2025-2026 Deficit Tracking Thread.

[Hafar1014]

Does that pay off the deficit? ...

Tariffs pay off the deficit in 3 years
Tax cuts increase tax revenues

 

[White 6]

The middle class got the biggest tax cut in history

Nope. Any legislated tax cut was completely wiped out, by the new tariff taxes on imported products, by Executive order, and they pay it every day, just like American businesses that make, build or market their goods and services, ultimately passing these additional taxes on to consumers.

 

[Hafar1014]

Nope. Any legislated tax cut was completely wiped out, by the new tariff taxes on imported products, by Executive order, and they pay it every day, just like American businesses that make, build or market their goods and services, ultimately passing these additional taxes on to consumers.

False tariffs have not raised prices as inflation is slowing and in fact many prices have dropped. Manufacturers are paying the tariffs by dropping prices.
Wages are up and add the tax cuts that will increase net pay as withholding will drop and the middle class has more spending power.
Thats much better than Bidens inflation and 5 dollar a gallon gas

 

[ReinyDays]

Tariffs pay off the deficit in 3 years
Tax cuts increase tax revenues

Without bookkeeping? ...

In your post #16, you claimed the deficit is still growing ... make up your mind ...

 

[White 6]

False tariffs have not raised prices as inflation is slowing and in fact many prices have dropped. Manufacturers are paying the tariffs by dropping prices.
Wages are up and add the tax cuts that will increase net pay as withholding will drop and the middle class has more spending power.
Thats much better than Bidens inflation and 5 dollar a gallon gas

If, even true (and I doubt it), how long do you expect US manufacturers, will continue to cut margins, to eat the increased costs of operations in the new tariff tax environment, without passing the costs of good and services affected, on to the consumer. What year of business school did they teach the long term profitability of altruism, ignoring cost accounting, in the costs of goods sold, and return on investment, contrary to business plan margins? I averaged "A"s, but apparently missed it.

 

[Stryder50]

For those who like numbers/data;

https://www.usdebtclock.org/

Note the Time Machine tab in upper left; provides numbers going back to 1980.

 

[Stryder50]

If, even true (and I doubt it), how long do you expect US manufacturers, will continue to cut margins, to eat the increased costs of operations in the new tariff tax environment, without passing the costs of good and services affected, on to the consumer. What year of business school did they teach the long term profitability of altruism, ignoring cost accounting, in the costs of goods sold, and return on investment, contrary to business plan margins? I averaged "A"s, but apparently missed it.

So you are OK with other countries charging the USA tariffs but don't think we should reciprocate ???

 

[White 6]

So you are OK with other countries charging the USA tariffs but don't think we should reciprocate ???

Changing the discussion again, as not able to give an answer? I assure you, when costs increase suddenly with a new tax, somebody pays for it and accounts for it on the corporate ledgers. It certainly isn't something paid by foreign governments into US Government accounts. That only leave importers and consumers.

 

[Stryder50]

Changing the discussion again, as not able to give an answer? I assure you, when costs increase suddenly with a new tax, somebody pays for it and accounts for it on the corporate ledgers. It certainly isn't something paid by foreign governments into US Government accounts. That only leave importers and consumers.

Not changing discussion.
Just pointing out something you gloss over, ignore.
Tariffs can be flexible(negotiable) and if other nations reduce theirs because of ours, we can match their reductions.

 

[HikerGuy83]

But if the government cooks the books the same way ... wouldn't these comparisons be valid? ...

Yes, but there is no guarantee they do the same thing. Often these statements reflect specific situations such as outlays not being recorded because they were on a Saturday....blah blah blah blah.

In the end, if there is a month that looks great because of something like that, it just robbed the next month of some glory. Overall it balances out. That is why I was referencing the two months.

At the end of fiscal, all should pretty much look the same.

I am just saying, it looks good, but have a cautious tone.

A CPA friend of mine claims there's no books to cook ... what little bookkeeping that does exist can't be meshed together ... no accounting, no balancing, no auditing ... just crazy spending on crazy spending ... pork barrel CR after pork barrel CR ...

Not sure I buy that.

There is an entire agency devoted to this.

But I could be wrong.

Hillary made budget in 2000 ... been nothing but tax breaks for the Rich ever since ... well done Congress, well done indeed ...

I could not be in the same room with GWB because of this. Clinton handed him a great trajectory and he threw it away....BIG TIME with his stupid wars.

If I could hate anyone, it would be him.

 

[HikerGuy83]

Does that pay off the deficit? ...

It could indirectly.

 

[HikerGuy83]

I assure you, when costs increase suddenly with a new tax, somebody pays for it and accounts for it on the corporate ledgers.

One way or the other, the American people are going to pay for the deficit. If it's not now, it's later and whole lot miserable.

If added taxes because of tarriffs are closing the deficit, great.

A lot of that is being paid by the wealthy.

Our BIGGEST PROBLEM is congress WILL NOT REDUCE SPENDING.

 

[HikerGuy83]

Nope. Any legislated tax cut was completely wiped out, by the new tariff taxes on imported products, by Executive order, and they pay it every day, just like American businesses that make, build or market their goods and services, ultimately passing these additional taxes on to consumers.

Our deficit is down from last year.

Do you understand what those words mean?

Is that clear.

And many analysts say it is, in part, due to the tarriffs.

You got something different, put it up.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-13/us-deficit-shrank-to-1-7-trillion-in-2025-thanks-to-tariff-jump

 

[HikerGuy83]

Just did some looking.

It appears that in December we increased the federal deficit by 145 billion up to 602 billion.

That is 100 billion lower than the same three months of fiscal 2025. That gap is increasing.

Which means we are slowing the deficit.

BTW: I saw some staggering numbers from Bidens fiscal 2023 deficit (not sure I believe them). More research needed.

So good news and bad news.

A lot of it is due to tarriffs. If you look at reciepts, they are up substantially.

If we could get congress to pull it's collective head out of it's ass and reduce spending, we might go somewhere with this.

I will look for more numbers on the end of December.

 

[HikerGuy83]

Wages are up and add the tax cuts that will increase net pay as withholding will drop and the middle class has more spending power.

That's a nice dream, but can't be proven with data. It's a theoretical outcome.

We have to:

1. Cut spending where we can.
2. Raise some taxes where it won't hurt the middle class.

 

[Samofvt]

Our deficit is down from last year.

Do you understand what those words mean?

Is that clear.

And many analysts say it is, in part, due to the tarriffs.

You got something different, put it up.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-01-13/us-deficit-shrank-to-1-7-trillion-in-2025-thanks-to-tariff-jump

don't waste your breath. You could put all the facts and knowlege in front of their face you want. They are unwilling and unable to use their own senses to look for truth. Unfortunately, those are the majority of the the ones who we've let take over our government bureaucracies. It's going to take a hard spanking to get rid of them.

 

[HikerGuy83]

It's going to take a hard spanking to get rid of them.

I am ready to start wailing on them.

 

[22lcidw]

Cut people off who collect disabilities and are not disabled. A lot of cheaters. A lot of people who bent the rules to their favor.

 

[22lcidw]

Changing the discussion again, as not able to give an answer? I assure you, when costs increase suddenly with a new tax, somebody pays for it and accounts for it on the corporate ledgers. It certainly isn't something paid by foreign governments into US Government accounts. That only leave importers and consumers.

There are plenty of old taxes besides the federal income tax that affects the peasants.

 

[HikerGuy83]

Cut people off who collect disabilities and are not disabled. A lot of cheaters. A lot of people who bent the rules to their favor.

It does appear we could use some better enforcement of law in this area.