Tag: taxes

DOGE Executive Antonio Gracias Reveals 1.3 Million Illegals Are Accessing Medicaid – Thousands Are Voting

DOGE executive Antonio Gracias, the founder of Valor Equity Partners, joined the All In podcast on X.

During their discussion, Antonio revealed shocking information on how illegal aliens and even violent illegal aliens are accessing government benefits and even voting.

Antonio Gracias:  We mapped it through to the benefit programs. We found in the benefit programs that every benefit program that was being accessed by these people, 1.3 million of them are on Medicaid right now, today. And by the way, it’s just ramping. It’s just starting. Just to give you a point. And then out of curiosity, I woke up at 2: 00 in the morning. I couldn’t sleep. My mind was running on this. I sent the individual note saying, Hey, guys, let’s just look at the public voter rolls who we find in some friendly states. And we looked at the voter rolls, and we found that thousands of them were registered to vote in a handful of states. And then we went in further with those friendly states and found that many of those people had actually voted. It was shocking to us.

If I hadn’t seen it in my own eyes, I wouldn’t believe it. And so now the question we’re asking ourselves is, what do we do? We refer to some to prosecution that’s ongoing right now. We’re thinking through how to do it. And the reality is they have various kinds of status, and it’s a very detailed analysis, legally, they’re working through right now about how to deal with it.

Jason Calacanis:  So thousands of those people registered to vote?

Antonio Gracias:  Yes.

Jason Calacanis:  In the election.

Antonio Gracias:  Which is a federal crime, by the way…

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1500+ “Zombie Programs”, Over 8% of Federal Budget Spending at $516 billion, is Unauthorized, Possibly Illegal

Hardworking Americans face rising prices and a weaponized federal government, yet more than 1,500 federal programs are still receiving billions in taxpayer dollars despite their legal authorizations expiring years or even decades ago.

A federal program is separately authorized and funded by Congress. If a program is not authorized, or authorized at a specific level, it is not supposed to receive funding. But because of Congressional inaction, apathy, and inattention, these programs regularly receive such funding even though they lack legal authorization.

491 specifically-identified unauthorized programs and federal spending accounts for roughly 8% of the annual federal budget of $6.45 trillion, or $516 billion dollars. The DOGE effort to cut government fraud, waste, and abuse has so far saved taxpayers $140 billion by comparison.

The Congressional Budget Office couldn’t find or estimate the dollar amounts spent by the other 1,000 zombie programs they identified.

According to a recent investigation by RealClearInvestigations, the United States government is quietly funding what experts are calling “zombie programs” — agencies and initiatives that legally expired but are kept alive through backdoor budget tricks and annual appropriations.

In 2016, candidate Trump even mentioned this concept of refusing to pay for unauthorized programs as a way to get more funding to the military. The media ‘fact checked’ Trump’s claim as ‘false’ even though it was true, because, they said, Congress doesn’t have to follow the law.

One of the most egregious examples? The Legal Services Corporation (LSC), a taxpayer-funded outfit originally established to provide free legal assistance to low-income Americans. Congress let its authorization expire in 1980, yet the agency is still alive and well in 2025 — operating with 135 employees and a $560 million budget.

Republicans in 2011 tried to make modest cuts to the LSC, and the left-wing mainstream media said it would cause major social problems. Leftist media said it was going to “gut a crucial anti-poverty lifeline.” Left-wing non-profits rallied to protect this subsidy and corporate welfare to the nation’s attorneys.

The LSC has long been accused of funding politically motivated litigation, supporting left-leaning advocacy groups, and diverting taxpayer money into causes far beyond its original mandate. In past decades, LSC grantees have been caught assisting in lawsuits to block welfare reform, challenging voter ID laws, and filing environmental and immigration-related lawsuits aimed at advancing progressive policy goals rather than defending the poor in court. Some grantees have used federal funds to lobby state legislatures, coordinate with activist networks, and even sue landlords and small businesses en masse under dubious legal theories.

45 years after it was supposed to be shut down, the LSC is still spending hundreds of millions with zero legislative oversight.

This problem has been plaguing Congress for years, and many white papers and organizations have attempted to bring this problem to the legislature’s attention for many years.

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Here’s Why Trump Will Win The Tariff Standoff

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent made it clear in an interview with CNN that the era of trade imbalances is over, and under President Trump, the U.S. will no longer tolerate unfair treatment. 

During a discussion with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Bessent confidently explained the administration’s position on tariffs and trade policy, signaling that Trump’s economic strategy is deliberate and well thought out.

When pressed on how the administration’s policies could impact the auto industry, particularly regarding vehicles made with foreign parts, Bessent was blunt. 

“If half the cars coming into the United States are foreign-made, that’s hard to turn around overnight, as you know,” Collins said. 

“So what would you say to people in the auto industry who are worried about that timeline and how quickly that could shift?”

“Buy American,” Bessent said bluntly. He also clarified that the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) exempts certain vehicles and parts from the new tariffs.

