Who Ran the biden White House?
White House aides reveal who really ran the country as Biden slid mentally
When it came to getting directive from the president, former senior cabinet aides told the WSJ that a “top-down” approach was used. Rather than discussing policy and direction with the cabinet officials, the White House would issue directives for each agency, the WSJ reported. It was a system that made it hard for the cabinet officials, the sources told the outlet, “to discern to what degree Biden was insulated because of his age versus his preference for a powerful inner circle.”
“If I had an issue or I needed attention on something, I had multiple avenues to explore to raise the issue,” Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told the outlet. “You don’t always have to raise the issue with the president.”
Rather than meeting with Biden (who held nine cabinet meetings in four years), cabinet members typically met with the president’s advisers, including national security adviser Jake Sullivan and economic adviser Lee Brainard, the outlet reported. From there, the advisers would bring the meeting notes to the president and then report back to the cabinet official, former administration officials told the WSJ.
Despite Treasury secretaries typically meeting with the president more frequently than others, the WSJ reported that Secretary Janet Yellen was kept at “an arm’s length relationship” and rather than dealing with Biden, typically was in touch with his advisers instead, according to people familiar with the interactions.
Though always able to get a meeting with Biden, even Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin experienced a more distant relationship with the president as the years went on, the WSJ reported. Over the last two years, Austin’s invitations to regularly brief the president decreased and solo meetings with Biden became rare and typically virtual, according to the outlet.
Bates denied that there had been any change in Austin and Biden’s relationship and frequency of meetings to the WSJ. A Pentagon spokesperson told the outlet that Austin typically called Biden on different defense matters.
Aides also worked to keep Biden buttoned up on the campaign trail.
When it came to private events, donors were “shocked” when officials told them that they would not be getting a “free ranging question-and-answer session,” the WSJ reported. Instead, donors were told to send in a couple of questions they had and they were later given notecards on questions to ask the president, according to the outlet.
The White House told the WSJ that it was typical for staff to help walk high-ranking officials through events.
Some lawmakers remarked to the WSJ about their lack of relationship and ability to talk to the president.
Independent West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin told the outlet that the president’s staff play a much bigger role in day-to-day operations than he had seen from previous presidencies.
“They were going, ‘I’ll take care of that,’” Manchin said.
https://readlion.com/white-house-aides- … -mentally/I’d like to share my own view: I believe America has openly witnessed Joe Biden’s cognitive and physical decline. It’s been hard to ignore. From the way he walks now, slow and stiff, falling as he goes upstairs, to how he speaks, often softly, with words that run together, it’s clear to me that something has changed. I remember watching him during the presidential debate in 2024, and it was honestly painful. He seemed lost at times, confused, giving rambling responses that didn’t add up. That was a moment I think a lot of people realized he was struggling.
There were other moments, too, like when he introduced President Zelenskyy as “President Putin,” or when he confused his running mate with his opponent. I don’t say this to mock him. I say it because I believe it's obvious, and it’s something that anyone working closely with him had to have noticed long before the public did.
What bothers me even more is that many who were around him—people like Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer- were defending his health the whole time. They said he was sharp, capable, and energetic. But now, many of them have gone silent. Some are even coming forward, admitting they knew he was slipping. That feels dishonest.
I also can’t help but wonder why more people didn’t speak up earlier. If the signs were this clear to the public, surely those around him saw it too. Yet instead of putting the country first, it felt like they protected the image at all costs. That doesn’t sit right with me.Let dying old men do so in peace. Biden had his time, and we watched sadly as he struggled.
Those who propped him up, the many individuals acting as crutches and veils to cover the decline, they should be held accountable for their deceit of the American people.I would support a full investigation into who knew of his mental decline and when did they know it.
WHO ran the White House under biden?
WHO made the decisions?
WHO decided how and where to enact policies?
For four years we had a cognitively impaired person as the most powerful person in the world because of the lies and deceit of the democrats.
He wasn't running things because he couldn't.
There needs to be ACCOUNTABILITY for this horrible and dangerous turn of events.Mike, I completely see where you're coming from. It’s genuinely troubling to look back and realize just how much power was in the hands of someone who clearly wasn’t in full control of their mental faculties. The American people deserved to know who was actually running the White House under Biden. Who was making the real decisions? Who was shaping policy behind the scenes?
When it became obvious that the president wasn’t fully in charge, Congress should’ve stepped in. This shouldn’t be brushed aside—it wasn’t just about Biden himself, but about those around him who chose to keep it hidden and keep the country in the dark.
It’s unsettling to think how much happened behind closed doors, and how many critical decisions may have been made by unelected individuals. There’s still a real need to get to the bottom of it, because it set a dangerous precedent that could seriously impact our future if we don't learn from it.I agree with President Donald Trump that legislation should NEVER be signed using an autopen.
If the president of the United States has to depend on an autopen to sign legislation something is VERY wrong.Using an autopen can raise serious concerns about authenticity, accountability, and the president’s direct involvement in decisions. If the public or officials feel that the president’s signature isn’t truly theirs, it undermines trust in the process. It also creates room for misuse, where documents could be signed without proper review, which can be seen as a lack of transparency. Add to that the issue with Biden’s cognitive decline, many already question how much he’s personally involved in decisions, and the use of an autopen only fuels those doubts. It’s a real concern when it comes to leadership and accountability.
I imagine Biden's presidency will be investigated, and we may someday pull the veil back on just who was the one calling the shots.Obama used auto-pens, Trump uses auto-pens (but apparently not for legislation, but PR I guess). the DOJ legal counsel said it fine and sometimes necessary.
Please reread my comment, I was expressing concerns about the potential implications of a president using an autopen. I did not state, nor did I intend to imply, that it is illegal for a president to use one. I don’t believe anything I said suggests I view the use of an autopen as unlawful. I was simply sharing a personal perspective on its use, particularly in the context of the most recent administration.
Mike and I were having an ongoing conversation related to the topic of his original post, "Who Ran the Biden White House?" The autopen came up as a point of concern, not because of any legal issue, but due to growing reports about President Biden’s cognitive decline and, more recently, aides coming forward with firsthand accounts raising similar concerns. My point was that, in light of those reports, the use of an autopen could understandably raise questions for some people.
With the reports that have emerged about President Biden’s cognitive challenges during his time in office, do you now think it was something worth considering both then and now? I would be interested in your view now, after the fact.I just stated facts to put your comments into context.
Why? What are you basing that claim on? It is legal, after all.
I think it would be important to stop the practice.
biden was a cognitively impaired individual who was incapable of running the country.
If a person holding the office of President of the United States is unable, because of a physical impairment, to sign legislation, they should not be president.So, it is your position that if Trump had his hands cut off and no prosthetics, he should resign from office. Is that what you are trying to say?
This is the problem with Conservatives... you deplorables...
You people who want to get to "the Truth" that want to base things on "facts".
Its the problem with the old, archaic, pre-21st century thinking...
Its about feeling and empathy... your truth... your facts... might not match mine... what makes your facts or truth more important?
If it infringes on my sense of self... on my truth.. what gives you the right to impose?
This is why DEI and comprehensive understanding of the racist system we exist in is so vital to correct the inequities inherit in society.
It is vital... imperative... that racist, patriarchal... indeed, immoral and unethical "facts" and "truths" that the system has been founded on are eradicated... or if used, at all, in any sense... it is only so we can use it as a reference point for which to do the exact opposite!
To undo the wrongs woven into our insidiously oppressive system we must ensure that the voices that have long been held in minority are the ONLY voices allowed to be heard and represented in shaping our future.
Anyone trying to maintain, repair, restore, or reinforce the oppressive system that has brought us to our current state of human misery and suffering we have to endure today IS the enemy to Progress... to the Progressive future we strive for.The Religion of the New Democratic Party. Believe ... or Consequences.
I freely admit sometimes I post a question or statement just to stir the pot. This one is so obvious, I'm glad most non-MAGAs are not taking the bait.
There is no doubt the democrat party let a man who was cognitively impaired hold the office of the president. Nobody knows who was actually running the country because biden's mental faculties were not in the normal range.
We need to investigate how this happened. Who knew what, when did they know it, and why nothing was done about it.
The democrats have a lot to answer for in this situation.Well, if Biden was "cognitively unimpaired" (is that better than dangerously mentally ill like Trump?) then we need more like him.
This so-called "cognitively impaired" president had the most productive first term presidency since LBJ.
* He improved the lives of millions of people still suffering from pandemic related job loss with his American Rescue Plan which did not cause the pandemic-related inflation.
* He did what Trump promised but failed to do in improving America's failing infrastructure with his Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
* He did what Trump failed to do and made us less dependent on foreign (mainly Chinese) sources for semiconductor manufacturing (unless Trump kills it off) with his CHIPS and Science Act
* He tried to get America ready to battle climate change (which Trump is currently dismantling), and lower medical costs, among other things, with his Inflation Reduction Act. Yes, it did help reduce inflation a little.
* He protected injured veterans with hie PACT Act which Trump brought to a standstill with his illegal firing of VA employees.
* He even got passed the first gun safety legislation in 30 years with his Safer Communities Act
* Biden over saw the largest Jobs recovery in history,
* Biden brought down the pandemic-caused inflation from approximately 9% to about 3%; inflation that Trump will cause to rise starting in June.
Also important to note that unlike Trump, almost all of the "cognitively impaired" Biden's legislative wins were Bi-Partisan!
So, sarcastically speaking, let's elect more cognitively impaired presidents like Biden but fewer dangerously mentally ill presidents like TrumpThe reality is that under President Biden, the cost to service our debt has skyrocketed. Interest spending has increased by $540 billion or 153 percent in the three years since President Biden took office. Our country now spends more to service the debt than we do on our national defense.
he truth is that there is no such thing as “canceling” or “forgiving” debt, it is just a transfer of debt.
President Biden has “forgiven” $167 billion in student loans for over 4.7 million Americans. What the White House isn't emphasizing is that 87% of adults without student loans are being forced to pay for the 13% of adults who did.
Additionally, bailouts are incentivizing colleges to RAISE tuition prices. Studies have found that universities have raised tuition prices by 60 cents from every dollar of taxpayer-subsidized loans.
He is not forgiving student loans, he is placing the burden of loans onto the backs of working-class taxpayers.
