those creatures.
I'm not a suspicious person, but I don't think you're wrong.
Yours is a very good take and definitely food for thought!
Suggested Edit - "and pay their rent to corporations who have bought up thousands of middle class homes" and keep jacking up the prices every couple of years.
I’d say yes. The same for carving away at child labor laws. Pushing women to have children. (Now they are resorting to bribery as though women don’t realize $1000-$5000 isn’t enough to cover costs of a child, tariffs and more taxes.)
Let’s call it what it is: Neo feudalism, which the GOP has always been all about.
Yes, they are. It's part of the "serf" class in the techno-feudal Christian nationalist society they envision. Where the majority are unhealthy and poor but plentiful; figurehead King Trump and his nobles (the oligarchs) running things with a professional class to handle medical and other things.
So true, but I fear that it will also take a plague to make the lords and masters have to give up some power only because most of the workers die because of no affordable healthcare, affordable housing…
Exactly! And when people live in precarity, the physical and emotional trauma will make them (us) easier to control, less likely to rise up in protest. Jodi nailed it: “NeoFeudalism”We should really be using this term - as well as “fascism” to describe the regime” (not “administration” as that implies a normal presidency) and “kidnapping” (instead of “deportation” which implies normalized procedure). Language is everything: it creates/solidifies concepts. Judd, your reporting is extremely depressing but we need to hear it because it’s our new reality. Thank you for your dedication and bravery in providing us with actual journalism!
Remember, deficits only matter when Republicans are not President.
You know or rather you can't know how much what you said pissed me off because it's so GD true! There are people I know who give me the most pitying look when I say something like what you just said (actually wrote but you get it).
Yep. It's the FoxNewsEffect in action again.
EVERYONE living in a place with a Republican in Congress needs to call their Senators and Representatives and tell them they will lose their job if they pass this bill. Tell them vote NO on this bill designed to destroy benefits that we have paid for and are entitled to. CALL NOW. DO NOT WAIT.
It is good to let Dems know you’re watching or thank them. Plus the budget bill is being set up to be a vehicle for things on their wishlist that failed as stand-alone bills.
• One provision they want to hang on this bill would allow the Treasurer to declare any non-profit is aiding terrorism. Then take away their non-profit status.
A bill giving that power to the Treasurer passed the House last year with 15 Dems voting for it. I suspect they didn’t want to be called “pro-terrorists.” Then after the election results the Dems nixed it.
https://www.americanprogress.org/article/reconciliation-provision-would-let-executive-branch-dismantle-nonprofits-under-pretext-of-fighting-terrorism/
It isn’t the only very dangerous thing they want.
• They are tired of so much losing & want to weaken federal courts: “No court of the United States may use appropriated funds to enforce a contempt citation for failure to comply with an injunction or temporary restraining order if…”
GOP aims at contempt of court in House reconciliation text
Critics say provision would free the Trump administration to ignore court orders
https://rollcall.com/2025/05/05/gop-aims-at-contempt-of-court-in-house-reconciliation-text/
Correct. Call your Reps and Senators no matter what party represents you.
The analyses I have seen by Richardson, Hubbell et al point out that the worst of the cuts will not be felt until 2029—planned that way so the Dems will get the blame—so it is imperative that we get the truth out about this budget plan far and wide, NOW.
This might get discussed more because to get it out of committee they got the so called conservatives to vote “present” — with a promise they’ll get more of what they want.
One thing I read they want is for the work provisions to go into effect sooner — cuts they say aren’t cuts
The cuts are biggly bad.
What they want to do to non-profits is really bad
What they want to do the courts is terrible
It's so awful how so many fail to see how that strategy works and fall for it every damn time.
It's much easier and much more emotionally satisfying to "blame the dems" as opposed to really thinking about this or any other issue. Thinking is work and many are "too tired to think" after working all day! Not that that's a reasonable excuse on account of it ain't.
Fire them all. November 2026, November 2028.