Collins attempted to raise concerns from U.S. allies, questioning what the administration would say to countries like South Korea and Japan, which are now facing increased tariffs. Bessent’s response was direct:

“Well, I would say they’ve been doing it to us for a long time. And, if they don’t like tariffs, then why do they have them?”

His answer underscored the administration’s stance that America has been on the losing end of trade deals for too long.

As for whether the tariffs should be considered permanent, Bessent took a wait-and-see approach.

“I think we’re gonna wait and see how this plays out,” he explained, suggesting that adjustments could be made based on how the policy unfolds.

Collins also asked about the possibility of retaliation from other countries. Some foreign leaders have hinted at potential countermeasures, while others have opted to observe before making a move. Bessent urged patience. 

“One of the messages that I’d like to get out tonight is everybody sit back, take a deep breath, don’t immediately retaliate, let’s see where this goes. Because if you retaliate, that’s how we get escalation.”

When Collins pressed him on whether such escalation could turn into a full-fledged trade war, Bessent dismissed the idea. 

“Not a trade war. Depends on the country,” he said, before explaining that history favors the United States in such disputes.

“Remember that the history of trade is, we are the deficit country. The deficit country has an advantage,” he explained.

“[The others] are the surplus countries. The surplus countries traditionally always lose any kind of a trade escalation.”

His message to foreign governments was clear: Acting hastily would be a mistake. 

“As a student of economic history or a professor of economic history, I’d advise against it,” he said. When Collins sought further clarification, he reinforced the point: “I would say that doing anything rash would be unwise.”

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Bill Gates’ Foundation in Danger of Losing Tax-Exempt Status for Alleged Discrimination Against White Americans

Microsoft co-founder and billionaire leftist Bill Gates’ nonprofit may be in danger of losing its tax-exempt status.

The news surrounding the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation also involves two other organizations facing accusations of breaking the law when it comes to their scholarship and career programs, the Times of India reported on Thursday.

“The American Alliance for Equal Rights (AAER) has accused the Gates Foundation, the Lagrant Foundation, and the Creative Capital Foundation 0f ‘intentionally’ excluding white people, a claim detailed in letters sent to the IRS. The AAER argues that these alleged discriminatory practices may violate federal law and provide sufficient grounds for the IRS to revoke the organizations’ tax-exempt status,” the report said.

In a statement, AAER President Edward Blum stated, “These organizations are free to operate as they wish — but not with the public subsidy that tax-exempt status provides. Racial discrimination, whether in scholarships, professional development, or artistic grants, violates public policy and must not be underwritten by American taxpayers.”

“Organizations that discriminate based on race — whether their intentions are benevolent or not — are not eligible for public subsidies through the tax code. The IRS must act to uphold the law,” he added.

A Breitbart News article in 2021 detailed how many famous billionaires avoid paying taxes. Among those who reportedly paid very low taxes was Bill Gates.

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U.S. Labor Secretary: Trump Admin Will Return $1.4B In Unused COVID-Era Funding To Taxpayers

As the Trump administration pushes the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government, U.S. Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer said this week that the agency will return more than $1 billion in unused COVID-era funds to U.S. taxpayers.

The Labor Department stated in a news release that it is currently taking “action” in order “to recover the remaining $2.9 billion,” but that $1.4 billion of unspent COVID funding will soon be “returned to taxpayers through the U.S. Department of Treasury’s General Fund.” However, it did not specify a date for either.

“The roughly $4.3 billion was intended for states to use for temporary unemployment insurance during the pandemic,” the press release states. “Instead, several states continued spending millions of dollars despite no longer meeting necessary requirements, which was uncovered in a 2023 audit conducted by the department’s Office of Inspector General.”

In the press release, Chavez-DeRemer clarified that the program is especially designed to offer expanded unemployment insurance to Americans who were unable to work during the pandemic and that the financing came from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act in March 2020.

The 2023 audit “found four states were allowed to access the funding ‘despite not meeting program requirements,’ totaling over $100 million in spending,” according to the department, which stated that the program was discontinued in 2021.

“There’s no reason leftover COVID unemployment funds should still be collecting dust,” DeRemer told Fox News. “I promised to look out for Americans’ hard-earned tax dollars, and we are delivering at the Department of Labor.”

“Any money still sitting around for pandemic-era unemployment funds is a clear misuse of Americans’ hard-earned tax dollars,” Chavez-DeRemer said in the press release, noting that they are “rooting out waste to ensure American Workers always come First.”

Deputy Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling made a statement as well.

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Flip-Flop: Longtime Free Trade Opponent Bernie Sanders Now Calls Trump’s Tariffs ‘Unacceptable’

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) is opposing President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs after spending his career in Washington, DC, trashing the nation’s decades-long free trade policy for allowing multinational corporations to easily outsource American jobs to low-wage countries like China and Vietnam.