Biden said that the border crisis didn’t begin “overnight.” Actually, it pretty much did begin overnight—the moment he took office. Since he was sworn in as president, there have been an estimated 5.5 million illegal border crossings.
Biden, with the power of the federal government, wants to ensure that your child will be gender-transitioned, whether you like it or not.
The Biden administration also redefined Title IX protections for women to include sexual orientation and gender identity. Among other things, that could mean that gendered facilities in schools that receive federal funding could be eliminated or opened to the opposite sex.
Biden is on the wrong side of that battle. He promotes extremist gender ideology, obliterates the wealth of the average American, empowers fanatical bureaucrats in Washington, and demonizes his fellow Americans, all while failing to uphold his constitutional duty to carry out the laws of this country and allowing millions of people to flood into this country illegally.
The debacle of the US defeat and chaotic retreat in Afghanistan is a political disaster for Joe Biden, whose failure to orchestrate an urgent and orderly exit led to the unnecessary deaths of members of the US military.
Americans Think History Will Rate Biden Presidency Negatively
Many more Americans expect history to judge Joe Biden’s presidency unfavorably rather than favorably. Fifty-four percent of U.S. adults believe Biden will be remembered as a “below average” (17%) or “poor” (37%) president, while 19% say he will be evaluated as “outstanding” (6%) or “above average” (13%). Another 26% think he will be regarded as “average.”
Compared with nine recent presidents included in the new Gallup poll, Biden rates most similarly to Richard Nixon, who has a -42 net rating (12% outstanding or above average versus 54% below average or poor). Biden receives more “poor” reviews than Nixon does (37% vs. 30%), but Biden gets more outstanding or above-average ratings.
https://news.gallup.com/poll/654878/ame … ively.aspx
biden will go down in as the worst president in the History of the United States.Under Trump, Pakistan and India began fighting a war. So, according to your logic, Trump started it.
I guess since India and Pakistan have agreed to a cease fire that seem to be holding, President Donald Trump is responsible for that as well.
Yes, using your logic. The felon Trump both started and stopped the war.
My logic says he had nothing to do with starting the conflict and some role in ending it.
By my logic, Biden did not create the national debt as you imply. He did add to it but Trump added a lot more. I wouldn't be surprised that by the time his four years are up, Trump will have doubled the national debt as he takes apart America.
How much of that debt was due to Trump? The most current estimate is that Trump's TCJA added $1.4 trillion to the debt.
- Trump then added another $3 trillion.
- Trump added another $2.2 trillion with the 2018 and 2019 Budget Acts
- Trump add another $0.5 trillion by eliminating certain ACA taxes.
All-in-all, Trump added $7.8 trillion.
On the other had, Biden increased the national debt by $4.7 trillion with $1.9 trillion coming from the ARA and another $1.6 trillion from annual appropriations from 2022 to 2024.
So, why are you focusing on Biden with the real culprit is TRUMP?
BTW, Trump 2.0 is going be even worse.Biden also permitted an invasion of illegal immigrant criminals into the United States. Tens of millions of people costing billions of dollars. That will go down in history as one of the worst things ever done by a president.
So did Trump, Obama, Bush II, Clinton, Bush I, and Reagan. Your point?
I see you are still misleading people with that tired old conservative MYTH that those seeking asylum is costing the taxpayer money - they don't! - it has been seriously debunked. Previously I have offered multiple studies that show the migrants are a net positive. This is mainly because, as a group, they are more law-abiding and industrious than native born Americans.
In fact, I will give you another study -
"Furthermore, a report by the Wilson Quarterly highlights that as the immigrant population has grown, violent and property crime rates in America have declined, suggesting a correlation between increased immigration and decreased crime rates. ""So did Trump, Obama, Bush II, Clinton, Bush I, and Reagan."
No, sorry, you are really wrong on this one.
The country has NEVER seen the level of illegal immigration experienced under the biden administration.
President Donald Trump was able to secure the border in two months.
The Migration Policy Institute
The Biden administration demonstrated a record level of activity on immigration, advancing 605 immigration-related executive actions as of December 6, according to Migration Policy Institute (MPI) calculations—far more than the 472 in Trump’s first term, which was seen as uniquely active on the issue. Through these executive actions, the Biden administration restored legal immigration levels that had fallen due to the COVID-19 pandemic and earlier Trump initiatives, as well as rebuilt refugee resettlement to numbers not seen since the 1990s. The Biden administration was also estimated to have naturalized nearly 3.5 million people, the most in any presidential term; more than doubled the length of work authorizations; and recrafted interior enforcement priorities to target national security and public safety threats, and recent border crossers. Additionally, the administration extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to 1.7 million potential new beneficiaries (although far fewer received the status), offering them work authorization and protection from deportation. To decrease the pressure of irregular arrivals at the U.S.-Mexico border, the administration established new humanitarian pathways and orderly processes for migrants to enter the United States, and built a new network of cooperation with governments across the Americas.Isn't The Migration Institute a highly partisan propaganda organization that should be trusted a much as Lying Fox News is?
What nativists don't want to understand is that unless native born Americans have a lot more babies, to survive with a growing economy, we need all those people.
Trump is on a long-term path to ruin America's economy along with everything else.Here is a concept that seems to be beyond those on the left.
We need LEGAL immigrants. Individuals like members of my family who have gone through the entire process, gotten green cards and became citizens. My family members should be treated better than an illegal alien.
The democrats have an obsession not with immigrants, but with ILLEGAL immigrants.
Illegal immigrants just running across the border, defying our laws, taking advantage of our system and costing BILLIONS of dollars in handouts is not something that is needed. It is a huge problem that sits squarely on the shoulders of the democrat party.
There are more than enough people who want to come to the United States legally. Those wanting to come to the United States illegally are NOT necessary."Here is a concept that seems to be beyond those on the left."
And we wonder why, as a country, we are so divided.What makes you say it is "beyond" the left? They know perfectly well, as I have been pointing out for a long time now that America needs to get as many good immigrants into our borders in order to keep growing as a country.
It is the RIGHT that wants to close the borders to everyone (except White South Africans).
That excerpt from Kathleen that I misinterpreted makes that point when it says: " legal immigration levels that had fallen due to the COVID-19 pandemic and earlier Trump initiatives"
Once again - YOU ARE WRONG - to say illegal immigrants costs us BILLIONS of dollars. They pay BILLIONS of dollars in taxes and the net effect is positive.
I also challenge you prove your claim that undocumented immigrants get anywhere that much in so-called "handouts". When I put the question to ChatGPT, I'll post the answer once its deep analysis is finished.Sorry, illegal immigrants cost the United States BILLIONS of dollars that would be better spent on Americans.
Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee of the House
Judiciary Committee
Hearing entitled “The Impact of Illegal Immigration on Social Services,”
Thursday, January 11, 2024
Summary
Illegal immigrants are a net fiscal drain, meaning they receive more in government services than they pay in taxes. This result is not due to laziness or fraud. Illegal immigrants actually have high rates of work, and they do pay some taxes, including income and payroll taxes. The
fundamental reason that illegal immigrants are a net drain is that they have a low average education level, which results in low average earnings and tax payments.
It also means a large share qualify for welfare programs, often receiving benefits on behalf of their U.S.-born children. Like their less-educated and low-income U.S.-born counterparts, the tax payments of illegal immigrants do not come close to covering the cost they create.
Key Points
• The current surge of illegal immigration is unprecedented. Some 2.7 million inadmissible aliens have been released into the country by the administration since January 2021. There have also been 1.5 million “got-aways” — individuals observed entering illegally but not stopped. Visa overstays also seem to have hit a record in FY 2022.
• We preliminarily estimate that the illegal immigrant population grew to 12.8 million by October of 2023, up 2.6 million since January 2021, when the president took office. This is the net increase in the illegal population based on monthly Census Bureau data, not the number of new arrivals.
• Illegal immigrants have a negative fiscal impact -- taxes paid minus benefits received --primarily because a large share have modest levels of education, resulting in relatively low average incomes and tax payments, along with significant use of means-tested programs and other government services.
• Prior research indicates that 69 percent of adult illegal immigrants have no education beyond high school, compared to 35 percent of the U.S.-born.
• Using the National Academies’ estimate of immigrants’ net fiscal impact by education level, we estimate that the lifetime fiscal drain (taxes paid minus costs) for each illegal immigrant is about $68,000, although this estimate comes with some caveats.
• Illegal immigrants make extensive use of welfare. Based on government data, we estimate that 59 percent of households headed by illegal immigrants use one or more major welfare programs, compared to 39 percent of households headed by the U.S.-born.
• Based on their use rate of major welfare programs, we estimate that illegal immigrants receive $42 billion in benefits, or about 4 percent of the total cost of the cash, Medicaid, food and housing programs examined in our study. However, this is only a rough approximation due to limitations in the data.
• Illegal immigrants can receive welfare on behalf of U.S.-born children. Also, illegal immigrant children can receive school lunch/breakfast and WIC directly. A number of states provide Medicaid to some illegal immigrants, and a few provide SNAP. Several million illegal immigrants also have work authorization (e.g. DACA, TPS and some asylum applicants), allowing receipt of the EITC.
• The high welfare use of illegal immigrant households is not explained by an unwillingness to work. In fact, 94 percent of illegal immigrant households have at least one worker, compared to only 73 percent of U.S.-born households. But the nation’s welfare system is design to help low-wage workers with children, which describes a very large share of illegal immigrant households.
• In addition to consuming welfare, illegal immigration makes significant use of public education. Based on average costs per student, the estimated 4 million children of illegal immigrants in public schools created $68.1 billion in costs in 2019.
• Use of emergency medical services is another area in which illegal immigrants create significant fiscal costs. Prior research indicates that there are 5.8 million uninsured illegal immigrants in the country in 2019, accounting for a little over one-fifth of the total population without health insurance. The costs of providing care to them likely totals some $7 billion annually.
• Illegal immigrants do pay some taxes. We estimate that illegal immigrants in 2019 paid roughly $5.9 billion in federal income tax, $16.2 billion in Social Security tax and $3.8 billion in Medicaid taxes. However, as the net fiscal drain of $68,000 per person cited above indicates, these taxes are not nearly enough to cover the cost of the services they
receive.Sorry, this information comes straight from government studies.
