Tag: taxes

‘We Give Israel $4B a Year – That’s a Lot’: Trump Tells Netanyahu He May Not Drop Tariffs

President Donald Trump on Monday told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the US might not drop its new 17% tariff on Israel because we “give [them] four billion dollars a year” and they’re “one of the highest” recipients of foreign aid.

When asked by a reporter if the US would reduce the new 17% tariff on Israeli goods, Trump responded: “Well, we’re talking about a whole new trade — maybe not, maybe not.”

“Now, don’t forget we help Israel a lot. You know, we give Israel $4 billion a year. That’s a lot. Congratulations, by the way. That’s pretty good,” Trump quipped. “But we give Israel billions of dollars a year. Billions. It’s one of the highest of any — we give a lot of countries money.”

The US not only gives Israel over $4 billion a year but also fights their wars (which in the case of the war in Iraq cost $2 trillion).

Israel’s not simply “one of the highest recipients” of foreign aid but the highest recipients of foreign aid — and it’s not even close. The aid money we give to Egypt is also a bribe to normalize relations with Israel.

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Multi-Millionaire Whoopi Goldberg Says Americans Need to ‘Suck It Up’ and Pay More in Taxes

Whoopi Goldberg of The View recently suggested that Americans need to ‘suck it up’ and pay more in taxes.

She said this right after admitting that many Americans are struggling on a day to day basis, which makes her argument even more absurd.

In recent weeks, DOGE has shown American taxpayers that our government has a special talent for wasting our tax dollars, but Whoopi clearly believes that the way to prosperity is for people to give the government more money.

If that makes sense to you, you might be a liberal.

The Daily Caller has details:

Millionaire Whoopi Goldberg Tells Americans They Need To ‘Suck It Up’ And ‘Pay A Little More Taxes’

“The View” co-host Whoopi Goldberg, a multimillionaire, told Americans on Thursday that they need to “suck it up” and “pay a little more taxes.”

Goldberg called on Americans to pay more taxes to help pay for schools and other essentials, despite claiming that Americans are also “struggling with everything on a day to day basis.” The co-host’s net worth is estimated to be $60 million as of April 2025.

“A 90-day pause doesn’t mean anything to anyone because people, as you said, are struggling with everyone that they’re living with on a day to day basis. Now you know what we’re fighting against,” Goldberg said. “But I also believe that it’s very important to remind people that now is the time for each and every one of us to suck it up and make sure that we know what we need to take care of. If you’re in an area where the school district is losing, then you got to pay a little more taxes and you gotta help the schools out. If you’re finding that your libraries are falling apart, you have to give more.

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The IRS Isn’t Going Away, and This Is How We Know

As the 2024 campaign neared its send, candidate Donald Trump began promising that, if elected, he would support the elimination of income taxes. Shortly after he was sworn in, Trump then began saying he planned to abolish the Internal Revenue Service. The Trump team claimed in each case that it could raise enough tax revenue from tariffs to replace tax revenue from income taxes.

By March, however, Trump began backtracking, and his administration announced that the new goal was to eliminate income taxes for people making under $150,000 per year.

That last development on its own tells us that the IRS isn’t going away. If people making more than $150,000 are still going to pay income tax, then there will still be an IRS to which we’ll need to send tax returns to prove we’re not making more than $150,000.Raico, Ralph

But even if we ignore that problem, there are at least two other reasons why we can be sure the IRS isn’t going anywhere. The first way we know this is from the fact that the Trump administration is only talking about “abolishing” the progressive individual income tax. Administration mouthpieces have said nothing at all about getting rid of the income taxes known as “payroll taxes” that every wage earner pays.

The second way we know that the IRS isn’t going away is that taxes on imports—i.e., tariffs—simply aren’t going to bring in enough revenue to keep funding all the popular spending programs that Trump clearly has no interest in cutting.

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Trump Considering Buying Foreign Ships To Make Up Gap With China

Upset by the pace of domestic shipbuilding, President Donald Trump said he may look to foreign companies to produce vessels for the U.S. His comments came after his sweeping executive order seeking to revamp the American shipbuilding industry that pales in comparison to China’s, which has been assessed to have a whopping 200-times larger capacity than the United States. Trump didn’t spell out whether he was talking about commercial ships, naval vessels or both. However, this makes particular sense for expanding the U.S. Navy and is an option we have repeatedly highlighted in the past, given the litany of issues the service is facing.

“We may order, would have to go to Congress for this, but we may buy some ships from other countries that we’re close to and do great jobs with ships,” Trump told reporters on Thursday.  “But we’re going to start the process of rebuilding. We don’t really essentially build ships anymore, which is ridiculous. It’s going to be very big business for us in the not-too-distant future. But in the meantime, we have countries that do very well at building ships, and we’ll be dealing with those countries. So we may be ordering top-of-the-line ships from those countries. And within a fairly short period of time, we’ll be building our own ships. So we’ll probably have to go to Congress for that, but we’re not going to have a problem.”

