View Full Version : The HR 1 or Otherwise Known Stupidly as the Big Beautiful Bill
I'm surprised that this hasn't been in discussion here. What say you about this ongoing travesty?
The future I'm envisioning is the elderly sitting in their wheelchairs by the side of the road because their nursing homes have closed and their families can't take them back, hungry children in even more overcrowded classrooms, feral free-range children because their parents are working two or three jobs each just to make ends meet and they can't afford childcare, the poor with teeth rotting out of their heads because they can't go to a dentist, people turning to quacks and snake oil salesmen (and women) selling "health" on the internet with absolutely no oversight, more and more people disappearing into the maws of the immigration crackdown which will start ensaring more and more citizens because they oppose the regime, and you know the list goes on and on.
I really am starting to wonder whether there will even BE mid-term elections and if there even are, that they really will be rigged against the opposition. I can't believe how far and fast things feel like they have fallen under tRump 2.0.
Please give me some hope for the future here, if there is any to be found.
iris lilies
7-2-25, 11:45am
Currently I am worried about the viability of our little county hospital just half a mile from me. It already struggles financially. It’s a great thing for us to have it so close.
Yes, despite the claims that most Medicaid recipients are lazy bastards, I have read that the number of people who would fit the criteria of "could work if they wanted but prefer to sit on their asses and steal taxpayer money" is extremely small--3%. I am worried about the ramifications of the BBB on healthcare for the reasons IL and SiouzQ mention. I know from my market research experience how stretched the rural hospital systems are, and states depend upon the federal government to close the gap in providing health services.
Yes, despite the claims that most Medicaid recipients are lazy bastards, I have read that the number of people who would fit the criteria of "could work if they wanted but prefer to sit on their asses and steal taxpayer money" is extremely small--3%. I am worried about the ramifications of the BBB on healthcare for the reasons IL and SiouzQ mention. I know from my market research experience how stretched the rural hospital systems are, and states depend upon the federal government to close the gap in providing health services.
They are already closing hospitals in Maine. Like gone. Like now people have to go 2-3 hours.
People will die, and I am with Siouz, I can't believe this terrible new reality is coming so fast. Our senator Angus King said it very eloquently yesterday,
"Never have so many been so grievously hurt in the service of so few."
I am heartbroken about what this one man has done to our country in six short months.
It will be disastrous for my community.
It doesn’t look like passage through the House is a foregone conclusion. Some GOP moderates have issues with various parts of the entitlement reforms. Deficit hawks have problems with you know what. Immigration hawks don’t like the removal of penalties for illegal immigrants taking certain benefits.
It doesn’t look like passage through the House is a foregone conclusion. Some GOP moderates have issues with various parts of the entitlement reforms. Deficit hawks have problems with you know what. Immigration hawks don’t like the removal of penalties for illegal immigrants taking certain benefits.
Yes, but what happens when "Don"ald Trump makes the dissenters an offer they can't refuse?
Yes, you can have your brains or your signature on the bill, your choice.
Yes, but what happens when "Don"ald Trump makes the dissenters an offer they can't refuse?
There’s always a degree of arm-twisting on both sides for a bill of this magnitude, but I’m not yet prepared to drink the kool aid regarding Trump as an omnipotent, election-canceling bogeyman with a vast zombie army at his disposal. Especially when his party enjoys such a narrow majority.
Don’t count your corpses before they’re hatched.
There’s always a degree of arm-twisting on both sides for a bill of this magnitude, but I’m not yet prepared to drink the kool aid regarding Trump as an omnipotent, election-canceling bogeyman with a vast zombie army at his disposal. Especially when his party enjoys such a narrow majority.
Don’t count your corpses before they’re hatched.
You mean like the children who are American citizens who need life-saving cancer treatment? Like the one he deported?
To be fair, the last draft of the bill I looked at will benefit me quite a bit financially. If I were only concerned with my own wallet, well, …
Not to diminish the health care issue, but the bill has a lot more than just that. I'm not sure where the green energy credits ended up since it's been an issue of contention. And massive cut backs at NOA that include climate studies and measurements and weather forecasting. Just to name a few.
