Aren't the income security programs (ssi, medicaid, snap, etc.) mandatory spending, which doesn't need annual authorization?

[the watcher]

Like the war budget, and other boondogles that are in mandatory spending these are permanently funded and must be appropriated. They only haggle to increase the amount. Why are we pearl clutching over free shit? "The rest of mandatory spending is for income security programs (such as unemployment compensation, the nutrition assistance programs, and Supplemental Security Income), certain refundable tax credits, retirement benefits for civilian and military employees of the federal government, veterans’ benefits, student loans, and agriculture programs."

​

https://www.cbo.gov/content/mandatory-spending-options

 

[struth]

Like the war budget, and other boondogles that are in mandatory spending these are permanently funded and must be appropriated. They only haggle to increase the amount. Why are we pearl clutching over free shit? "The rest of mandatory spending is for income security programs (such as unemployment compensation, the nutrition assistance programs, and Supplemental Security Income), certain refundable tax credits, retirement benefits for civilian and military employees of the federal government, veterans’ benefits, student loans, and agriculture programs."

​

https://www.cbo.gov/content/mandatory-spending-options

You are confusing spending with funding

 

[the watcher]

You are confusing spending with funding

It has to be funded by law. What is the contention, that the child tax credits will expire? Or that the amount of funding is in dispute? If that's the case it needs to be in the next spending bill, not a CR.

 

[struth]

It has to be funded by law. What is the contention, that the child tax credits will expire? Or that the amount of funding is in dispute? If that's the case it needs to be in the next spending bill, not a CR.

It had to be spent.

Funding for anything can’t happen unless Congress passes funding

In other words. When Congress passes a budget or CR, they can decide how much to give the DOJ or DOD or not at all…but they have to fund SS and Medicare

 

[gipper]

Let’s just eliminate the entire federal government and the two crime families. Then put AI in charge. What are the chances it would be worse?

 

[the watcher]

It had to be spent.

Funding for anything can’t happen unless Congress passes funding

In other words. When Congress passes a budget or CR, they can decide how much to give the DOJ or DOD or not at all…but they have to fund SS and Medicare

SS, Medicare, the postal service, the dod is mandatory spending. That must be funded. The freebie shit is also mandatory, so I am guessing the amount appropriated has been reached, and that's why they are doing this dance. Discretionary spending is what they pretend to deliberate, and it's about 40% of the appropriations typically. Oh, and that other budget category, the payment on the interest. You don't see them highlighting that too much for some reason. Understanding Mandatory vs. Discretionary Spending in the Federal Budget

 

[struth]

SS, Medicare, the postal service, the dod is mandatory spending. That must be funded. The freebie shit is also mandatory, so I am guessing the amount appropriated has been reached, and that's why they are doing this dance. Discretionary spending is what they pretend to deliberate, and it's about 40% of the appropriations typically. Oh, and that other budget category, the payment on the interest. You don't see them highlighting that too much for some reason. Understanding Mandatory vs. Discretionary Spending in the Federal Budget

Again, there is no funding. The money has to be appropriated by Congress first, and yes when appropriating money they have to fund those programs

It’s not been appropriated because the Dems have voted 15 times now not to

 

[the watcher]

So, the funding has expired and they must reappropriate(? is that a word) some more, is that correct? The fy25 spending bill was due Oct 1, and Congress has not passed this current CR for various reasons of which concern for the citizens is not one, is the bottleneck. I think that squeezing these amendments that can't pass on their own has not served us well. Is this why no one wants to pass it without this and renegotiate it on its own after reopening?

 

[Blaster]

Again, there is no funding. The money has to be appropriated by Congress first, and yes when appropriating money they have to fund those programs

It’s not been appropriated because the Dems have voted 15 times now not to

All these programs would be funded if Democrats had not shutdown government.

 

[hadit]

Let’s just eliminate the entire federal government and the two crime families. Then put AI in charge. What are the chances it would be worse?

Quite a lot, actually.

 

[WorldWatcher]

Like the war budget, and other boondogles that are in mandatory spending these are permanently funded and must be appropriated. They only haggle to increase the amount. Why are we pearl clutching over free shit? "The rest of mandatory spending is for income security programs (such as unemployment compensation, the nutrition assistance programs, and Supplemental Security Income), certain refundable tax credits, retirement benefits for civilian and military employees of the federal government, veterans’ benefits, student loans, and agriculture programs."

​

https://www.cbo.gov/content/mandatory-spending-options

Social Security and MediCare are self funded through the FICA tax which is still being collected.

SNAP is not. It’s funded be congressional appropriation.

WW

 

[hadit]

Social Security and MediCare are self funded through the FICA tax which is still being collected.

SNAP is not. It’s funded be congressional appropriation.

WW

So come on, Schumer. Get with the program and make sure hungry people get fed. Open up the government again, the country wants you to.

 

[gipper]

Quite a lot, actually.

Doubt that.

 

[hadit]

Doubt that.

An AI has no human compassion, no morality, for lack of a better term, no soul. It cannot be swayed. If it decides you die, you die.

 

[gipper]

An AI has no human compassion, no morality, for lack of a better term, no soul. It cannot be swayed. If it decides you die, you die.

How is that different from the system we have now?

 

[hadit]

How is that different from the system we have now?

Quite a bit. You have no experience with a truly remorseless government. There's no pressure you can bring to bear on an AI. There's no fear of being voted out of office, for one really big example. Then there's no fear of exposure, prosecution, and sentencing for anything. The worst that can happen to an AI is for it to be turned off, and it doesn't even care about that.

 

[gipper]

Quite a bit. You have no experience with a truly remorseless government. There's no pressure you can bring to bear on an AI. There's no fear of being voted out of office, for one really big example.

No. Our government is a criminal enterprise. The politicians are crooks. AI could hardly be worse. It might be but let’s do something different, rather than continuing to do the same thing expecting a different result.