Elections

Like him or not, Bernie's always good for a laugh.

searcher said:

Did Trump Promise DOGE or Tariff Dividend Checks?​

May 16, 2026 · Donald Trump repeatedly floated and publicly promised two kinds of “dividend” checks — a $5,000 “DOGE dividend” …

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The entire DOGE program was scuttled by the Dems.

So were the tariffs. Courts made him refund it, remember?

What I want to know is, how many of the "highly principled" people who are against everything Trump tries to do, will be refusing any gov check they might happen to get, on those same high principles?

Joe King said:

The entire DOGE program was scuttled by the Dems.

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Why the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Closed​

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) — a high-profile cost-cutting initiative launched by President Donald Trump in January 2025 — officially shut down on July 4, 2026, eight months ahead of its scheduled end date Times Now. The closure came after Elon Musk, who had been appointed as a “special government employee” to lead the agency, left Washington in May 2025 TIME+1.

Key Reasons for the Shutdown​

1. Musk’s departure and lack of progress
Musk’s 130‑day contract expired in May 2025, and he had not come close to achieving his publicly stated $1 trillion deficit reduction target TIME. Tensions between Musk and Trump over his “One Big Beautiful Bill” and other policy disagreements reportedly worsened, leading to a breakdown in their working relationship TIME.

2. Political and political‑style controversies
DOGE’s aggressive measures — including mass layoffs, contract cancellations, and agency closures — drew criticism from Democrats and some Republicans for overreach, lack of oversight, and potential legal or ethical concerns Yahoo Finance. Critics questioned whether the promised $2 trillion in savings was realistic, with the administration later claiming only about $215 billion in savings Times Now.

3. Internal dysfunction and public backlash
Staff reportedly packed up and left before the end date, and tensions rose between Trump and Musk in June 2025 Yahoo Finance. The initiative’s rapid, top‑down approach and minimal stakeholder input fueled skepticism about transparency and accountability Yahoo Finance.

4. Absorption into other agencies
After the shutdown, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) confirmed DOGE no longer existed as a centralized entity, with most of its functions absorbed into OPM and the Office of Management and Budget TIME. The White House said it would continue pursuing DOGE’s goals, but without issuing a final performance report Times Now.

Legacy​

DOGE’s closure left its legacy sharply contested: supporters credited it with some efficiency gains and deregulation, while opponents saw it as politically driven, poorly executed, and lacking verifiable results Times Now. The initiative’s abrupt end underscored the fragility of politically charged, high‑profile government projects.

Joe King said:

So were the tariffs. Courts made him refund it, remember?

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The tariffs are still on going, as you're well aware of as per your posts in the Tracking Trump's Tariffs and Turbulent Trade Talks thread. lol

As for the refunds you're right but the refunds went to big business not the little guy.

Joe King said:

What I want to know is, how many of the "highly principled" people who are against everything Trump tries to do, will be refusing any gov check they might happen to get, on those same high principles?

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Don't know about "highly principled" people but I'll be more than happy to accept any government check I might get.

And while we're on the subject, would you care to donate to the Give Searcher Money Fund? R or D, doesn't matter, all are free to donate. Send me a pm and I'll let you know where to send the $$$. Once I get the $$$ I'll say a prayer that will bring blessing upon you and yours.

searcher said:

Musk’s departure and lack of progress

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Musk departed due to his company being attacked by people burning and vandalizing his company because they were against what he was trying to.

Democrats were also fighting everything DOGE tried to do.

Edited to add: surely you remember the fear mongering about how Musk was gonna cut everyone's SS, yes?
.....and remember the DOGE guy who got attacked and beaten because he was simply doing his job and trying to help the gov cut waste and fraud?

Idiot Dems who rely on cheating and corruption were the responsible party that ended DOGE.

searcher said:

The tariffs are still on going, as you're well aware of as per your posts in the Tracking Trump's Tariffs and Turbulent Trade Talks thread. lol

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Dems used the courts to force it stop.

Had to give refunds to companies who paid those tariffs.

You posted about it yourself, and cheered that the money had to be given back.

Now you say that that never happened?

searcher said:

Don't know about "highly principled" people but I'll be more than happy to accept any government check I might get.

And while we're on the subject, would you care to donate to the Give Searcher Money Fund? R or D, doesn't matter, all are free to donate. Send me a pm and I'll let you know where to send the $$$. Once I get the $$$ I'll say a prayer that will bring blessing upon you and yours.

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IMHO, anyone keeping the money isn't helping anything other than themselves at the expense of their own future selves.

Keeping it is just a symptom of the general public not giving a shit about what's actually good for the nation. Only seeing what can they get from it.