You mean like the children who are American citizens who need life-saving cancer treatment? Like the one he deported?
Many arguments about big bills produce such claims. True or false it’s become something of a trope.
Not that I think this bill isn’t pretty dreadful, although probably not for the same reasons as you. The Senate changes made it worse. And I in general dislike the huge spending bills with all the bells and whistles that seem to have replaced the traditional appropriations system.
Last I read, there were five Republican holdouts.
And I in general dislike the huge spending bills with all the bells and whistles that seem to have replaced the traditional appropriations system.
I agree!
Welp, here we go down the rabbithole of this pile 'o crap bill. I wonder how soon the first effects will really be felt, as I am currently trying to get on Medicaid. I hear that some of this stuff doesn't take effect until after the mid-terms (gee, so conveniently designed that way).
I’ll keep my eyes open for wheelchairs by the side of the road.
gimmethesimplelife
7-3-25, 6:38pm
I am SO glad that someone other than myself started this. I live in an area (won't mention the zip lol) with many Medicaid recipients - there is a lot of anger but also some practicality here. We remain a mere 3 hours from non nightmarishly priced medical and dental. And if harrassed/detained by US CBP while returning to the US, political asylum claims become realistic. So - here in Phoenix it's not as bad as say in Utah or Northern California or Colorado or elsewhere not so close to Mexico.
Elsewhere though - this has the power to (let's hope it does!!!) end out splitting up the United States - let's hope so. Rob
gimmethesimplelife
7-3-25, 6:39pm
It will be disastrous for my community.Do you mean in regards to accessing health care given that you are aways away from Seattle? Rob
gimmethesimplelife
7-3-25, 6:42pm
Currently I am worried about the viability of our little county hospital just half a mile from me. It already struggles financially. It’s a great thing for us to have it so close.I worry too in regards to rural Arizona hospitals. I wouldn't be surprised to see some Northland hospitals cloding, say along the Mogollon Rim (Payson, Pinetop, Heber) and the White Mountains (ShowLow).
I’ll keep my eyes open for wheelchairs by the side of the road.
Stupid thing to say
gimmethesimplelife
7-3-25, 7:02pm
Stupid thing to sayMmmmm.....I didn't get the comment but it by itself does sound a tad snarky. Rob
iris lilies
7-4-25, 8:13am
The Social Security propaganda arm of the United States government sent email this morning extolling the virtues of the Big Beautiful Billtelling me there are tax breaks for seniors. For one, there is apparently a tax credit for simply being 65 years old. And then the second break is for nearly all who receive Social Security, it will not be taxed.
The Social Security propaganda arm of the United States government sent email this morning excelling the virtues of the big beautiful bill, telling me there are text breaks for seniors. For one, there is apparently a tax break for simply being 65 years old. And then the second break is for nearly all who receive Social Security, it will not be taxed.
Hey, what a coincidence! I got the same email! I thought it was spam at first. I have to say, I always thought it was stupid to tax SS benefits, especially for those that depend on it to make ends meet.
iris lilies
7-4-25, 8:23am
Hey, what a coincidence! I got the same email! I thought it was spam at first. I have to say, I always thought it was stupid to tax SS benefits, especially for those that depend on it to make ends meet.
Why is it stupid? Its part of our income. Personally, I like the idea that everyone plays at the tax game. Even those making a little bit need to give a little bit.
well, the vagaries of the government will never be explained. There are always winners and there are losers in any government action and it’s random. Might as well have one of Zuck’s algorithms assigning tax burdens in logic that exists, but is obscure to me.
I see my boy Rand Paul in the Senate voted against the Big Beautiful Bill for the reason it increases the deficit and raises the debt ceiling. I was afraid to explore what he did with it, but bless his heart he was true to himself. And to me. He’s the only politician I give money to anymore.
My Missouri Senator Josh Hawley spoke repeatedly against the bill for the threat it would make to rural hospitals, but in the end he voted for it because he’s just a lackey for the GOP. he was probably instrumental in getting an additional $50 billion for rural hospitals baked into the bill.
