‘I Didn’t Vote for This’: A Revolt Against DOGE Cuts, Deep in Trump Country

[TheTone]

Well gas technically has but its been extremely flat all year which honestly is a win compared to everything else isn't it? Especially when you compare what happened in the first 1.5 years in the previous administration
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For me it has basically bounced around the same range between 3.20 and 3.50 for the past few years. Lowest I have seen locally this year is $3.20. I think my prices have more to do with local stations gouging people since I can drive any direction, except into Washington, and pay less

 

[Big Fin]

Yes, this thread strays into politics because politicians want to use our issues as currency for repaying political favors.

I wish it was different. I hate how the veneer of tribal politics makes it so hard to have serious discussions about very important topics impacting public land hunting. But, that’s how the swamp hogs view our issues so we have no choice but to engage.

 

[Elkmagnet]

As a side note.
My favorite outdoor areas will now have a Qatar airforce base with fighter jets training over head.
That may be a political favor that gets the land transfer moving for Russ.

 

[406dn]

Season's winding down, fire up the political threads!

Reading political discussions around here is like watching the Cowboys play football. "Surely it won't be so bad this tim- ah, dang it."

This depends on how much you like the Cowboys. I actually have enjoyed some of their games.

 

[Gulf of America]

Diesel is down. The price of boats and coke is up a lot though

I actually think coke prices are at historic lows. Probably because the boats we're (illegally) bombing are supplying coke to Europe, not the US.

 

[Nameless Range]

Seeing Terry take a fair bit of flack on social media for taking part in the article in the OP, and thinking about this thread, I think if folks are to change their minds on things it is a tightrope to walk when communicating the outcomes of their decisions. I just don't know if "I told you so!" is the right tack to take with this kind of stuff, even though it was entirely predictable. Not saying I know the best way to go about it, but focusing on the current outcomes sans any blame of the electorate seems a better path to persuasion than proclamations of culpability.

 

[westbranch]

Let you know after I do my taxes with this new 25k tax credit I got

Overtime? The thing to remember is that it is a deduction, not a credit. Max savings for people not getting phased out is at 24% federal rate, so $6,000. And I think some people are overestimating the deduction since only the "half" of "time and a half" pay qualifies for the deduction. I was just looking at some payroll reports and saw someone getting paid $25/hr and has 800+ hours of overtime this year. Their paystub will report ~52k of regular pay and ~32k of overtime pay. Their deduction will be just under $11k assuming no other phaseouts and save about $2,500 fed taxes. I wouldn't be surprised if this person looks at their paystubs and thinks they will qualify for the full $25k.

And the overtime must be paid under FLSA (federal laws), not state laws or a collective bargaining agreement.

For Idaho residents it will be interesting to see if the state conforms to the OT deduction (and other OBBB changes) with the current budget issue.

 

[cgasner1]

Overtime? The thing to remember is that it is a deduction, not a credit. Max savings for people not getting phased out is at 24% federal rate, so $6,000. And I think some people are overestimating the deduction since only the "half" of "time and a half" pay qualifies for the deduction. I was just looking at some payroll reports and saw someone getting paid $25/hr and has 800+ hours of overtime this year. Their paystub will report ~52k of regular pay and ~32k of overtime pay. Their deduction will be just under $11k assuming no other phaseouts and save about $2,500 fed taxes. I wouldn't be surprised if this person looks at their paystubs and thinks they will qualify for the full $25k.

For Idaho residents it will be interesting to see if the state conforms to the OT deduction (and other OBBB changes) with the current budget issue.

Well I looked at my pay stub this morning and let me put it to you this way I’m not over estimating shit I’ll be getting that 25k deduction

 

[SAJ-99]

I just don't know if "I told you so!" is the right tack to take with this kind of stuff, even though it was entirely predictable.

I ask this honestly, what is the right tack? Humility, empathy, and self-reflection are not popular human qualities, particularly these days. Hence the saying, it is easer to fool people than convince them they have been fooled. Do these people want sympathy, and maybe a check? In many of these areas people affiliate with a political party stronger than a religion. My view, it seems these days most people just want to be stroked and told they are amazing. I say let the pain continue. Learning life lessons is often painful.

 

[Irrelevant]

From the article:
In March, Trump signed an executive order to increase logging on public lands. But DOGE cut many of the agency employees needed to administer the timber sales for logging, and for thinning and fire mitigation. If there’s no one to administer the sales, then private forestry contractors like the forester I spoke to can’t execute those projects.

This is a clear example of the people we elected not having a clue how the gov't actually operates on a day-to-day, week-to-week, project-to-project level. It's why I argue that it's not wise to metaphorically hire a plumber to do your electrical work. And that vilifying politicians and constantly thinking that bringing in new people, who have no idea how this works, is somehow better, leads to worse outcomes for us. Yes, lifetime politicians are a bit sleezy, often associated with some graft, and about as honest as a toddler with cookie crumbs on their lips, but at least they know what they're doing, and can, and do, get things accomplished if we press them hard enough.

 

[Irrelevant]

I ask this honestly, what is the right tack? Humility, empathy, and self-reflection are not popular human qualities, particularly these days. Hence the saying, it is easer to fool people than convince them they have been fooled. Do these people want sympathy, and maybe a check? In many of these areas people affiliate with a political party stronger than a religion. My view, it seems these days most people just want to be stroked and told they are amazing. I say let the pain continue. Learning life lessons is often painful.

For the people you are alluding to, there is no lesson to be learned. It's an experience to be endured, it may test their faith in their politics, but they will simply endure until they can blame the other tribe.