And protect our elections and our right to vote. They are after that, too, and it is our real last chance to get rid of them. Call your Senators and tell them NO SAVE ACT. It saves us from nothing, and takes away the vote from millions of Americans.
The middle class has always been a target of opportunity. As with "middle children", the middle class is perpetually anxious as a class because they want to please their bosses in the upper class while fearing a downward slide to the lower class. I think Trump has capitalized on those fears to weaponize the middle class as voters while at the same time fulfilling their worst fears. Intelligent people can figure this out for themselves, but people who aren't very good at thinking clearly are going to blame the lower class for their woes, including immigrants. It's classic misdirection.
What are the ways that people elected to both parties, and all citizenry can learn exactly how the opposite has occurred from: " Trump directed Republican lawmakers to 'go after the things that are going to help middle-class folks.'" ? As soon as "the people" learn how they are being harmed financially and possibly losing their health care, they will make their voices heard across our country. Thank you for the detailed analysis. Who can be relied upon to articulate these outcomes so that everyone understands them? Elizabeth Warren? We need all those who can speak to those who cannot explain what is happening here.
The Affordable Care Act, SNAP, etc. actually save our society money in the long run because it is always more cost effective to prevent poor health than to deal with the results of not having the health care or the proper nutrition. As for work requirements for Medicaid, all it does is add an expensive layer of bureaucracy while cutting the help available to people who need Medicaid.
Democrats need to synthesize this information into four concise statements, then publicize it widely. It particularly needs to be publicized by the moderate Democrats, since Republicans can too easily dismiss the so-called socialist Democrats, something that our billionaire-supported media enables.
Put it on billboards. Put it on social media.
Those services increase the workforce. Not having enough food in the home & not having medical care through Medicaid reduces the number of people available to work, increases the cost of indigent care & without a payor for that care more hospitals (especially in rural areas) will close.
The exploding deficit -- I believe Trump would not have been elected in 2024 if the legacy media had done its job on even this one issue. The Republican hypocrisy on the deficit is enormous. They yammer on and on about reducing the deficit when Republican administrations have consistently overseen greater increases in the debt than Democratic ones. Study after study has found that giving tax cuts to the rich have had little to no economic benefit to the country. But they have consistently exploded the national debt. 25% of the total debt accumulated in the history of this country was added during Trump's first term. None of this was clearly communicated to the American people. The legacy media have enabled our current situation.
I strongly disagree, Jon. The legacy media cover this issue routinely. However, for the media illiterate, who make up the bulk of the MAGA world, the message may as well be in a note inside a bottle thrown into the Gulf Stream. "Clearly communicating to the American people" requires that the American people be "well-informed" as per James Madison's warning about a successful democratic republic. Decidedly, about half of American voters are not well-informed as they swim in a sea of disinformation. To blame the legacy media for this is to shift the blame in exactly the wrong direction. The legacy media, while not without problems, did not bring us Trump2.
Bruce, yes and no. Yes, the legacy media did not bring us Trump2 all on their own. The majority of blame for those doing harm should always fall on those doing the harm. In this case, that is the Republicans primarily. But others can also be responsible to some degree by enabling that harm. Some voters did. Of course, the right-wing media and the disinformation cesspool significantly enabled. But I targeted the legacy media in my comment because I have a slight but ever-dimming hope that they still care about democracy and American values. They may cover this issue routinely, but it is far from thoroughly. As a result, they are enabling autocracy.
You skip over the large growing number of Americans who block out the news. Their ‘sources’ are more likely to be random memes or whatever that show up in their social media feed.
There is a direct correlation between the amount of attention people pay to the news and who they voted for. In addition there are the ones who stay home because they figure no one is going to fix their key issues.
We agree, then, to disagree. Best.
There is a surreal off-world level of revulsion re: "commoners" woven into the deliberately cruel legislation that legalizes willful malevolence courtesy of arrogantly enriched elitists. They literally, like 47, couldn't care less. Beautiful BS (pinch yer nostrils)!!