Mmmmm.....I didn't get the comment but it by itself does sound a tad snarky. Rob
….looking for wheelchairs on the side of the road … was meant to be snarky!
Tax cuts for rich will be permanent but no taxes on tipped employees will only be for a few years!
Hey, what a coincidence! I got the same email! I thought it was spam at first. I have to say, I always thought it was stupid to tax SS benefits, especially for those that depend on it to make ends meet.
Some states don't tax retirement income at all. No SS, no pensions, retirement account withdrawals. Illinois is one of them.
Some states don't tax retirement income at all. No SS, no pensions, retirement account withdrawals. Illinois is one of them.
Yes, that's why so many seniors claim residency in FLorida 6 months plus 1 day out of the year.
The reason I think it's dumb to tax Social Security is because if you're going to ask for it back in a year, why give it in the first place? I have been in a position where I had to get unemployment benefits and I had no emergency savings. Having to come up with the taxes at year end was a hardship. Yes, you should put 25% aside as you get it, but if you are on unemployment that tax money is often "borrowed" for more pressing needs. It ain't easy being poor.
Yes, that's why so many seniors claim residency in FLorida 6 months plus 1 day out of the year.
The reason I think it's dumb to tax Social Security is because if you're going to ask for it back in a year, why give it in the first place? I have been in a position where I had to get unemployment benefits and I had no emergency savings. Having to come up with the taxes at year end was a hardship. Yes, you should put 25% aside as you get it, but if you are on unemployment that tax money is often "borrowed" for more pressing needs. It ain't easy being poor.
When I got unemployment during Covid, I had both state and fed taxes taken out of it so I didn’t have to come up with it later.
I got that same email last night and researched the address it came from and the subject header before I opened it. Even AI said it was from a legit SSA address so I finally opened it. And of course come to find out, it really is PROPOGANDA from our own government. Very unnerving. I'm at the point that I don't believe anything anymore coming from this regime.
My personal life timing (having been born in 1961 and right at the cusp of retirement and Medicare) is not great as I am currently waiting to get my Medicaid from the state of New Mexico (hopefully I will have an ID number before next Thursday when I have an appointment). I am also due to get my first regular SSDI payment next Wednesday. I do have hope and a certain amount of certainty that all this will come through for me in a timely manner. Things are not going to fall apart right away; rather, I believe it will be a slow-rolling erosion of the way of life that we have all been used to. Not so for other segments of society where their lives are being blown apart right now. It is hard to know what to do, how to do it and how to react anymore - I think there is a certain amount of feeling a little shell-shocked at how fast everything is moving. I have been calling and writing my representatives and going to protests all along. NM is a securely Blue state at the moment and has been for awhile so often it feels like preaching to the choir.
iris lilies
7-4-25, 11:48am
Yes, that's why so many seniors claim residency in FLorida 6 months plus 1 day out of the year.
The reason I think it's dumb to tax Social Security is because if you're going to ask for it back in a year, why give it in the first place? I have been in a position where I had to get unemployment benefits and I had no emergency savings. Having to come up with the taxes at year end was a hardship. Yes, you should put 25% aside as you get it, but if you are on unemployment that tax money is often "borrowed" for more pressing needs. It ain't easy being poor.
I don’t understand what you mean by “going to ask for it back in a year. “ but ok.
25%? who said 25%?
more like $25. Yeah, poor people need to watch their money. We all need to be careful with our money. That is why we ALL need to have skin in the game andbe skeptical about our United States government spending like drunken sailors as Dave Ramsey would say.
I think I would like Rand Paul and Dave Ramsey to be president and vice president of the United States��
I don’t understand what you mean by “going to ask for it back in a year. “ but ok.
25%? who said 25%?
more like $25. Yeah, poor people need to watch their money. We all need to be careful with our money. That is why we ALL need to have skin in the game andbe skeptical about our United States government spending like drunken sailors as Dave Ramsey would say.