It is VERY accurate.Which government studies? Ones by the Republican House?
Undocumented immigrants (hereafter referred to as Immigrants) contribute substantially to public finances through taxes [americanimmigrationcouncil.org], [itep.org].
In 2023, households headed by Immigrants paid approximately $89.8 billion in total taxes — about $55.8 billion in federal taxes and $33.9 billion in state and local taxes [americanimmigrationcouncil.org]. This closely mirrors the ITEP 2022 estimate of $96.7 billion in total tax contributions [itep.org].
These contributions include sizeable payroll taxes — for example, in 2022, Immigrants paid $25.7 billion to Social Security and $6.4 billion to Medicare, even though they are ineligible to receive those benefits [itep.org].
Analysts frequently note that Immigrants pay relatively high effective tax rates. According to ITEP, undocumented households pay an average of 8.0% of their income in state and local taxes, compared to just 5.4% for the top 1% of earners.
As a cross-check, the Yale Budget Lab estimated that Immigrants paid approximately $66 billion in federal income and payroll taxes in 2023 [budgetlab.yale.edu].
Adding it up, we land somewhere in the neighborhood of $90 billion in taxes annually.
On a per-person basis, using the widely accepted estimate of 11 million undocumented immigrants, that equals roughly $9,200 in tax contributions per Immigrant per year.
COST:
This analysis focuses only on the Immigrants themselves, not their U.S.-born children. Why? Because like it or not, those children are American citizens, fully entitled to the rights and services guaranteed by the Constitution. Therefore, including their expenses in a basic comparison of what their parents cost or contribute distorts the analysis.
HEALTHCARE (Mandatory Medicaid)
Immigrants are ineligible for nearly all public health coverage, with one exception: Emergency Medicaid, which covers urgent life-threatening treatment (including childbirth) for low-income individuals regardless of legal status.
In 2023, Emergency Medicaid spending was approximately $3.8 billion (federal + state), which breaks down to about $345 per Immigrant
Note: Most of this goes toward maternal care, not chronic conditions.
DISCRETIONARY STATE HEALTHCARE
Seven states and Washington, D.C., voluntarily provide some health coverage for low-income Immigrants, funded entirely with state dollars.
These costs vary, but conservative estimates suggest about $300 per covered Immigrant. While that number applies to Immigrants in states that provide such services, for comparison sake, I will assume it applies to all 11 million Immigrants..
LAW ENFORCEMENT & DETENTION (Discretionary)
While there’s no solid data showing undocumented Immigrants increase policing costs — in fact, studies show they commit fewer crimes than U.S.-born citizens — there is a federal cost associated with immigration detention.
In 2023, detention costs totaled about $2.9 billion, or roughly $265 per Immigrant (based on 11 million population). Whether this cost should be counted is debatable, since it’s driven by political enforcement priorities, not public demand for services. Nevertheless, I will include it.
EDUCATION (Post-secondary)
Immigrant adults are barred from federal education assistance, but some states allow in-state tuition or limited scholarships.
These programs are small and inconsistent, estimated at ~$100 per Immigrant annually at most.
SOCIAL SERVICES
Immigrants are ineligible for virtually all federal welfare programs (e.g., SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, SSI, etc.). Some states offer minimal support (e.g., emergency food or shelter), but this is limited, untracked, and typically provided by local nonprofits.
Given the lack of data and its size and diffuse nature, this category is excluded from the cost total.
IN SUMMARY
Estimated Annual Fiscal Impact Per Immigrant:
Emergency Medicaid $345
Discretionary State Healthcare $300
Detention (Optional Inclusion) $265
State Education Support $100
TOTAL (Including Detention) $1,010
NET EFFECT:
Per Person
Tax Revenue Generated $9,200
Total Public Cost $1,010
Net Fiscal Contribution +$8,190 per year
I will discuss the exclusion of US born children of Immigrants in the next reply.
."Undocumented immigrants (hereafter referred to as Immigrants"
THIS is definitive proof that I am right.
The left CANNOT comprehend the difference between legal and illegal immigrants.
My relatives were legal immigrants. They paid the required money. They had a sponsor. They got green cards. They are now legal citizens. All of them are doing very well financially.
Illegal immigrants come across the border and simply take housing, take food, medical benefits, etc. that should go to American citizens.
How can you hold a discussion with the left who can't comprehend such a simple concept?Where was I talking about legal immigrants? The whole analysis presumes the income and costs are coming from those classified as illegal immigrants. So, try again.
"Undocumented immigrants (hereafter referred to as Immigrants"
If you refer to illegal immigrants as immigrants you are not acknowledging there is a difference.
You can play all the semantic games you want but at the end of the day the left cannot comprehend the difference between legal and illegal aliens.
THAT is their biggest problem when it comes to immigration.Do the "undocumented immigrant" people not understand the difference or are they just trying to convince people there is no difference even as they KNOW there is. By using terminology designed and intended to minimize or change what is actually happening, at least some people will swallow the idea that it's OK.
(Immigration to this country requires certain things be done, including paperwork. They are not done; eg there is no "immigration" by illegal aliens.)Aren't you acknowledging that you didn't understand what "Undocumented Immigrant (hereafter referred to as Immigrant" (with a capital "I") meant? In case you weren't aware, in English that technique is often used to shorten subsequent discussion.
Regarding not counting the US born citizens of illegal immigrants.
I stated earlier that counting them violates a fundamental rule of a thorough cost-benefit analysis. How do I know? Because I was a professional Cost and Economic Analyst for 20+ years. Even the right-leaning CATA institute says so:
"Cato Institute analysts have argued that one-sided calculations (like those by FAIR or CIS) that count children’s education and Medicaid now but not their taxes later are inherently flawed"
Here is the flaw in FAIR and CIS's (and others like them) analytical methodology - by including the legal citizen children of illegal immigrants in 'short-term or medium-term studies such as they do, (and what do you do when one parent is a legal citizen adult?) they ignore either on purpose or from incompetence, the long-term benefits from educating children.
In ANY proper cost-benefit analysis the time frames of the costs and the benefits need to match. In FAIR and CIS's (and the House Republicans) way of doing things, they clearly do not!. This is the fundamental rule they are missing.
The "Benefit" (regarding this analysis) of sending a child to school is the long-term tax revenue potential as they begin working and earning taxable income. Obviously, the benefits from educating kids goes far beyond tax revenue.
The rule is - you must count that income stream if you are going to count the cost of sending a kid to school.
So, here is what is NOT COUNTED by FAIR, CIS, and the Republicans -
Academies (2016): The Economic and Fiscal Consequences of Immigration offers one of the most widely cited models for this type of estimate.
It estimates that:
A child of immigrants, educated in the U.S., will contribute $259,000 more in taxes than they receive in public benefits over their lifetime if they graduate from high school.
If they get a bachelor's degree, that number nearly TRIPLES, up to ~$765,000 in more benefits than costs.
This is why I never take analysis from anti-immigrant groups seriously - because those analyses are seriously flawed.They are not as flawed as the pro-open-border, pro-illegal-alien group is. Just as a few examples, you forgot to include some costs:
There are about as many illegal aliens (NOT "immigrants", for immigration to this country includes certain requirements that are not met by illegal aliens) as double the population of NYC. The police budget for the city is 111 billion - double that is $222,000,000,000. Wipes out your entire "contribution" by illegals twice over.
The cost to educate just one child for one year in the US is about $12,000. Illegal aliens will cost more as they require special teachers and services (likely double). If one third of illegal aliens are children, that is about 3.5M kids, costing 88B per year if the cost is only 50% more than US kids. Illegal aliens do not even pay for the education of their children.
11 million people require a lot of new infrastructure (again, look at NYC), both construction and maintenance. You didn't mention those billions of cost, but they are certainly still there.
Were there no illegal aliens we would not have ICE - the 9B budget for ICE would be saved. You forgot to include that cost.
You also "forgot" to include many, many billions of costs for city services, from courtrooms to subways to parks. A group of people double the size of NYC requires a LOT of such services. Much of this could be considered as "infrastructure', but much is not.
Even the statement about taxes vs public benefits for citizen children of illegal aliens is silly; over half of our people pay no net federal income tax and there is certainly no reason to think children of illegal aliens will be any different.
Your entire thesis on how much illegal aliens contribute to their own needs is entirely bogus. Try again, this time honestly and with considerable effort at truth and at getting ALL the costs.I guess you and Mike don't quite understand it when in a contract it says something like "the renter John Doe, hereafter referred to as the Renter". You expect it to say John Doe [u]every time[/b] they refer to the renter.
Just to help you understand, I used Immigrant (with a capital "i") as a place holder for the much longer "undocumented immigrant" (small "i")You may have, although you did not make that clear.
The question is "why". Why did you use such a misleading term when "illegal alien" is 100% descriptive and allows for no misunderstanding? Was it to minimize the negative connotations of being a criminal here?
But whatever your reason, "undocumented immigrant" is most definitely a misnomer, intentionally misleading and false to fact. Illegal aliens have not done any of the things (beyond enter illegally) that makes an "immigrant" in the US. None - not a single one - of the legally required actions for immigration have been accomplished. Ergo; they are not "immigrants" at all. Just trespassers that have zero right to be here.
"Police budget" - Why aren't you faulting FAIR and CIS for not using that information?
Beyond that, it is obvious to me that your analysis is flawed, After reviewing what ChatGPT said about, I decided to present what it found.
1. False Population Comparison - “There are about as many illegal aliens as double the population of NYC.”
Incorrect:
The U.S. has an estimated 10.5–11 million undocumented immigrants (according to DHS, Pew Research, Cato, etc.).
New York City’s population is about 8.5 million.
Claimed total (“double NYC” = ~17 million) overstates the undocumented population by roughly 60%.
Inflated estimates often come from debunked sources (e.g. a discredited Yale paper that claimed 20+ million without credible evidence).
[b]ONE claim for illegal alien population is 11M. Others range as high as 30M. 17 does not seem that far from what is likely there.
But either way, the same arithmetic holds; just the police system needed for whatever number is used is more than is being paid in taxes.Did you miss the point that 99% of the police budget goes to things other than undocumented immigrants?
If you are going to address it at all, you need to identify what we cost analysts call the "incremental" increase in the budget dedicated to dealing with, in the case of NYC, all those people that Texas illegally dumped there.