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Trump Deputies Cancel Illegal Migrants’ Social Security Numbers

President Donald Trump’s deputies are wiping up the Social Security Numbers that were quietly given to illegal migrants by prior administrations.

The multi-stage plan has already wiped out more than 6,300 numbers given to migrants with criminal records, terrorist affiliations, or cancelled visas.

The Washington Post reported on Thursday night:

The move, requested by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi L. Noem, is aimed at putting pressure on the undocumented immigrants to leave the country, according to a White House official.

…

The action marks the start of a major campaign by the Trump administration to force out potentially hundreds of thousands who are living in the U.S. illegally but who have a Social Security number, allowing them to collect Medicaid, Medicare, unemployment insurance, federal loans or other benefits, the people said. The next target for inclusion in the database will be 92,000 undocumented immigrants with some kind of criminal conviction, the White House official said, but the effort will expand to undocumented immigrants without criminal histories after that.

“The goal is to cut [migrants] off from using crucial financial services like bank accounts and credit cards, along with their access to government benefits,” the New York Times reported on Thursday.

“President Trump promised mass deportations, and by removing the monetary incentive for illegal aliens to come and stay, we will encourage them to self-deport,” White House spokeswoman Elizabeth Huston said in a statement.

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Ten Tariff Questions Never Asked

1.Trump’s So-Called “Trade War.”

Many call the American effort to obtain either tariff parity or a reduction in the roughly $1 trillion trade deficit and fifty years of consecutive trade deficits “a trade war.” But then what do they call the policies of the past half-century by Europe, Asia, China, and others to ensure asymmetrical tariffs, pseudo-health and security trade restrictions, and large surpluses?

A trade peace? Trade fairness?

2. Do Nations Prefer Surpluses or Deficits?

Why do most nations prefer trade surpluses and protective tariffs?

Are Europe, Asia, China, and others stupid? Are they suicidal in continuing their trade surpluses and protective or asymmetrical tariffs?

Is the United States uniquely brilliant in maintaining a half-century of cumulative trade deficits? Do Americans alone discover the advantages of a $1 trillion annual trade deficit and small or nonexistent tariffs?

Why don’t America’s trading partners prefer deficits like ours—given we supposedly believe they are either advantageous or perhaps irrelevant?

3. Would Our Trade Partners Prefer to Trade Places With Us?

Would our trade partners prefer to have America’s supposed benefits of a $1-trillion trade deficit? Would the United States then “suffer” like they do by running up $200 billion annual surpluses?

4. What if Wages Went Up at the Rate of the Stock Market?

What would now be the reaction of the stock market if over the last decade wages had increased at the rate of stocks—and the stocks at the rate of wages?

5. Is Wall Street’s Panic Based on What Might Happen—Or What Is Happening?

Is Wall Street’s meltdown a fear of what might happen in the future? Or is it reacting to March’s latest jobs report that there were 93,000 more jobs created than predicted? Was the Wall Street panic predicated on reports of much lower oil prices? Did the furor arise over the March inflation report that the annualized inflation rate dipped to 2.6% per year?

6. Is the Frenzy Caused by the Trump Economic Agenda?

Is Wall Street’s worry that Trump’s impending tax cuts, more deregulation, greater budget cuts, and continued efforts to eliminate budget deficits and reduce national debt will stall economic growth?

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The United States Can and Should Reduce Its Defense Spending

Secretary of State Marco Rubio attended his first NATO foreign ministers’ meeting and was more concerned about European sensibilities than American interests. Unfortunately, Rubio embraced the past rather than promoted the future. It would be tragic if the MAGA revolution resulted in more of the same.

Rubio sought to reassure European officials who have begun to do more in their own defense because they have been discomfited by both Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. Rather than intensify European fears that the Trump administration finally meant business, the secretary disclaimed any intention to leave the alliance: “The United States is as active in NATO as it has ever been,” he insisted. While speaking next to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Rubio added: “Some of this hysteria and hyperbole that I see in the global media and some domestic media in the United States about NATO is unwarranted.” 

Indeed, Rubio suggested that Trump was apparently a secret alliance enthusiast: “We want NATO to be stronger, we want NATO to be more visible and the only way NATO can get stronger, more visible is if our partners, the nation states that comprise this important alliance, have more capability.” That doesn’t sound like the Trump that most of us know, but the new U.S. ambassador to NATO, Matt Whitaker, similarly opined that “under President Trump’s leadership, NATO will be stronger and more effective than ever before, and I believe that a robust NATO can continue to serve as a bedrock of peace and prosperity.”

In short, per the president’s aides, America plans on sticking around to protect the Europeans. Rubio insisted, “President Trump has made clear he supports NATO. We’re going to remain in NATO.” What the latter dislikes, Rubio explained, is states which lack the capabilities to fulfill their obligations. This is the same message that Joe Biden, both as vice president and president, routinely brought to the continent. Indeed, he spent years actively discouraging the Europeans from doing more on their own behalf.