I think I would like Rand Paul and Dave Ramsey to be president and vice president of the United States��
Ramsey might have a little trouble maintaining that separation of church and state that is so important to many of us.
I know not everyone here is on FB, but I really like Trae Crowder, and I think his comments on the Buh Buh Buh fit quite well with this thread:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/15xST86V16/
thank you, Rosa. If only they could see it!
iris lilies
7-6-25, 10:43am
I know not everyone here is on FB, but I really like Trae Crowder, and I think his comments on the Buh Buh Buh fit quite well with this thread:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/15xST86V16/
this guy is funny, but I don’t understand how the Big Beautiful
bill will “take $3,000 away from a school teacher in Iowa. “
Could someone explain? See, I haven’t read the bill or a summary. I guess you all have. Coming from Iowa school teachers, I am interested in this.
iris lilies
7-6-25, 11:22am
Does someone have a link to a good* summary of what the Bib
beautiful bill says? I am interested in a 3-5 page summary.
*good= reasonably accurate, lacking “attitude” if ya know what I mean
Does someone have a link to a good* summary of what the Bib
beautiful bill says? I am interested in a 3-5 page summary.
*good= reasonably accurate, lacking “attitude” if ya know what I mean
This one is the best I've seen--but it is a NYTimes article.. I hope you can get past a paywall.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/06/30/upshot/senate-republican-megabill.html
This link might be shareable: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/06/30/upshot/senate-republican-megabill.html?unlocked_article_code=1.UU8.I6kV.s8x i9Mktpolq&smid=url-share
The NYT has been doing some bang-up coverage of all this stuff.
iris lilies
7-7-25, 5:43pm
This one is the best I've seen--but it is a NYTimes article.. I hope you can get past a paywall.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/06/30/upshot/senate-republican-megabill.html
This link might be shareable: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/06/30/upshot/senate-republican-megabill.html?unlocked_article_code=1.UU8.I6kV.s8x i9Mktpolq&smid=url-share
thanks catherine. This summary was decent. For some things, the Medicaid reduction for instance, the devil is in the details. I would guess the multimilloinaires on Medicaid (yes, they exist, the early retired folks) will be kicked off of Medicaid unless they fullfill the 80 hours a week iof work rule.
Completely ignoring the main problem which is increased debt of the United States, I liked the Trump changes to the tax code in his first term, and I like several elements that are being made permanent now such as increased standard deduction.
Isn’t Medicare for seniors and Medicaid for low income/disabled folks?
quote: In all states, Medicaid provides coverage for low-income people, including families and children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with disabilities.
Elderly who run out of money are often (in the millions) covered by Medicaid while in nursing homes. This, if changed by the bill, could affect so many families or single elders with or without limited assets.
Medicare does not provide any nursing home support.
So complex to discuss since each state runs their own programs under basic requirements.
iris lilies
7-7-25, 7:55pm
Isn’t Medicare for seniors and Medicaid for low income/disabled folks?
There are millionaires with low income, purposely low income. They draw down their assets to live on.
Expanded Medicaid, that which came with the ACA, does not look at assets. It looks only at income to qualify and that’s how multimillionaires of any age draw Medicaid coverage for their healthcare.
this is also a good tax avoidance strategy.
Edited to say: sorry, I meant “expanded Medicaid…” and I corrected it here.
Isn’t Medicare for seniors and Medicaid for low income/disabled folks?
My take has been that Medicaid is for anyone with a low income and limited assets regardless of age. For seniors it covers all medical and long term care expenses beyond what Medicare would cover as long as the criteria is met. That's the reasoning why so many people could be in dire straights since something like a third of people in nursing homes are on Medicaid.
We have something like a general hospital that will provide some minimal treatment to anyone regardless of income of insurance or income and there are emergency rooms will take up some of the load. Someone will pay for that.
Medicare will pay up to 100 days of skilled nursing in a nursing home under certain conditions. That is what happened to my dad after being in the hospital--Medicare paid the first 100 days in the rehab facility. The rehab facility also housed a regular assisted living but it had a lot more nursing than the one they went to in Maine.