If you come up with a number, please provide the source.
New FAIR Cost Study: Illegal Immigration Now Costs American Taxpayers At Least $151 Billion a Year
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-release … hatgpt.com
"WASHINGTON, March 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A new report by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) finds that, as of 2022, American taxpayers shell out at least $151 billion each year to cover the cost of illegal immigration. Broken down, the data reveals that taxpayers pay $182 billion annually to provide services and benefits to illegal aliens and their dependents. These costs are offset by about $31 billion in taxes that are collected from the estimated 15.5 million illegal aliens living in the United States, bringing the net cost to $150.7 billion annually.
The 2022 costs represent a 30 percent increase to taxpayers in just five years. A former version of this study, conducted in 2017 by FAIR, placed the annual net cost of illegal immigration at $116 billion. Most of the additional costs have been added in the past two years, as the Biden administration's de facto open borders policies have triggered a historic surge of new illegal migrants pouring across our borders. Moreover, the updated price tag of $151 billion is a conservative estimate as there are additional costs incurred from illegal immigration, but there is currently insufficient data to provide reliable cost estimates.
FAIR's comprehensive analysis looks at available federal, state, and local programs and services that are directly accessible to illegal aliens, or indirectly, through their U.S.-born children who qualify for all means-tested programs. In addition to the surge of illegal immigration since 2021, state and local governments have offered a variety of new benefits and services to illegal aliens, which have exacerbated the situation for struggling taxpayers."
"Key expenditure areas include:
The Times
+8
Judicial Watch https://www.judicialwatch.org/cost-of-i … hatgpt.com
Education: $78 billion annually, with $70.4 billion borne by state and local governments.
Healthcare: $42.7 billion annually.
Criminal justice: $47 billion annually.
Welfare programs: $13.5 billion annually. "
State-Level Examples
Texas:
In 2021, the Texas Attorney General's office estimated that illegal immigration costs Texas taxpayers over $850 million annually. Breakdown includes:
Fairus
Public hospital districts: $579–$717 million for uncompensated care.
Incarceration of criminal aliens: $152 million.
Emergency Medicaid: $62–$90 million.
Perinatal coverage and education for unaccompanied minors: Over $60 million combined.This time I checked - FAIR is a highly biased organization whose methodology is questionable. Finding an impartial source would be much better. The main flaw is US citizens are part of their analysis. At the very least, there should be two calculations (any good cost analyst knows this), one with American citizens and one without.
Media Bias Fact Check: "Overall, we rate Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR) Left-Center biased based on slightly favoring the left politically and High for factual reporting due to strong sourcing of information."
I did feel the FAIR assessment was very close to Judicial Watch's report. They backed this up with a good source. Caring for so many migrants is very expensive.
Hopefully, you will have a look at this report.
https://homeland.house.gov/wp-content/u … Report.pdfSo you are supporting one radically right organizational conclusions with an equally biased alternative? Still waiting for an unbiased source.
Since you won't believe anything from the House when the Democrats were in control, why should I believe anything radical Republicans put out. Still need an unbiased source.
A 2025 the left-leaning Economic Policy Institute FAQ notes a “broad consensus” that immigration overall modestly reduces budget deficits epi.org
Here are others who are non-partisan or relatively unbiased who come to the same conclusion:
1. The CBO: https://www.cbo.gov/publication/60569?u … hatgpt.com
2. The Right-Leaning CATO Institute: https://www.cato.org/white-paper/fiscal … hatgpt.com
3. The Wharton School at Penn State: https://budgetmodel.wharton.upenn.edu/i … hatgpt.com
4. Rice University's Baker Institute: https://news.rice.edu/news/2020/economi … hatgpt.com
5. The afore mentioned The Migration Institute: https://www.migrationpolicy.org/about/a … hatgpt.com"Since you won't believe anything from the House when the Democrats were in control, why should I believe anything radical Republicans put out. Still need an unbiased source."
I have to push back on your broad statement. I genuinely believe that when Congress formally documents something in writing and publishes it on an official government website, there is a much higher expectation, and legal obligation, for accuracy and truthfulness. Unlike live interviews or political commentary, which often include spin and selective framing from both sides, official documents carry more weight. They're part of the public record and can be scrutinized, challenged, and cited. Misrepresenting facts in this format could have serious consequences, especially if it's coming from a legislative body. That's why I place more trust in official Congressional publications than in off-the-cuff remarks or partisan media interpretations.
I guess I can honestly say that, in my view, it seems both local and federal governments are spending billions on migrants who are currently in limbo here in the U.S. I understand we may not share the same perspective on this, but I believe we're now dealing with millions of individuals as a result of what I see as President Biden's careless handling of the border. And I truly believe we have many Americans in need, veterans, struggling families, the homeless, our schools, who could be helped with the resources we’re currently spending on migrants.The Biden administration acted within the immigration laws of this country though? Are folks suggesting that his administration somehow broke immigration law?
But as far as the idea of helping American citizens who are struggling, that's a worthy goal. You must be disheartened by the big beautiful bill that looks to slash most of the social safety net rather than addressing the issues of those who struggle."The Biden administration acted within the immigration laws of this country though? " Willow
You're right that the Biden administration technically operated within the immigration laws, but that’s only part of the story. From day one, Biden worked aggressively in the courts to dismantle Trump-era policies like Remain in Mexico, which had helped reduce illegal crossings by making asylum-seekers wait outside the U.S. He also brought back catch and release, which in my view signaled to the world that if you make it to the border, there’s a good chance you’ll be let in and released into the interior.
He didn't just roll back deterrents—he also failed on vetting. Thousands of migrants with serious criminal records were released into the country. And let’s not forget the humanitarian crisis of the unaccompanied minors; hundreds of thousands arrived, and the administration lost track of many of them. That’s not just a policy failure; it’s a moral one.
Later in his term, Biden’s team even launched an online system encouraging more people to apply for entry and fly into the U.S., as if the millions who had already crossed weren’t enough. On top of that, his administration offered financial support to many migrants, sending another message of invitation.
It’s obvious to me that Biden either had no problem-solving skills, or he did what he did with a purpose. Meanwhile, Trump wasted no time reversing course. He quickly removed the incentives Biden created and took back what many saw as an open invitation. As a result, the number of migrants approaching the borders has dropped to historic lows.
So yes, Biden may have followed the letter of the law, but he also worked hard to weaken the very enforcement behind it. That distinction matters.
When the final bill is released, I’ll read it for myself. I have little trust in media reports about what might be included. I do expect to see cuts, especially since Trump promised to reduce spending on bloated bureaucratic programs. At the same time, he also made clear promises not to touch certain programs, and I’ll be looking closely to see if he keeps his word. If he doesn’t, I’ll be very disappointed, and frankly, very angry. Naturally, I’ll be going through the bill with a fine-tooth comb.The wait in Mexico policy was allowed due to the emergency declaration under covid. Once that was lifted, Mexico didn't have any more interest in keeping folks on that side of the border. That policy was always going to be time limited.
"Biden’s team even launched an online system encouraging more people to apply for entry and fly into the U.S., as if the millions who had already crossed weren’t enough. On top of that, his administration offered financial support to many migrants, sending another message of invitation."
This is a mischaracterization. The app allowed people to claim asylum and remain in their own country rather than amassing on the border... I think that's problem solving. Let's remember that they do have a right to claim asylum. Better to have them remain in their own country. The other program that you mentioned was humanitarian parole. That was open to folks from a few different countries and they had to pay for their own flights... There was also a sponsorship requirement.
If you opposed that program I'm sure you're also opposing the charter flights of South Africans into the country? Was there trip paid for? Are they receiving government benefits?Yes, it was a great piece of problem solving by Biden. Of course, Trump shut it down. He needed to start another fire so he could attempt to put it out.
BTW, the Remain in Mexico policy, as is Trump's wont, is considered extremely inhumane. Maybe not as ugly as stripping children from their mothers was, but [b\much more dangerous[/b]
Human Rights First documented over 2,500 instances of violent attacks—including kidnappings, sexual assaults, and murders—against individuals subjected to MPP. [American Immigration Council], [Wikipedia], [Human Rights First]
"Thousands of migrants with serious criminal records were released into the country." - Are these migrants you are talking about the asylum seekers who turn themselves in at the border, or undocumented immigrants who by-passed that nicety?
Your use of the word “expectation” is crucial. In my experience, it is relatively rare for House Democrats to produce the kind of partisan, biased, and misleading reports that have become common from their Republican counterparts. That’s not to say it has never happened—but it is the exception, not the rule. More often, I’ve found that reports from the Democratic-controlled House are fair and reasonably objective. That was also true of the Republican House—prior to the Gingrich era.
However, since the rise of the radical right within the Republican Party, obtaining balanced or good-faith reports from the House has become nearly impossible. And to be clear, I’m speaking specifically about the House. I do not yet apply the same level of criticism to the Republican Senate.
It’s important to consider the role of leadership and influence. The current Republican House takes its cues from a figure who is not only a felon but also a documented sexual predator—facts that are consistently avoided or downplayed in your commentary. He is widely recognized as one of the most prolific con men and habitual liars in modern American political history. That context shapes my expectations.
By contrast, I do expect the Democratic majority to pursue accurate and fact-based reporting—just as they did with the January 6th investigation, which relied overwhelmingly on Republican documents and testimony.
Finally, if you criticize Biden as being “careless” despite the fact that he followed the vast majority of Trump’s policies, the logical question becomes: Do you also apply that same judgment to Trump? If not, why the double standard?I respect that we may view the credibility of congressional reports through different lenses, but I want to reaffirm my belief that when our government, regardless of which party is in charge, publishes official documents through formal channels, there’s a higher bar for accuracy. These documents are part of the congressional record and are subject to public scrutiny, FOIA requests, legal challenges, and cross-examination. That accountability gives me more confidence in their content than in opinion pieces, partisan media, or spontaneous remarks made in interviews or at rallies. If members of Congress knowingly misrepresent facts in formal government documents, the consequences could be significant, not just politically, but legally.
As for your point about leadership and influence, I understand your concerns about the tone and direction of some Republicans in the House. I don’t deny that politics has become more combative and sometimes more extreme on both sides. But I think it's risky to discredit all official reports from one side simply because of who's currently in power or who the party aligns with politically. That kind of broad dismissal makes it difficult to engage in meaningful debate over the facts themselves.