 

[westbranch]

Well I looked at my pay stub this morning and let me put it to you this way I’m not over estimating shit I’ll be getting that 25k deduction

Can't beat that. Any of it paid under a CBA?
And obligatory gif when talking about deductions:

 

[Treeshark]

This is a clear example of the people we elected not having a clue how the gov't actually operates on a day-to-day, week-to-week, project-to-project level.

Agreed.

To add: it’s hard to imagine a scenario in which the local/state government would not have better line-of-sight to manage things like this in a much better and more efficient manner than the feds have.

 

[Irrelevant]

Agreed.

To add: it’s hard to imagine a scenario in which the local/state government would not have better line-of-sight to manage things like this in a much better and more efficient manner than the feds have.

While I initially bristled at your comment, because it's horsehit, in this instance, I can't disagree.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Folks trying to make the argument that Trump voters shouldn’t be complaining about his policies because they should have known what they were getting should probably consider what that kind of logic would mean if Harris had won and the shoe were on the other foot.

Do I like what the Trump administration has done to public land management? Not at all. Did I like what the Biden/Harris administration did with their lack of security for our borders? Even less. Those lax border policies were directly related to my daughter nearly loosing her life at the hands of a criminal who has committed numerous felonies while being here in the US illegally. Yet, it never occurred to me to blame Biden/Harris voters for her assault.

Anyone looking at our past and current options for executive leadership and thinking there aren’t going to be serious failures of good governance for the benefit of Americans if either candidate were elected is delusional.

The only way I can see that we don’t get the metaphorical shaft with either party in power is to stay active and engaged in advocacy for good policy regardless of which party personality is in office.

 

[Matthew57]

From the article:
In March, Trump signed an executive order to increase logging on public lands. But DOGE cut many of the agency employees needed to administer the timber sales for logging, and for thinning and fire mitigation. If there’s no one to administer the sales, then private forestry contractors like the forester I spoke to can’t execute those projects.

This is a clear example of the people we elected not having a clue how the gov't actually operates on a day-to-day, week-to-week, project-to-project level. It's why I argue that it's not wise to metaphorically hire a plumber to do your electrical work. And that vilifying politicians and constantly thinking that bringing in new people, who have no idea how this works, is somehow better, leads to worse outcomes for us. Yes, lifetime politicians are a bit sleezy, often associated with some graft, and about as honest as a toddler with cookie crumbs on their lips, but at least they know what they're doing, and can, and do, get things accomplished if we press them hard enough.

That passage from the article stuck out big time to me as well. I agree in general with your assessment about experience/qualifications. However, there's another section in the article which immediately follows:

In addition, the U.S. no longer has the infrastructure to process the increased timber mandated by the executive order, and the government doesn’t appear to be investing in resurrecting it.

My thinking when I read that was it highlights a broader problem with the country. I'm reminded of the recent stories we've seen about timber producers being shut down. It seems to me like this is more of a generational failure, perhaps one that was allowed to happen by the political class.

 

[Irrelevant]

Folks trying to make the argument that Trump voters shouldn’t be complaining about his policies because they should have known what they were getting should probably consider what that kind of logic would mean if Harris had won and the shoe were on the other foot.

Do I like what the Trump administration has done to public land management? Not at all. Did I like what the Biden/Harris administration did with their lack of security for our borders? Even less. Those lax border policies were directly related to my daughter nearly loosing her life at the hands of a criminal who has committed numerous felonies while being here in the US illegally. Yet, it never occurred to me to blame Biden/Harris voters for her assault.

Anyone looking at our past and current options for executive leadership and thinking there aren’t going to be serious failures of good governance for the benefit of Americans if either candidate were elected is delusional.

The only way I can see that we don’t get the metaphorical shaft with either party in power is to stay active and engaged in advocacy for good policy regardless of which party personality is in office.

We are all a product of our experiences. I have several friends that are either orchardists or in the orchardist support industry, who not only have to contend with market volatility and natural weather events limiting their livelihoods but now also labor shortages. One had to sell the family farm this year. Another made zero money and is buying Christmas gifts on an operating loan hoping he can make it one more year.

Our complete lack of a coherent legal immigration policy/plan which led to more illegal immigration is a far bigger concern for me than who's walking across the Sonoran Desert. You can't automate picking cherries.

 

[Laszlo Cravensworth]

Folks trying to make the argument that Trump voters shouldn’t be complaining about his policies because they should have known what they were getting should probably consider what that kind of logic would mean if Harris had won and the shoe were on the other foot.

Do I like what the Trump administration has done to public land management? Not at all. Did I like what the Biden/Harris administration did with their lack of security for our borders? Even less. Those lax border policies were directly related to my daughter nearly loosing her life at the hands of a criminal who has committed numerous felonies while being here in the US illegally. Yet, it never occurred to me to blame Biden/Harris voters for her assault.

Anyone looking at our past and current options for executive leadership and thinking there aren’t going to be serious failures of good governance for the benefit of Americans if either candidate were elected is delusional.

The only way I can see that we don’t get the metaphorical shaft with either party in power is to stay active and engaged in advocacy for good policy regardless of which party personality is in office.

We are all a product of our experiences. I have several friends that are either orchardists or in the orchardist support industry, who not only have to contend with market volatility and natural weather events limiting their livelihoods but now also labor shortages. One had to sell the family farm this year. Another made zero money and is buying Christmas gifts on an operating loan hoping he can make it one more year.

Our complete lack of a coherent legal immigration policy/plan which led to more illegal immigration is a far bigger concern for me than who's walking across the Sonoran Desert. You can't automate picking cherries.

The Biden administration had reduced border crossings from the peak by something like 80% by the time he left office. Congressional gridlock is the real problem here though.