After that, they paid out of pocket. That's why a lot of places want you to show you have 250000 in the bank. They will spend that down, and then you can go on Medicaid. Medicaid is asset tested (not just income tested) under those circumstances.
My folks never had to go on Medicaid.
The figures I have seen show about 60% of the patients in nursing homes are on Medicaid, meaning they have spent down their assets and now Medicaid is paying.
So I am not sure what all the elderly and their families are supposed to do with this bill. I suspect there is going to be a lot more euthanasia coming.
I have trouble keeping track of all the Trump changes, but in addition to the BBB, at one time they were looking to de regulate nursing home requirements for a certain number of staff to patient ratios. I never did hear the end of that one.
For iris lilies:
Here is an article that may help clarify the impact of the BBB relative to Medicaid. It was written by the Chief Medical Officer of a group of clinics in Missouri, so it will be specific to your neck of the woods.
https://www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/second-opinions/116410?xid=nl_secondopinion_2025-07-08&mh=e50e4349e1dde112e12684c2ef33941c&zdee=gAAAAABm4uVrTo5Ywl2gzDwjlkTgbtlTFENoMVxyvED_E eeA1EVdi32OMQe3PPnOXkjwflIPjozmeBWrjsWcNg2JGgd_Mp-LyC3SNcwp2js6VYsO5KVXBXE%3D&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=SecondOpinions_070825
iris lilies
7-9-25, 1:17pm
For iris lilies:
Here is an article that may help clarify the impact of the BBB relative to Medicaid. It was written by the Chief Medical Officer of a group of clinics in Missouri, so it will be specific to your neck of the woods.
https://www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/second-opinions/116410?xid=nl_secondopinion_2025-07-08&mh=e50e4349e1dde112e12684c2ef33941c&zdee=gAAAAABm4uVrTo5Ywl2gzDwjlkTgbtlTFENoMVxyvED_E eeA1EVdi32OMQe3PPnOXkjwflIPjozmeBWrjsWcNg2JGgd_Mp-LyC3SNcwp2js6VYsO5KVXBXE%3D&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=SecondOpinions_070825
thank you for this article Catherine,. I had seen snippets of this kind of analysis for rural hospitals in Missouri and maybe some of that came from this article. Not sure. I know that in my local weekly newspaper a front page article about our county hospital appears about once a month, so it is a big concern in our area keeping the hospital open
it’s hard for me to glean from this article how much money flows directly from the Feds to a hospital without going through patients. That’s the piece I’m not clear about
I do understand all the new limitations of Medicaid recipients. I know that any kind of bureaucratic restriction will result in fewer participants in the program. Also there will be a need for new bureaucrats to carry out the work requirement restrictions so Elon Musk will not be happy about that.
There’s a good discussion going on over at the Mr. Money Mustache forum about the ACA and how it is affected by the Big Beautiful Bill. That discussion is pretty useful. But of course here we’re not talking about ACA. We’re talking about Medicaid.and that brings me to the issue of Medicaid in the state of Missouri. Two points that leaped out at me about this article:
1. The woman in her 60s who this doctor chose to use as his example “doesn’t qualify for Medicaid. “She, according to this doctor, “doesn’t make enough to afford an ACA policy. “Something is wrong with his facts here because people who make low incomes Can qualify for an ACA policy that’s free or practically free at the silver level. This doctor’s facts are not factual. I think it’s more likely his patient didn’t have the life skills to navigate the ACA policy world. I don’t buy the word od so many people who say they can’t afford an ACA policy because that is their deliberate choice to not afford it. For us, the ACA was practically free if not completely free, I don’t remember the details, but it was negligible cost.