“As someone who helped lead the effort against disastrous unfettered free trade deals with China, Mexico, and other low-wage countries, I understand that we need trade policies that benefit American workers, not just the CEOs of large corporations,” Sanders said in a statement before using economic libertarian talking points to attack Trump’s recipricol tariffs:

And that includes targeted tariffs which can be a powerful tool in stopping corporations from outsourcing American jobs and factories abroad. Bottom line: We need a rational, well-thought-out and fair trade policy. Trump’s across-the-board tariffs are not the way to do it. We do not need a blanket and arbitrary sales tax on imported goods which will raise prices on products that the American people desperately need. We should be doing everything we can to lower prices, not make them incredibly higher. [Emphasis added]

Further, and most importantly, what Trump is doing is illegal and another step toward authoritarianism. In pushing his tariffs he is usurping the power of Congress and abrogating existing agreements under “emergency” provisions – when there are no real emergencies. In other words, he is incorporating more and more power into his own hands. That is unacceptable. [Emphasis added]

The statement is unusual for Sanders, as he has spent most of political career in Washington, DC, warning against the devastating impact that free trade has had on America’s working and middle class communities.

In 1993, then-Rep. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) railed against the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) as nothing more than a massive outsourcing giveaway to multinational corporations looking to cut labor costs by sending American jobs to the lowest-wage countries.

“The NAFTA treaty is being supported by almost every multinational corporation in America, and these corporations are spending tens and tens of billions of dollars trying to influence the members of this body to vote for it,” Sanders said at the time.

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Democrat Lawmakers in Georgia Stage Walkout to Protest Bill Stopping Taxpayer Funds for Transgender Surgeries for Inmates

Democrat lawmakers this week staged a walkout to protest a measure that would effectively stop taxpayer dollars from going toward transgender surgeries for inmates.

The walkout occurred at the state Capitol on Wednesday, as Democrats took issue with SB 185. The reader summary is as follows:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 5 of Title 42 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to correctional institutions of state and counties, so as to prohibit the use of state funds or resources for certain treatments for state inmates; to provide for the adoption of rules and regulations by the Board of Corrections relating to such prohibitions and exceptions; to provide for a definition; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

According to reports, this would include funds going toward “gender-affirming” care for prisoners, which is leftist speak for surgical mutilation, puberty blockers, and hormone therapy.

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), who has made a name for herself standing up against illogical pro-transgender policies catering to the far-left, shared the video of the walkout with the caption, “Did anyone let them know not to come back?”

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Supreme Court Shuts Down Activist Judge, Lets Trump Cut $250 Million In DEI Training For Teachers

The Supreme Court on Friday overruled an activist judge in Boston, allowing the Trump administration to slash $250 million for more than 100 teacher training grants for DEI and other woke programs.

In a 5-4 decision nine days after the request, the Supremes sided with the Trump administration’s emergency request to stay the court order by judge Myong J. Joun of the federal District of Massachusetts – who had ordered the Trump administration to “immediately restore” the “pre-existing status quo prior to the termination.”

According to the ruling – which is likely to narrow the ability of district courts to halt agency actions involving grant function, Joun lacked authority to order the Trump admin to restore the funding.

In his ruling, Myong sided with California and eight other blue states that argued that the cuts were likely driven by efforts by the Trump administration to gut DEI programs (duh).

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Trying to Block Arms to Israel, Bernie Sanders Denounces AIPAC’s Massive Election Spending

As Israel continued its monthlong blockade of humanitarian aid to Gaza and pounded the enclave with American bombs, in Washington the Senate on Thursday voted down two resolutions from Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., to block the sale of tens of thousands of 2,000-pound bombs and other offensive weapons to Israel.

The resolutions marked the second time since November that Sanders forced a vote on arms sales. Once again, they exposed a deep divide among Democrats and blanket Republican support for Israel.

The Senate voted 15-82 on the first resolution, concerning 2,000-pound bombs, with all Republicans present voting against it, along with most Democrats. Sanders was joined by 14 Democrats.

The second resolution, focusing on other weapons, fared even worse. It was defeated 15-83.

The Trump administration officially opposed the resolutions, along with the influential American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

Sanders, in a passionate floor speech, denounced AIPAC for its massive spending on last year’s elections.

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The 3 Myths Supporting NIH Funding

The Trump administration’s proposal to cut National Institutes of Health (NIH) indirect funds has been widely attacked, with heated claims it will annihilate biomedical scientific research in the United States. Leading with a picture of a 12-year-old child with muscular dystrophy, Shetal Shah, a neonatology professor, argued in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that the cuts would “hobble” vital medical research, and a Time magazine interviewee went as far as to call it the “apocalypse” of U.S. science writ large. While the funding cut has been blocked by federal judges for now, the future fiscal status of the NIH, and the university researchers that depend on it, remains uncertain.

Pundits discussing the cuts nearly universally agree that federally funded science is a crucial component of lifesaving medical therapies, innovative technology, and the ongoing status of the U.S. as a scientific superpower. These assertions are repeated ad nauseam despite history telling a different story. Promulgating three core myths, advocates for maintaining the status quo of public funding have been active in the media, but none of their key assertions withstand considering the historical record.

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