Summary

Senator Bernie Sanders condemned Trumpā€™s order to freeze all federal loans and grants, calling it a ā€œdangerous move towards authoritarianismā€ and ā€œblatantly unconstitutional.ā€

The directive, exempting Social Security and Medicare, is expected to impact universities, nonprofits, food assistance programs, health centers, and disabled veterans.

Sanders emphasized that Congress holds the ā€œpower of the purseā€ and urged Americans to oppose the order.

Attorneys general are preparing legal challenges to overturn the freeze.

  • NuclearNarwalrus@lemmy.world
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    1 day ago

    Weā€™re talking about a pause on all federal grants and loans, heā€™s going to disrupt the economy and peopleā€™s lives just to reduce spending to maybe more efficiently allocate funding. You bring up the number of programs for counter terrorism and railroad maintenance and safety, but they probably have different goals or jurisdictions. Not to say that they couldnā€™t be merged or their spending audited, but Trumpā€™s method of just breaking everything and see what happens is dangerous and irresponsible.

    Also the polls you bring up donā€™t justify Trumpā€™s method here. Most people agree that some government spending is wasteful but that canā€™t justify all actions Trump takes so long as he says itā€™s for reducing government spending.

    • Shardikprime@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      That is your opinion.

      Clearly the majority disagree.

      Myself, do not see it as breaking things. Itā€™s very simple for those programs to continue, they just need to comply with the requested.

      Those who donā€™t, will get culled just by not qualifying. This might translate in lower taxes in the long run. But it has to start somewhere.

      I think that it is irresponsible to spend the taxpayers money ā€œjust becauseā€ it is simpler for inertia to take hold and just do nothing.

      I also think that taking 4 years twiddling your fingers, bidding the time to do those changes as carefully as possible to not bother anyone is irresponsible as well for the taxpayer whoā€™s breaking their backs working everyday to fund things that they may or may not see a direct benefit.

      In the end, you canā€™t make an omelette without breaking a few eggs

      • some_designer_dude@lemmy.world
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        1 day ago

        As if anything heā€™s doing is to help the fucking taxpayersā€¦ Certainly not the majority of them. Maybe the ones in the top brackets, so they can pay even less while the working class gets tax hikes and inflated prices for everything essential.

        I will agree that this is what was voted for. Now the idiots get to lay in the bed theyā€™ve just shat in.

        • Shardikprime@lemmy.world
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          1 day ago

          Those ā€œfucking taxpayersā€ are voters.

          And if you ever dream of winning another election, you need them

          So yeah maybe take that into account

          About it helping or not, we will have to wait and see. You donā€™t usually reduce spend just for the kicks of it. Ideally it is to stop taxing the people or redirecting to specific emergency needs

      • drthunder@midwest.social
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        1 day ago

        Why are the eggs being broken always regular peopleā€™s paychecks and food stamps? Why not rich peopleā€™s third vacation homes or yachts?