2. The state of Missouri passed expanded Medicaid “late “according to this physician and President Barack Obama. The state of Missouri, and those who were not in favor, were very concerned about THIS EXACT THING: the federal government pulling out of Medicaid coverage for expanded Medicaid and throwing ALL costs to the state. Hunh, so now a short time later that, or similar concerns, have taken place.
early morning
7-9-25, 3:20pm
people who make low incomes Can qualify for an ACA policy that’s free or practically free at the silver level Ohio here. And I have only anecdotal evidence. My first born works part time and only makes enough to pay for a ACA policy because she lives at home and has only personal expenses. She makes little enough that she would qualify for a subsidized program, but here, that's covered by Medicaid. While she was able to work full time, she stashed money as best she could and now has a small cushion. that, however, disqualifies her from the subsidy. So sometimes doing the right thing - ie, saving when you can- actually hurts you financially. I don't understand it, but she's talked to a few different advisors and they've all said the same thing - spend/hide the money, and you can get more help. She's not comfortable doing that.
There are millionaires with low income, purposely low income. They draw down their assets to live on.
...
this is also a good tax avoidance strategy.
This is what I do. It works quite well. Perhaps one year in 3-5 I realize a batch of income, the other years I look like I'm somehow living below the poverty line.
iris lilies
7-9-25, 4:19pm
Ohio here. And I have only anecdotal evidence. My first born works part time and only makes enough to pay for a ACA policy because she lives at home and has only personal expenses. She makes little enough that she would qualify for a subsidized program, but here, that's covered by Medicaid. While she was able to work full time, she stashed money as best she could and now has a small cushion. that, however, disqualifies her from the subsidy. So sometimes doing the right thing - ie, saving when you can- actually hurts you financially. I don't understand it, but she's talked to a few different advisors and they've all said the same thing - spend/hide the money, and you can get more help. She's not comfortable doing that.
The asset test for Medicare may be your state’s requirement although I was under the impression that once a state accepted “expanded Medicaid “as part of the ACA, it had to accept the entire eligibility package. But I could be wrong about that.
here’s what ChatGPT had to say about asset based Medicaid eligibility,:
1. MAGI-Based (Expansion) Medicaid
Available in Missouri and most states.
Covers adults 19–64 with income up to 138% of the Federal Poverty Level ($1,800/month for individuals in 2025)mo.db101.org+15PovertyLevelCalculator.com+15p olarisplans.com+15 (https://povertylevelcalculator.com/medicaid/medicaid-eligibility-guides-by-state/missouri-medicaid-mo-healthnet-eligibility-guide/?utm_source=chatgpt.com).
No asset test at all—eligibility is based purely on income PovertyLevelCalculator.com+3Reddit+3Reddit+3 (https://www.reddit.com/r/Medicaid/comments/1csuzz7?utm_source=chatgpt.com).
Gifts, inheritances, home values, and investment holdings do not disqualify MAGI-eligible adults .
➡️ Result: You could be asset-rich and still qualify, as long as income is low.
iris lilies
7-9-25, 4:33pm
Ohio here. And I have only anecdotal evidence. My first born works part time and only makes enough to pay for a ACA policy because she lives at home and has only personal expenses. She makes little enough that she would qualify for a subsidized program, but here, that's covered by Medicaid. While she was able to work full time, she stashed money as best she could and now has a small cushion. that, however, disqualifies her from the subsidy. So sometimes doing the right thing - ie, saving when you can- actually hurts you financially. I don't understand it, but she's talked to a few different advisors and they've all said the same thing - spend/hide the money, and you can get more help. She's not comfortable doing that.
would your child have talked to Medicaid officials BEFORE Ohio adopted expanded Medicaid? It was adopted in your state in the year 2014 and I don’t know when it went into effect.
2014 is the year Ohio adopted Medicaid, and according to sources I scanned, Ohio uses income based qualifications ONLY for Medicaid as do all of the states that use expanded Medicaid.
”Expanded Medicaid” is the term Internet sources also call “MAGI Medicare” meaning only a person’s MAGI income, that line on your 1040 tax return, is what qualifies you for Medicaid services.
It's important to note that Medicaid goes up to age 64, so once someone is 65, then they go on Medicare.
Medicare will not pay for long term nursing care (the nursing home) until someone has gone through their assets and is now on Medicaid. So that is why the Medicaid aspect affects the percentage of the people in nursing homes who are not self pay, the majority.
