I did not follow this election that closely. It was perfunctory. In fact, the polls all seemed to suggest it is at best 50-50. And there was an Iowa poll that was always right before that claimed Harris is taking Iowa. To me that felt like it was a bellwether. But the election results were far different. I think the pollsters are missing out on the fact that there has been a fundamental realignment underway. Polling is not a science, it is a profession.
Once the mandate came in, I tried to make sense of it.
There is this narrative that America is past its prime and is now in decline. And Trump is slated to make mistakes that will only accelerate that.
Or you could say, in 1990 if America had two dollars, by the end of the decade it had three, which is substantial, and oh, by the way, the Internet. Similarly, right now the US stands to harvest AI, and could add at least a third to its GDP in a decade. And excess regulations get in the way.
It's kinda wild to see reasoning get commoditized this fast. We should fully expect an o3 level model that's open-sourced by the end of the year, probably even mid-year. pic.twitter.com/oyIXkS4uDM
Reducing the U.S. federal budget by $2 trillion is a significant task that would require carefully considered policy decisions and trade-offs. Here’s an outline of possible strategies across various sectors:
1. Discretionary Spending Cuts
Defense Spending: The U.S. defense budget is substantial, making it a prime area for targeted reductions. Potential savings could come from:
Reducing overseas military operations.
Closing underutilized military bases.
Cutting investments in redundant or outdated weapon systems.
Streamlining procurement processes.
Other Discretionary Programs: Identify and trim underperforming or duplicative federal programs in areas such as education, housing, and public works.
2. Mandatory Spending Adjustments
Healthcare Programs:
Reform Medicare and Medicaid to reduce costs, such as negotiating drug prices or promoting value-based care models.
Introduce means-testing for higher-income recipients of Medicare benefits.
Social Security:
Adjust the formula for benefits to account for longer life expectancy (e.g., gradually raising the retirement age).
Implement progressive benefit reductions for higher-income retirees.
3. Reforming Tax Expenditures
Tax expenditures are effectively government spending through the tax code (e.g., deductions, credits, and exemptions). Reforms could include:
Capping the mortgage interest deduction.
Limiting or phasing out tax breaks for specific industries (e.g., oil and gas subsidies).
Scaling back retirement savings incentives for high-income individuals.
4. Revenue Increases
Corporate Tax Reforms: Close loopholes and enforce a minimum effective tax rate for corporations.
Individual Tax Adjustments:
Raise income taxes on the wealthiest earners.
Implement a financial transaction tax on trades of stocks, bonds, and derivatives.
Carbon Tax or Pollution Taxes: Generate revenue while promoting environmental goals.
5. Improving Efficiency and Reducing Waste
Increase investment in anti-fraud initiatives for government programs.
Improve oversight and reduce improper payments in Medicare, Medicaid, and other entitlement programs.
Optimize government operations by leveraging technology to reduce overhead costs.
6. Growth-Oriented Policies
Encourage economic growth through infrastructure investments and education reform to increase productivity and tax revenues over time.
Pair budget cuts with initiatives to improve workforce participation and reduce dependency on government programs.
Considerations and Risks:
Economic Impact: Sudden, deep cuts could harm economic growth, especially in sectors reliant on federal spending.
Public Resistance: Many cuts may face opposition from voters and interest groups.
Fairness: Ensuring the burden of cuts and reforms is distributed equitably across income levels and regions is crucial.
Call your elected representatives today to stop the steal of your tax dollars! pic.twitter.com/6suIuQMcO4
BREAKING: Vivek just announced that he will be pausing his own weekly podcast to launch a new show with Elon called "DOGEcast," which they will use to give the nation regular updates on their cost-cutting
Just learned tonight at Mar-a-Lago that Jeff Bezos was telling everyone that @realDonaldTrump would lose for sure, so they should sell all their Tesla and SpaceX stock 🤭
To be clear, I have not done any media interviews and this is not actually my checklist.
I am trying to make life multiplanetary to maximize the probable lifespan of consciousness. Some of the items below are needed for that. https://t.co/Sv0N3Z5U4l
This disgraceful ICC decision is the last nail in the coffin of the international order based on Yalta-Potsdam arrangements. Politicizing & criminalizing self-defense against terrorism also discredits previous judgments against real war criminals like Putin. https://t.co/57gvbDk8rp
I just spoke to a $100M company CEO. They cut 85 jobs to 2 through AI automation. Not in 5 years. Not in 2. NOW. The future isn't coming. It's already redistributing power.
There are a lot of good arguments for moving agencies out of DC and into states:
1. Cost 2. Closer to those you regulate 3. Jobs and economic activity in regions that need it 4. Culture 5. Independence 6. Force lobbyists to travel / relocate
BREAKING: Bill Clinton just laid into Donald Trump like no one has before. Retweet to make sure all Americans see this takedown.pic.twitter.com/CKJt8Fakvu
Nikki Haley trashes Trump’s appointment of Tulsi Gabbard, saying she has sided with Russia, China, Iran & Syria against the US: “She said Trump turned the US into Saudi Arabia’s prostitute. DNI is not a place for a Russian-Iranian-Syrian-Chinese sympathizer.” pic.twitter.com/45qGzKeF91