On the topic of Biden and border policy—I recognize that the framework he inherited came from Trump, but that doesn’t change my perspective that his administration’s execution and messaging have contributed to the current crisis. We can disagree on causes or scope, but I hope we can agree that the issue is straining our social safety nets. I don’t think it's unreasonable to advocate for prioritizing resources for Americans already in need, especially veterans, the homeless, and low-income families, when budgets are limited.
We may disagree on the interpretation of certain facts or motivations, but I do think we may both care deeply about truth, accountability, and the well-being of our fellow citizens.but I want to reaffirm my belief that when our government, regardless of which party is in charge, publishes official documents through formal channels, there’s a higher bar for accuracy. - And I hope nobody disagrees with you. The problem is the current set of House Republicans don't share your view.
"Straining the social safety net" is not really supported by the data nor logic.
At the federal level, it simply cannot do that because undocumented immigrants are not eligible for almost all types of assistance regardless of how hard right-wing media tries to make you believe it.
ChatGPT had this to say about that - "Undocumented immigrants are largely ineligible for federal programs such as Social Security, Medicare, non-emergency Medicaid, and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). They also cannot participate in health insurance marketplaces or receive subsidies under the Affordable Care Act . Despite this, many undocumented immigrants contribute to these programs through payroll taxes, with estimates indicating up to $12 billion annually added to the Social Security Trust Fund by undocumented workers who are unlikely to benefit from it ." The same is true for Medicaid.
In a previous post, I demonstrated the for social safety net programs at the state lever may amount to $300 or so per Immigrant. Now, if you narrow your argument to just the border cities where they crossed (and the cities Republicans illegally shipped migrants to), you have a point. But, as a state or national issue, I think you have been lied to."At the federal level, it simply cannot do that because undocumented immigrants are not eligible for almost all types of assistance regardless of how hard right-wing media tries to make you believe it." ECO
Here is what our Federal Government does with our tax dollars for undocumented migrants
First, here is what they are entitled to.
What Migrants Can Receive While Awaiting Asylum Hearings:
1. Emergency Medical Care
Emergency Medicaid is available regardless of immigration status in life-threatening situations or childbirth.
Emergency Medicaid, which covers life-threatening conditions and childbirth for individuals who meet income requirements but lack eligible immigration status, accounted for approximately $3.8 billion in spending in fiscal year 2023. This figure represents less than 1% (specifically, 0.4%) of total Medicaid expenditures for that year.
It's important to note that Emergency Medicaid primarily reimburses hospitals for emergency services provided to individuals who meet Medicaid income criteria but are ineligible for full Medicaid coverage due to their immigration status. These services often include labor and delivery care, among other urgent medical needs.
Education: Federal Money spent on migrant ChildrenI already talked about the first two, and they don't amount to much, what was it, $300 or $400 a head?
As to the Children, are you talking about the ones born outside the US? Then what is the amount of money (assuming they are even allowed to go to school) spent sending there? Also, assuming they become citizens one day, how many tax dollars will they bring in because they were educated here in America?
If you are talking about US citizens born of undocumented immigrants, let me say this again - you cannot count the cost of educating them UNLESS you count the taxes they will pay throughout their lifetime.
As I proved early, IF an analysis that doesn't match cost and benefit timeframes, then it is a flawed analysis not worth the paper it is written on.Federal Funding for Legal Services (FY 2024)
1. Legal Services Corporation (LSC)
Total Funding: $560 million
Purpose: LSC is the largest funder of civil legal aid for low-income Americans. It supports over 130 nonprofit legal aid organizations across the country, providing services such as assistance with housing, family law, and immigration matters.
2. Department of Justice (DOJ) – Defender Services
Total Funding: $1.5 billion
Purpose: This funding supports the Criminal Justice Act (CJA) program, which provides defense services to individuals who cannot afford private counsel in federal criminal cases. It includes salaries for federal defenders and payments to panel attorneys.
3. Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR)
Total Funding: $700 million
Purpose: EOIR oversees immigration courts and the Board of Immigration Appeals. It funds programs that provide legal information and representation to individuals in immigration proceedings, including detained adults and unaccompanied minors.
4. Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) – Legal Services for Unaccompanied Children
Total Funding: $375 million
Purpose: ORR funds legal services for unaccompanied minors in immigration proceedings, ensuring they have access to legal representation and support.
5. Department of Justice – Legal Orientation Program (LOP) and Immigration Court Helpdesk (ICH)
Total Funding: $29 million
Purpose: These programs provide legal orientations and assistance to individuals in immigration detention, helping them understand their rights and the immigration process.
federal government spends on the Shelter and Services Program (SSP) for migrants.
Here’s the breakdown of federal spending on SSP for FY 2024:
Total Federal Funding: Approximately $640.9 million
Allocated Funding (SSP-A): $300 million — given directly to specific jurisdictions based on their historical migrant needs
Competitive Funding (SSP-C): $340.9 million — awarded via a competitive grant process to eligible state/local governments and nonprofits able to provide shelter and related services
This entire amount comes from federal funds administered primarily by FEMA and DHS, distributed to non-federal entities that deliver shelter, food, basic care, and transportation services to migrants after DHS releases them.
So, the $640.9 million is federal money specifically appropriated for the SSP program nationwide.
Federal Programs Supporting Migrant Education
1. Title I, Part C – Migrant Education Program (MEP)
Purpose: Provides grants to states to support high-quality education programs for migratory children, ensuring they meet the same academic standards as other students.
Funding: For Fiscal Year 2024, the program was funded at $375.6 million, consistent with allocations from previous years.
2. Title III, Part A – English Language Acquisition
Purpose: Assists states and local educational agencies in teaching English to limited English proficient (LEP) children, including immigrant youth, and helping them meet state academic standards.
Funding: While specific annual funding varies, the program has historically provided substantial grants to support English language acquisition and academic achievement.
3. Head Start – Migrant and Seasonal Head Start (MSHS)
Purpose: Offers early childhood education, health, nutrition, and parent involvement services to low-income children of migrant and seasonal farmworkers.
Funding: In 2023, the overall Head Start program received approximately $12 billion, with a portion allocated to MSHS programs.
Head Start – Migrant and Seasonal Head Start (MSHS)
Purpose: Offers early childhood education, health, nutrition, and parent involvement services to low-income children of migrant and seasonal farmworkers.
Funding: In 2023, the overall Head Start program received approximately $12 billion, with a portion allocated to MSHS programsIt doesn't seem that most of what you list applies to undocumented Immigrants, and where it does, it is not necessarily directed at them. One would have to figure out the incremental cost in those program's budgets to determine what, if any, of the costs are due to undocumented immigrants.
Legal Services Corporation (LSC) ❌ Generally ineligible; exceptions for specific cases
DOJ – Defender Services ✅ Eligible for federal criminal defense
Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) ✅ Subject to proceedings; no direct representation provided
Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) ❌ Generally ineligible unless classified under specific categories
DOJ – LOP and ICH ✅ Eligible for legal information services
Shelter and Services Program (SSP) ✅ Eligible if released from DHS custody
Title I, Part C – Migrant Education Program (MEP) ✅ Eligible based on migratory (immigration) status
Title III, Part A – English Language Acquisition ✅ Eligible based on English learner status
Head Start – Migrant and Seasonal Head Start (MSHS) ✅ Eligible based on family's agricultural work
Competitive Funding (SSP-C) ✅ Services may be provided to eligible noncitizen migrants
So, in spite of what was implied by those funding numbers, only a marginal part has to do with undocumented immigrants.I offered stats. I have no intention or need to further research them. I guess you can believe Judicial Watch or not. I appreciate Judicial Watch's diligence in getting to the truth and providing facts.
The federal government allocates funds that can indirectly or directly benefit undocumented migrants. While undocumented migrants themselves are not always the direct recipients, here’s a breakdown of relevant federal spending categories, with approximate annual amounts where available:
1. Emergency Medicaid
Annual Spending: Approximately $3.8 billion in FY 2023.
Purpose: Reimburses hospitals for emergency medical services provided to individuals who meet Medicaid income requirements but lack eligible immigration status.
2. Education
Annual Spending: Estimates suggest that educating children of undocumented immigrants costs approximately $68 billion annually.
Purpose: Under the 1982 Supreme Court ruling Plyler v. Doe, all children, regardless of legal status, are entitled to a free public education.
Emergency Medicaid
Annual Spending: Approximately $3.8 billion in FY 2023.
Purpose: Reimburses hospitals for emergency medical services provided to individuals who meet Medicaid income requirements but lack eligible immigration status.
2. Education
Annual Spending: Estimates suggest that educating children of undocumented immigrants costs approximately $68 billion annually.
Purpose: Under the 1982 Supreme Court ruling Plyler v. Doe, all children, regardless of legal status, are entitled to a free public education.
3. Nutrition Assistance
Annual Spending: Approximately $5.8 billion for SNAP (food stamps) and $1.3 billion for the WIC program.
Purpose: While undocumented immigrants are generally ineligible for these programs, U.S.-born children in mixed-status households may qualify, leading to indirect benefits for undocumented family members.
4. Legal and Shelter Services
Annual Spending: Around $350 million allocated through FEMA’s Emergency Food and Shelter Program.
Purpose: Funds are provided to nonprofit and governmental organizations to offer shelter, food, and basic needs, often assisting migrants released from DHS custody.
Source Judicial WatchNo, I don't believe Judicial Watch any more than I believe Fake Fox News.
That said, you can provide all the stats you want, but if they don't pertain specifically to undocumented immigrants, they are no different that me saying the earth 24,901 miles. Even that is wrong unless I caveat it by saying "around the equator". It is an interesting number but adds nothing to the conversation.
"[i]Misrepresenting facts in this format could have serious consequences, especially if it's coming from a legislative body. ['i]" - From what I have observed recently, that went out the window with MAGA. They have proven they simply don't care about the truth and facts. If Trump tells them the moon is made of green cheese, many of them will believe that. Which is so sad.
I have to say, dismissing an entire group of Americans as gullible or indifferent to truth because they support a particular figure doesn’t strike me as fair or productive. I try to focus on the substance of what’s written in official documents, regardless of who authored them. That includes publications from both Democrat and Republican congressional offices.