The second worst thing about this latest Republican outrage after gutting Medicaid so Musk, Bezos and Trump can get a tax cut is that they are delaying the cuts to 2029 so they can avoid the blame. These monsters know that the bill is toxic. They know it will cost them the House and probably the Senate if the voters are seeing the impact so they push it off until the next administration so the next president, likely a Democrat, will take the blame.
The Middle ages was a period of feudalism in which the social structure defined the role of each member of society. Those at the top owned all the land, and all below them were termed vassals, who were allowed to live on the land in exchange for their loyalty. It lasted for 1000 years. The Magna Carta was created when the nobles united and forced the king to grant them rights. The American constitution was created when the vassals in America united to break away from the Nobles and King of Great Britain. In our Constitution titles of nobility are forbidden. The civil war was fought to end division by race. Trump lives by the ideology "divide and conquer", in his case conquer is measured by how much money he can put in his pocket. The king liked feudalism and trump would like to be king and division is the key to feudalism. Trump likes the middle east kingdoms because they are closest to feudalism. The "big beautiful (pitiful) bill" is just a move towards feudalism.
Understanding what is happening in real time is difficult for many people. By using this analogy, more people might have the wool lifted from their eyes. Good job!
As queen of mean billionaire & convicted fraudster Helmsley said: taxes are for little people.
How many ways can Trump & MAGA screw their base?...Regressive taxes, & elimination of critical services for the most vulnerable are only the beginning.
Musk & DOGE with the keys to Musk & DOGE with the keys to US data more valuable than the reserves at Fort Knox...all while his using his co-president to lock in multi billion dollar deals domestically & around the globe. MAGA congressional reps turn a blind eye ("not in my lane") to in your face corruption claiming that Trump is “transparent" about his criminality while spending years running weaponized investigations that collapse when their “evidence” is fabricated or non-existent. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Tj0rSX0ouw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MklsKxyKMc
This is horrible!! Every democrat in congress should be going on the news shows, cable, and social media and exposing this to Americans. You’ll probably have to make visuals as well.
This is truly a MAGA murder budget. And also, it is a concern about who is going to do the labor. Rabbi Sandra Lawson talks about this in her latest post...I urge everyone to read it.
"This is truly a MAGA murder budget."
No shit. The folks who thought that they wanted this got played and will again accede to being doubly played when they choose not to believe "their guy" would do this to them and blame.... Biden!!!
Donnie counted on that. There are not enough of the faithful to carry the day. He needs independents. This month most people think it is Trump’s economy. Consumer index is an its 2nd lowest point ever.
In December 45% of Americans knew tariffs were paid by the importing companies. 17% thought it was the opposite. 14% chose nonsense answers and the rest admitted they had no idea what tariffs are.
All the indicators are in alignment.
In April Americans had a pretty good idea that tariffs were going to take money out of their wallets. (89%).
Believe tariffs will cost the U.S. more money than they generate — in the short term (70%) as well as the long run (62%).
Almost half are worried about manufacturing jobs. (49%)
https://news.gallup.com/poll/660002/americans-skeptical-benefits-tariffs.aspx
The hurt has to HURT otherwise the lesson will immediately be forgotten. Hopefully, the uninitiated will catch on quick.
While you focus on pain, the fact is they have figured it out. Every time they pay for something they are reminded. Housing has not decreased & was largely ignored in the election - except for interest rates. Every disaster (3x in KY this yr) is a reminder. Every notices of DOGE closing buildings is a reminder. That’s not going to stop.
We had statewide historic flooding and small tornadoes in April. Local news put out notices for NWS like this:
— National Weather Service likely won’t confirm tornadoes for days due to staffing cuts. In the meantime, NWS officials are asking folks to send them photos of damage. “That way we can evaluate the damage and it will allow us to plan on where we need to go once we have the available staff to survey.”
— FEMA is months behind. This where most of the damage occurred last weekend. 17 people dead. 2 in 2 nearby counties. Some are living in tents.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2tFCeIFs_U
This is happening all around the country because rain falls on the just and unjust alike.