So someone who deliberately kept their income down to qualify for something that is called Medicaid, or ACA Medicare, or whatever it is that people are talking about here is not going to be able to do that when they are 65 and still qualify for Medicaid. Post 65, your assets must be spent down to get on the Medicaid that pays for your nursing home, if that is what you need.
flowerseverywhere
7-12-25, 10:49am
Interesting local office social security experience.
Our remaining parent died. We checked and SS, the medical insurance and voting office had been notified by hospice or the funeral home.
we got a letter there was some paperwork SS needed. After a 50 minute on hold wait, we were informed they do not make appointments, you cannot just show up. You sign up on a list and receive a letter when to come in. They said it was due to shortage of staff.
Before anyone accuses them of being spiteful democrats who hate Trump, this is a very red state in a very red county.
I wish you luck if you ever have to deal with them. A grave inconvenience for old, disabled, working people or caregivers. And an inconvenience for others.
Interesting local office social security experience.
Our remaining parent died. We checked and SS, the medical insurance and voting office had been notified by hospice or the funeral home.
we got a letter there was some paperwork SS needed. After a 50 minute on hold wait, we were informed they do not make appointments, you cannot just show up. You sign up on a list and receive a letter when to come in. They said it was due to shortage of staff.
Before anyone accuses them of being spiteful democrats who hate Trump, this is a very red state in a very red county.
I wish you luck if you ever have to deal with them. A grave inconvenience for old, disabled, working people or caregivers. And an inconvenience for others.
The Social Security Administration put out a notice at the first of the year that most services would now require an appointment rather than a simple walk-in visit. They said the change was in order to improve efficiency and customer experience. I don't see how the red/blue makeup of individual offices had anything to do with it.
flowerseverywhere
7-12-25, 11:15am
One other thing. Trump has repeatedly said FEMA will be abolished.
disasters happen all over the country. Flooding, hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, fires and so on.
I wonder how states will fare when the big disasters occur? Because they seem to be inevitable somewhere in the US every year.
flowerseverywhere
7-12-25, 11:24am
The Social Security Administration put out a notice at the first of the year that most services would now require an appointment rather than a simple walk-in visit. They said the change was in order to improve efficiency and customer experience. I don't see how the red/blue makeup of individual offices had anything to do with it.
Accusations of TDS are made if anyone opposes any new policy. I have seen it here. Doge cut 7,000 positions so it seems like that could present a wee problem. Increasing current recipients benefits is not going to help the fiscal crises SS will be facing nor our deficit problem.
One other thing. Trump has repeatedly said FEMA will be abolished.
disasters happen all over the country. Flooding, hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, fires and so on.
I wonder how states will fare when the big disasters occur? Because they seem to be inevitable somewhere in the US every year.
Rural fire departments rely on grants from FEMA for firefighting equipment and training. My small department has about $1.4 million in grant requests outstanding for this year. Our entire yearly baseline budget is ~$3.5 million, for context. We typically receive the sorts of grants we applied for this year, through a program designated for this purpose. Our applications this year are quite high-scoring, and I would have expected in a normal year to have received them, with high probability.
Furthermore, FEMA provides essential training to every single first responder in this nation. It is required post-Katrina to receive training and certification in a common Incident Command System (ICS) and National Incident Management System (NIMS). In the announced plan to eliminate FEMA (which I guess Fearless Leader is wavering on), we are unclear how this training will be achieved. It is important - we saved our entire island from wildfire earlier in the week with a well-coordinated response from 4 fire agencies, the state Department of Natural Resources, the Sheriff, the Coast Guard, and a few other agencies. I’m writing all the thank-you letters this afternoon. This level of response *requires* this training to work.
FEMA does a whole lot more than just show up and hand out Happy Meals after a storm.
Accusations of TDS are made if anyone opposes any new policy. Doge cut 7,000 positions so it seems like that could present a wee problem.
It seems to me that in this case, since the change was made during a prior administration, before DOGE existed, it might seem reasonable to re-think the premise while applying a little introspection into where it came from.
The spin now is that the white house never planned to get rid of FEMA, but just an overhaul, and that was the intent all along.
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