I find it concerning when people assume bad faith by default just because a report comes from the "wrong" political side. If we start from the belief that only one party is ever honest or factual, we lose the ability to assess the material on its own merits. That’s not a standard I’m willing to adopt.
I don't follow politicians blindly, and I don’t think the majority of voters do either. Many of us are just looking for answers and trying to sift through a lot of noise. I believe in holding everyone accountable, not just the people we might disagree with. So while we may interpret facts differently, I hope we can avoid painting millions of Americans with a single brush.And yet the Dems complain about Trump supporters being gullible at the same time that they accept CNN and MSNBC telling them that Biden is as sharp as he ever was? What a crock.
What proof, other than your personal bias, do you have that shows Democrats are obsessed only with illegal immigrants? What Democrats are obsessed with is making sure people are treated HUMANELY, and FAIRLY, regardless of who they are.
It seems to the Right is focused only on those that are like them and native-born. Even there, they turn their backs on those Trump supporters who need gov't assistance."It seems to the Right is focused only on those that are like them and native-born."
That is right. America and Americans first. Most countries will take care of their citizens before they take care of non-citizens. The left doesn't seem to comprehend this.
Biden's insane policy of permitting illegal immigrants into the country and then feeding them, housing them when there are American citizens struggling is more than enough proof the left is obsessed with illegal immigrants.
There was a democrat Maryland senator who flew to El Salvador to meet with a MS-13 gang member, wife beater, human trafficker and yet the mother who had a daughter murdered by an illegal immigrant, he didn't have time to contact directly. Why didn't he visit with her? It would have cost the US tax payers less than his trip to El Salvador.
This is just some of the examples.
I believe the left is way off on this topic. I think they should focus more on supporting LEGAL immigrants and not illegal immigrants.
That is, if anyone of the left knows the difference.Yes, countries like Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, Venezuela, Myanmar. Nations that have a sense of morality try to take care of all of those who need it.
A country with a sense of morality take care of its citizens first.
I do wish Trump would do that, but he has an America Last policy. For example, cutting USAID severely hurts American national security by providing opportunities for our (or at least my) enemies from taking over what we left behind. That is an American Last policy.
Another America Last policy is Trump's whole trade war based on a false premise that a trade deficit is inherently bad, something a first year ECON student knows is not true.
https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/migratio … institute/
Overall, we rate the Migration Policy Institute Left-Center Biased based on liberal immigration policy and High for factual reporting due to proper sourcing and a reasonable fact check record.That is what I get for NOT reading carefully. For example, I read the "Legal" in the following excerpt as illegal, which colored my perception of what followed.
"the Biden administration restored "legal" immigration levels that had fallen due to the COVID-19 pandemic and earlier Trump initiatives, as well as rebuilt refugee resettlement to numbers not seen since the 1990s."
What you posted appears to be a shout-out for Biden and not the put-down I thought it was.
"There is no doubt the democrat party let a man who was cognitively impaired hold the office of the president."
And there is no doubt the republican party let a convicted felon and sex offender hold the office of the president.
(Yes, I caved.)
Not to mention January 6, not attending his successor's inauguration, filling his cabinet with dangerously unqualified people, and shamelessly letting him make obscene amounts of money off the office.What I take from your response is that you don't deny the democrats put a cognitively impaired individual into the office of president.
This means you must agree that biden was cognitively impaired.
On that we both agree.
It should be investigated and procedures put in place to make certain it doesn't happen again.
I agree that by the end of President Biden's term he had declined. I have no idea when it began. Just as we have no idea how advanced Reagan's Alzheimer's was at the end of his presidency.
When you elect senior statesmen, this is the risk you run.
I forget. How old is Trump?"ICE agents arrested 196 illegal aliens in Nashville, Tennessee, including 95 with criminal convictions or pending charges.
The arrests included violent offenders such as an MS-13 gang member wanted for murder and a convicted rapist from Iraq.
At least 31 individuals had previously been deported but re-entered the U.S. illegally.
The operation was made possible through ICE’s 287(g) partnership with local law enforcement agencies.
DHS criticized Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell for supporting sanctuary policies that hinder immigration enforcement.
The Rest of The Story:
ICE’s enforcement action in Nashville targeted illegal aliens with serious criminal records, including gang affiliations, drug offenses, and violent crimes.
Among those apprehended were Franklin Oswaldo Velasquez, an MS-13 member wanted in El Salvador for aggravated murder, and Jassim Jafaf Al-Raash, a convicted rapist and previously ordered deported." Source- The Federalists Papers.
BUT... Nashville's leftist Mayor was attempting to protect these individuals from big, bad ICE. It’s insanity!!More proof that the left is obsessed with illegal aliens.
What was the "proof" of obsession? A biased claim with no support?
Yes, lack of common sense reasoning is one of the worst symptoms of an incurable case of TDS.
"lack of common sense reasoning is one of the worst symptoms of an incurable case of TDS."
Again, an example of why our country is so divided. When you start by insulting the other side, there is nowhere positive to go.I want to be clear that I don’t use the term “TDS” (Trump Derangement Syndrome) lightly. I understand it can come off as dismissive, but I do believe there’s some truth behind the concept, not as a medical diagnosis, but as a way to describe a pattern of irrational thinking and behavior triggered solely by the mention or association with Donald Trump.
One of the key symptoms, as I see it, is the erosion of basic common sense. People who might normally value safety, law enforcement, or consistency in policy will suddenly reverse course, not because the facts changed, but simply because Trump’s name is somehow connected to the issue. It becomes less about the principle and more about rejecting him at all costs.
Please keep in mind, I used the term in response to a comment defending Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell for supporting sanctuary policies that hinder immigration enforcement, even when those policies protected individuals involved in serious criminal activity. In that context, I found the defense so far removed from reason and public safety that it felt like something deeper was at play, an emotional or ideological reflex that overrides sound judgment.
That’s why I chose to use the term “TDS.” Not to insult, but to call attention to what I see as a very real and growing problem: people letting their hatred for one man cloud their ability to think and reason clearly about serious issues that affect us all.
In this case, I was referring to one individual, not applying the label broadly or to any group. I believe our country will remain deeply divided if we can’t, at the very least, call out actions that are nonsensical, regardless of who is involved or what side of the political spectrum they fall on.
You can't know that, can you since ICE and DOJ won't release, even to judges who order them to, where they get their numbers from. To me, that says they are lying.
MORE evidence of the left's obsession with illegal aliens.
"CE facility Democrats 'stormed' holds child rapists, murderers: officials
Suspected murderers, terrorists, child rapists and MS-13 gang members held at Dem-contested ICE facility
Democratic lawmakers and protesters on Friday stormed the gate of Delaney Hall Detention Center, a secure immigration facility in Newark, New Jersey, to advocate for detainees Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin categorized as "murderers, terrorists, child rapists and MS-13 gang members."
A group of protesters, including members of Congress, chased after a bus of detainees entering the security gate, before storming the gate and breaking into the facility, according to a news release from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Rep. LaMonica McIver, D-N.J., later wrote in an X post that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) "shoved" her and "manhandled" Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-N.J.
Yet, Homeland Security footage posted to X on Saturday appears to show McIver pushing and elbowing officials as they stood defending the gate.
DHS posted on X, "Meet who the New Jersey lawmakers are fighting for:"
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/ice-fa … -officialsYou do know that your source is known for lying and mischaracterizing things, don't you?
You do know that these are facts and can be found in multiple publications.
Who Ran the biden White House?
I think it is fair to say ---
No one really knows.
When all is said and done with Trump, this question will need not be asked, about the Trump White House!I would surmise that some knew, many suspected, and now the dam is finally breaking with books, interviews, and leaks coming out. It’s only a matter of time before someone steps forward looking to cash in with a big tell-all book deal or exclusive interview revealing the facts. That’s just human nature. When the stakes are high, it often becomes a dog-eat-dog world where people look out for themselves first.
I can agree with your last comment, but I am not sure having a felon, and sexual predator, and a person a whole host of psychologists, psychiatrists, and mental health professionals consider dangerously mentally ill run the White House is necessarily a good thing.
It sure is. How do you enjoy living in Russia under Putin in a country where they "disappear" people?
I know it is difficult when your team, not only gets defeated, but gets skunked!
Maybe it is time to cheer for America instead?I think Trump is delivering. I have that good feeling I had when he did his first term. I am very much enjoying watching things get done and having a strong, good man in the White House. The best is yet to come, in my view. It is time to cheer !
I wonder if Trump, who is a felon and sexual predator among many other bad things, does hold his military parade, will he invite all this authoritarian friends to review it with him?
That would quite a sight in America with the President of the United States standing tight with people like Putin, Xi, Un, Maduro, the Shaw of Iran, the Saudi prince who murdered the Washington Post journalist, and other such creeps.Why is no one addressing who is running this white house and Trump's cognitive state?
I continue to be shocked.
You know those photos of the gang tattoos on Garcia’s knuckles?
They’re photoshopped. But Trump himself has shared the pic as reality...did no one tell him? Is he confused? No concern over this?
Here he is ...
https://x.com/RichardHanania/status/1922809404677640504How about Garcia's common law wife and the photos of her bruised and battered body? Do you think they were photoshopped?
I will never understand leftist women, who will fight for abortion on demand, but not for girls/women's sports. Who will fight for illegal gang members (who beat their wives) but not for the beaten and battered women! Who will go to the mat for criminal illegals, but not say a word about the rapes and deaths of several female U.S. citizens at the hands of criminal illegals!She says he is not a gang member and Trump, like his voting is rigged hoax, doesn't have shred of evidence that he is.
Have you personally seen the photo your are referring to in order to verify if the punch and scratched eye constitutes "bruised and battered"? Me, I couldn't find one on-line.
For my part, I believe this from the wife (not common law) "However, Vasquez Sura later stated that she did not pursue the case further because the situation "did not escalate." She has since publicly advocated for Garcia's return to the United States, [b]describing him as a loving father and denying that he is a criminal or gang member[/b[."
I would certainly believe her than anything cooked up or photoshopped by Trump or the right-wing media.MS-13 is not tattooed on this man's hands. Trump is lying or impaired
It doesn't matter if he is tatted or not... he is bad news and he doesn't belong here!