In contrast, during his first term Trump reportedly told aides he wanted to withdraw from the alliance. His failure to act during the first few weeks of this presidency doesn’t mean he has grown to love what he once sought to delete. Of course, Rubio still echoes his boss in pushing other NATO member governments to do more. But without ill consequences for their failure to act, enthusiasm for reform is likely to quickly wane. After all, President Barack Obama’s defense secretary, Robert Gates, excoriated the Europeans for their lackadaisical attitude, but his message was drowned out by Biden singing a European variant of Bobby McFerrin’s hit tune “Don’t Worry Be Happy.” 

Nevertheless, the secretary has a tough sales job. Reported Deutsche Welle, “Rubio’s task of putting fellow NATO members at ease was made even harder on Wednesday when Trump announced tariffs that many fear could kick off global trade war. A 10 percent levy now applies to virtually all goods imported into the U.S. Goods from the European Union, which includes 23 of the 31 NATO member states, face tariffs of 20 percent.” The U.S. and Europe are struggling to remain friends, but just as in any other busted romance, Uncle Sam obviously no longer respects his partner. An unnamed European diplomat told the Associated Press, “We need to preempt a rapid retreat, but we’ve had nothing precise from the U.S. yet.” 

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No, Democrats, Trump Didn’t Kill Drug Research — Here’s What Actually Happened at the NIH

Democrats are up in arms, accusing President Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) of gutting drug research funding.

Social media is flooded with dramatic claims—photos of sick children, stories of desperate patients—each suggesting that Trump has cut off their last hope. The truth, however, is far less dramatic.

The Trump administration has indeed pushed aggressive cost-cutting across federal agencies, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which funds a large share of America’s drug research. But contrary to the headlines, there’s no blanket halt on medical research—far from it.

Studies continue under other federal programs and through robust private funding, supporting everything from cancer breakthroughs to rare disease therapies.

What the administration has done is implement targeted policies—like capping overhead costs and temporarily pausing some grant reviews—that have caused confusion, delays, and loud complaints from researchers and critics, but they haven’t shut down research altogether.

Here’s the real story: In February 2025, the NIH proposed capping “indirect costs”—expenses like lab maintenance and utilities—at 15%, down from the usual 27–30%.

That move would cut about $4 billion annually from the $9 billion typically allocated for such costs within the NIH’s $35 billion grant budget (based on 2023 figures, adjusted slightly for 2025).

Universities and hospitals quickly sounded the alarm, warning of layoffs and stalled projects. Then, on March 5, 2025, a federal judge in Boston issued a nationwide injunction, blocking the cuts after 22 Democratic-led states and research groups filed suit, citing bipartisan legislation that protects NIH funding.

As of April 3, the proposed cap remains tied up in court—no reductions have taken effect.

Meanwhile, shortly after Trump’s inauguration, the NIH temporarily froze most grant-review meetings, stalling roughly $1.5 billion in new research funding (Nature, February 2025).

This wasn’t a budget cut—it was a bureaucratic slowdown triggered by new oversight protocols.

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WHOA! DOGE Makes Three Major Findings Regarding Unemployment Benefits Fraud, Including One Discovery That Left Elon Musk Shocked: “So Crazy I Had to Read It Several Times”

The fraud within the United States government is so rampant that it is leaving Elon Musk shocked.

On Wednesday, The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) announced its findings from an initial survey of unemployment insurance claims since 2020 and uncovered three stunning discoveries regarding unemployment fraud.

There is one that even the Babylon Bee would find far-fetched.

What they found will leave you livid:

24,500 people over 115 years old claimed $59 million in benefits.

28,000 people under the age of five claimed $254 million in benefits.

9,700 people with birth dates over 15 years in the future claimed $69 million in benefits. In one case, a person with a birthday in 2154 who claimed $41,000 in benefits.

All told, there was $382M worth of employment benefits fraud.

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Tariff Freak Out: Why So Many People Cling To The Cancer Of Globalism

This past week after Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” announcements the Dow Jones Index plunged by around 4000 points and the global panic was palpable. Social media was rife with nervous naysayers on both sides of the aisle – The leftists are panicking but also cheering because they think crashing markets will turn into public support for the woke commie brigade.  A contingent of conservatives are panicking too, but I’ll get to that in a moment…

My response? Finally this farce of a market is facing a correction and smacking people in the face with five fingers of reality! I applaud the event because it’s something that needed to happen years ago. Most skeptics are wrong on the tariff issue, mainly because they think the stock market matters. It doesn’t.  People are also terrified of tariffs because they think globalism matters. It doesn’t.

This position might upset those who are heavily invested right now, but I would argue they are missing the macro picture and they need to look at the situation from a position of inevitability.  Tariffs and the end of globalism are a necessary outcome.  Here’s why we shouldn’t fear the Reaper…

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