This is not about the man or his tattoos.... It is about the fact that Trump held up a doctored photo and claimed it was reality.
Actually this is SUPPOSED to be speculating about, "Who Ran the biden White House"
You have made it about criminal illegals... who don't belong here, and the leftists who work against us and this Country, in order keep them here!Apologies for veering off the road. The subject of the Biden White House and his mental acuity obviously made me think of the photo he held up of Garcia's knuckles insisting that MS-13 was actually tattooed onto the man's hands when it was a doctored photo.
What proof do you have that he is "bad news". Those that know him, especially his wife, say the opposite. Are you calling her a liar by chance?
But even if what you said was actually true, are you one of those who believe he is not eligible for Due Process - that right guaranteed by our Constitution for ALL PERSONS?
Yes, it is wise to believe her over everyone. There is a publicly available audio recording from August 2020 in which Jennifer Vasquez Sura, the wife of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, describes instances of domestic abuse during a court hearing where she sought a protective order. In the recording, she recounts being slapped, pushed, and grabbed by her husband, sometimes in front of witnesses. She also mentions an incident where she screamed for help from a neighbor while trying to escape. https://x.com/BillMelugin_/status/19181 … hatgpt.com
Probably best for a court of law to formally decide the status of Garcia. That's what due process is all about.
This isn't about Garcia. This is about the president of the United States believing in an altered photo...
What made me sad, listening to the recording of his wife when she said he would wake her in the middle of the night and just keep slapping her.
"They’re photoshopped"
No proof.
I am always amazed at the left's obsession with an MS 13 gang member, wife beater, human trafficker who had a deportation order against him for any country other than El Salvador, so an administrative error was committed and he was send to El Salvador under the Alien Enemies Act.
To make this guy a poster child for anything is just plain dumb.Are you saying you believe that this photo is an accurate depiction of this man's knuckles?
His administration doctored this photo as an attempt to "interpret" the symbols on the man's knuckles.... Trump thinks that MS-13 is ACTUALLY on the knuckles..
And the point of the post has nothing to do with Garcia... It has to do with Trump's mental state.I am always amazed of the Right's obsession's with the felon and sexual predator, believing every lie he tells them.
As to the photoshop, there is this:
Yes, the image of Kilmar Abrego Garcia's knuckle tattoos—used by former President Donald Trump to allege MS-13 gang affiliation—was digitally altered. The photo displayed symbols on Garcia's fingers (a marijuana leaf, smiley face, cross, and skull), with the letters "M," "S," "1," and "3" superimposed above them in a standard font. Experts and media outlets have confirmed that these letters were not part of Garcia's actual tattoos but were added to the image.
And this "Experts in gang symbolism have stated that the original tattoos—common symbols like a smiley face and cross—do not definitively indicate MS-13 affiliation. "Let's be clear. maga believes that MS13 here in the photo is an actual tattoo and not imposed on to the photo ?
You do realize that the administration added MS-13 to the photo is their interpretation of the symbols on Garcia's knuckles.
Question....who also believes that each tattoo is actually labeled on Garcia's hand? "Cross" "smile" do those little labels exist in reality also?
Trump apparently doesn't understand either.To the closed minded, probably. To the rest of us, it is plenty of proof.
Who does this sound like, besides Sean "Diddy" Combs?
"When a person repetitively cons others, lies, cheats, and manipulates to get what he wants, doesn't care whom he hurts as long as he gratifies himself, the indifference to the feelings of others for personal gain may be a sign of a severe disturbance called sociopathy.
In humans, the ability to sense the feelings of others sometimes at the expense of one's own safety or advantage is called Empathy.
This basic human characteristic is missing in sociopaths, which leads to an absence of guilt, easy manipulation, and controlling or hurting others for power or pleasure. Far from being "clever like a fox," they lack and essential part of being human, which is why sociopathy is among the most severe of mental disturbances." - (Dodes, 2017} - Dr. Bandi X. Lee, Profile of a Nation: Trump's Mind, America's Soul, 2020.The Audio tapes of biden during the special council Hur interview are quite telling.
Having a man with this level of cognitive decline in the White House acting as president is something that NEEDS to be investigated. All those involved with lying about this man's mental health should be ashamed.
THIS article provides a link so you can hear the interview. It is bad.
"Biden struggles with words, key memories in leaked audio from Special Counsel Hur interview
In the leaked audio, Biden was unable to remember when his son Beau died and his attorneys had to remind him of the year
Leaked audio from former President Joe Biden’s interview with Special Counsel Robert Hur showed the president struggling with key memories, including when his son Beau died, when he left the vice presidency, why he had classified documents he shouldn't have had and more.
The audio was leaked after more than a year of congressional lawmakers demanding its release amid questions about the former president’s memory lapses and mental acuity.
The transcript of Biden’s interview with Hur was released last year, and confirmed the president’s frequent memory lapses.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden- … -interviewSo, if Biden is unfit because of "memory lapses" then how fit is Trump, after these famous memory lapses, a la Biden?
June 2019 (Mar-a-Lago press conference): Trump falsely boasted that he had predicted Osama bin Laden’s 9/11 attacks and claimed he “always opposed the war in Iraq,” both of which were debunked by fact-checkers
October 2023 (NATO summit): At a press conference, Trump misidentified Hungary’s prime minister. He called Viktor Orbán “the great leader of Turkey,” a clear conflation of two foreign leaders
January 2024 (New Hampshire campaign rally): Speaking about the Jan.6 Capitol attack, Trump repeatedly misattributed culpability. He accused his primary rival Nikki Haley of turning down security, when it was actually Nancy Pelosi – effectively confusing Haley with Pelosi - . AP’s coverage noted Haley publicly questioned whether Trump “got confused” and warned against his fitness for office
March 2024 (Virginia/North Carolina rallies): At back-to-back events, Trump confused past and present leaders. In Richmond, he quipped “Putin has so little respect for Obama that he’s starting to talk nuclear weapons today,” apparently meaning President Biden - The crowd fell silent at the obvious error – this was the third time in months he mixed up Obama and Biden
Later at Greensboro, he inexplicably took credit for Veterans Choice (an Obama-era program) and rambled about countries as if they were people. For example, he said “Argentina, great guy… he loves Trump,” treating the country as a person
Fact-checkers and commentators noted he “mistook Argentina for a person” and even stumbled repeatedly over saying “Venezuela,” as if [b]the name escaped him
These flubs were widely circulated online as examples of his confused, rambling style.
June 15, 2024 (Detroit – Turning Point USA convention): While chastising Biden’s age, Trump touted that he “aced” a cognitive test but couldn’t remember his doctor’s name. He referred to his former White House physician Ronny Jackson as “Ronny Johnson, the congressman from Texas”
August 8, 2024 (Mar-a-Lago press conference): In a 64-minute media session, Trump made a staggering number of false or misleading claims. NPR reviewed the transcript and found at least 162 misstatements and outright lies - an average of more than two per minute!! Among these were fabrications about his helicopter ride story and numerous distortions on immigration, Ukraine, and more.
October 27, 2024 (Madison Square Garden rally, NYC): Trump delivered a border-security speech filled with hyperbole and falsehoods. He claimed he presided over “the securest border in American history” – a claim fact-checkers immediately disputed
He also falsely asserted FEMA withheld hurricane aid to send money to illegal immigrants, and wrongfully claimed other countries were sending their prisoners here - PBS NewsHour fact-checked these statements, noting that none were supported by evidence
. Media reports pointed out that much of his speech was “crude” and packed with inaccuracies (and even noted outrage over racist jokes by others at the event).
January 20, 2025 (Inauguration address and remarks): In his return to the presidency, Trump’s first speeches again drew scrutiny. The Associated Press fact-check team noted that his Emancipation Hall address “repeated several false and misleading statements” that he had circulated on the campaign trail
For example, he baselessly claimed President Biden had commuted the sentences of “33…murderers”
April 29, 2025 (“100-day” rally in Michigan): Speaking on his first 100 days, Trump again made demonstrably false claims. He boasted that he had “banned all government censorship and restored free speech” in America - a claim sharply contradicted by legal rulings that his administration had actually curtailed media access and student speech rights. He also claimed illegal border crossings were at the “lowest ever recorded” - PolitiFact noted that this was misleading: he used partial data (February–March 2025) to suggest record lows, ignoring that broader data go back only to 2000 and recent totals were comparable to earlier records
Now, using your own criteria how can you say Trump is fit for office?Considering Trump's history, I'm shocked that Maga would even think about opening the "mental acuity" box. As you've highlighted, Trump has had his share of gaffes to put it mildly.
There’s one key variable that stands out: Trump has taken multiple cognitive tests and reportedly scored 100%. In contrast, Biden has refused to take such a test, and we’ve never seen a verified doctor’s report detailing his cognitive condition. Trump's medical evaluations, on the other hand, have been published publicly. I actually just wrote a Hubpage on Trump’s health—it’s remarkably strong, not just for a man his age, but even compared to someone in their 50s.
I can honestly say, I have not witnessed anything that would make me question his health or mental health state. I would think more here would be concerned that those around Biden hide his cognitive state. It was visible for all to see from day one.
I think Biden’s physical and mental health would make for a worthwhile thread. I’ve researched his medical history, from his younger years to the present, and it’s clear he has dealt with significant health issues throughout his adult life. Many of those physical conditions could very well be contributing to the cognitive challenges we’re seeing today.Shar,
It is beyond me that any reasonable person could listen to the audio tape of biden's interview by Hur and not be shocked by what they heard.
He was not fit to hold the office of the president. It was painfully obvious he wasn't capable of making decisions.
Every press conference biden held was painful to watch. When he would just wonder off it was quite upsetting.
The alleged journalist Jake Tapper just came out with a book about biden's cognitive decline called "Original Sin." It not only covers biden's cognitive issues but mostly how the democrats worked so hard to cover it up.
That is the main issue. The democrats working so hard to cover up and hide biden's cognitive decline. Their gaslighting the American people for years on the issue.
The democrats have a lot to answer for on this topic.
The only way I can see the democrats did anything right was that harris would have been his replacement. Oh, how our country would have suffered with that kackling nit wit running the country.If the tape was edited as Willowarbor says, they I would trust it one bit.
Given what a great job Biden did, I have to take your nit-wit comment as pure hyperbole.
Have I come around to thinking Biden was having issues starting in mid-2023, I have to say I am. Did it hurt America? Clearly not - beyond the fact that it led to Trump becoming president again and the immeasurable damage THAT will cause America.
Who cares - old news. I am more concerned about the madman in the White House today.
So offer a thread on the subject. You are attempting to highjack this one--- hopefully no one will take you bait.
I have seen that on CNN. Someone comments on Bidens dementia and the reply is "well, what about Trump?" I wonder if they realize how ridiculous they sound.
Between you and me — it’s gotten difficult to participate here. The conversations feel stagnant, and honestly, there's a strange vibe that’s hard to put into words. Lately, it’s started to feel like I’m just providing fuel for some kind of addiction.
Interesting threads are offered, but quickly become toxic.Shar,
More proof that TDS is a very real thing." it’s gotten difficult to participate here. The conversations feel stagnant, and honestly, there's a strange vibe that’s hard to put into words. Lately, it’s started to feel like I’m just providing fuel for some kind of addiction." Sharlee01
Y E P
But now that you brought up Trump's cognitive tests I must commend you on using the word "reportedly". Given Trump's incessant lying, I won't believe it until an INDEPENDENT mental health professional (meaning one that doesn't report to Trump) reports such findings. No one else should either.
Also, lending to the idea that Trump is lying again about his score is this:
1. Only 10 - 13% of adults his age (at the time of the first test) achieve a score of 30. (at his current age, it is closer to 5 - 7%)
2. As already noted, Trump as a long history of mental slips.
3. He was under lots of stress at the time he took his test.
Conclusion: There is a very high probability Trump is lying again.
Let's stick to the subject. Can you defend Biden's cognitive state, as you did throughout his term? No one cares to play the but he did this--- This thread is all about Biden. "Who Ran the Biden White House?"
It sounds like the Democrats finally realize that their lies are catching up so they are trying to obfuscate the issue.
But Republicans encourage Trump to lie, and lie, and lie, and ...
He also encourages Republicans to ignore the delusional people on the left. I think that is very important.
I can prove what I said, I doubt you can or will prove what you claim.
It's obvious you didn't listen to the Hur interview.
No, but neither did you, not the whole interview.
I believe a just over a 4 minute clip was cobbled together over the 6 hours that Biden testified. Not exactly damning considering everything he was dealing with at the time. Did they make the entirety of the questioning available? Or just the sound bite they produced?
My copy of Original Sin by Jake Tapper of CNN and Alex Thompson of Axios. Now, I can get to the truth of the matter.
I'll hold my final opinion until I am done, but based on the initial discussions about it by Tapper and others this evening on CNN on the way home, I have little doubt now that 1) there was a cover up and 2) that his health was such that he should not have run in 2024.
I didn't believe there was a cover-up because the visual evidence I saw throughout 2023 and 2024 didn't support it. It wasn't until reports started to come out in June 2024 about some fundraisers going off the rail after a rather successful European visit. Then, of course, was the debate disaster. To me, given what I know about jet lag and how well he did the next day, their "story" about a cold and jet lag made sense. It turns out to have been a lie.
Books like CNN's Tapper or the series by Bob Woodward are examples of great journalism. To bad, the Right doesn't have similar stars.
Now, speaking of cover-ups. When is the cover up of Trump's near death with Covid going to be investigated?? How about an investigation into all the mental missteps Trump makes constantly. Or how about the cover up of his dangerous mental illness?
Oh, then there was the cover up by those around him in the first administration where they went to great lengths to protect America from Trump's abnormal behavior. He obviously made sure that protection was long gone before he started his second term.Washington Post urges Congress act to prevent another cover-up of president's health amid Biden revelations
The Washington Post editorial board called for more oversight of the Oval Office on Wednesday to ensure a cover-up of the president's health doesn’t happen again following revelations in a bombshell book alleging the White House hid former President Joe Biden’s decline from the public.
"It now seems that, for a considerable time, Biden might have lacked the stamina and cognitive capacity the job demands — and that his family and closest aides concealed this from the public," the paper’s editorial board wrote.
"Their apparent decision to put personal loyalties ahead of their duty to the country must be reckoned with. A legal mechanism should be considered to ensure that this doesn’t happen again," the board proposed.
The former president's health is once again in the headlines after CNN anchor Jake Tapper and Axios correspondent Alex Thompson's new book, "Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again," was released on Tuesday.
The Post relayed accounts from Tapper and Thompson's book detailing how Biden was showing issues with his memory as early as the 2020 campaign, with one Democrat who was involved in his campaign concluding that he was unfit for office.
From at least 2022, Biden was forgetting the names of his top aides and appearing incoherent at times, according to the book.
Biden's staff also reportedly adjusted his schedule to when he was at his sharpest because of these issues.
"The country was fortunate not to have experienced a late-night crisis that he would have had trouble handling. It would be folly to count on such luck in the future," the board wrote.
"Can steps be taken to ensure that voters remain aware of their leaders’ frailties? This is a question for Congress: How should the government respond when a president seems to be operating with diminished faculties?" the editors asked.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/washington-p … 12056.htmlAre you concerned about the current cover up of Trump's mental decline?
Can you or anyone explain this nonsense? This is quite a bizarre moment. Drug companies selling cars and wine? But is he really talking about redistribution of wealth???
https://x.com/RpsAgainstTrump/status/19 … 1545188731Don't you think they should make The MORE Dangerous Case of Donald Trump: 40 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Warn Anew (by Dr. Bandy X. Lee) REQUIRED READING FOR ALL VOTERS?
Let's focus on what is in front of us, not old news.Do you suppose the 40 mental health experts are more right than the 51 intelligence experts were about Hunter's laptop?
I think I remember you also pushing their Russian disinformation claims as proof.
GAGreat point. Do you think your factual comment will actually register? I have a feeling we’re in for a very long rant instead.
I did, and it isn't entirely debunked even today. But here is what is true:
The 51 intel experts CLEARLY said the emergence of Hunter Biden’s laptop had “all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation,” though they explicitly said they had no direct evidence of Russian involvement.
On the other hand the 40 mental health experts based their repeated assessments that Trump exhibited signs of serious psychological instability (e.g. narcissism, sociopathy, malignant authoritarianism) that posed a risk to national security and that they made behavioral assessments based on public conduct and Trump's own words and writings.
This comment is not about Trump—please stop diverting the conversation.
The previous president took annual physicals during his time in office and publicly released the results. He also completed a cognitive test, which he passed with high marks. In contrast, we have never been given access to the results of any cognitive test for President Joe Biden. Now, even some Democrats are coming forward with concerns about his cognitive state.
Hopefully, others who choose to post here will stay on topic and respect the subject at hand: "Who Ran the Biden White House?"
Your off-topic comment is disrupting the thread and has clearly encouraged further baiting by ECO. Let’s keep the discussion focused.Aren't you the one that keeps telling us to focus on the here and now and not the past? What changed?
Why would concern for cognitive decline only apply to past presidents? If I was concerned about Biden's mental state, why wouldn't I have the same scrutiny toward Trump and those who will hold the office in the future?
You're welcome to start a separate thread if you’d like to discuss concerns about Trump’s mental state. However, this thread is focused on a current scandal involving President Biden. Once again, you're diverting the conversation, as you often do. Hopefully, others will recognize this and call it out. This discussion is about Biden—the one you consistently avoid addressing in any meaningful way.
You and I agree on this at least. They need to start investigating Trump NOW.
Mike, absolutely agree, such food for thought. What makes this even more chilling is how eerily similar it is to past instances where presidential health was cloaked in secrecy, and the nation paid the price. Just look at Woodrow Wilson: after his stroke in 1919, his wife Edith essentially became the de facto president, screening information and deciding who could see him. The public had no idea for months. That was over a century ago, and yet here we are, facing the same old shadow games, only this time with 24/7 media and a global stage that moves at warp speed.
The real danger isn’t just the health of one man; it’s the structural weakness that lets a handful of insiders control the flow of truth. If your job performance can shift the course of the world, the nation deserves transparency. We should absolutely be talking about legal guardrails, routine cognitive assessments, maybe even a bipartisan panel that can evaluate capacity behind closed doors but report publicly. Because the next crisis might not wait until morning, and luck isn’t a strategy.
This thread is a perfect place to pause and reflect, and add information, because this conversation is far from over. It’s clear this will be an ongoing investigation, and it should be. Let’s keep the focus where it belongs: this isn’t about Trump, it’s about the “Big Guy” and what the American people were kept from knowing.
It's becoming undeniably clear that an investigation into President Biden’s health, and more importantly, the alleged cover-up, is urgently needed. This isn’t just a political issue; it’s a matter of national security and democratic integrity. According to Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson’s book Original Sin, signs of Biden’s cognitive decline were evident as early as the 2020 campaign, with members of his own team privately acknowledging his struggles. What makes this worse is that his cognitive state wasn’t exactly hidden in plain sight; it was visible to anyone paying attention, and was repeatedly pointed out by critics and some members of the media at the time. Yet others, including Tapper himself, often dismissed concerns and made excuses, effectively covering for Biden. That kind of selective reporting helped mislead voters and shield the truth. Add to this the fact that his schedule has reportedly been tailored to his most alert hours, and it becomes clear this is not someone operating at full capacity. The presidency is not a part-time job, and the risks of diminished faculties in a crisis are enormous. We’ve seen the consequences of concealed presidential illness before, with Woodrow Wilson’s stroke and Reagan’s post-term revelations, and we can’t afford to repeat history. If voters were knowingly misled in 2020, that’s a betrayal of the electoral process. The potential for national security risks, internal manipulation, or foreign exploitation is too high to ignore. We, the people, deserve answers and full transparency in this investigation. It’s at least promising to see that some corners of the media, including The Washington Post, are finally taking this seriously and seem ready to stop making excuses for Biden. The public deserves the truth, not managed optics.Come on, folks — let’s cut the bait and stay focused. Don’t we deserve a thread that actually sticks to the real issue at hand? This is an ongoing scandal, and the investigation deserves a space where we can discuss the facts without constant deflection or distraction.
WASHINGTON—As part of the investigation into the cover-up of President Joe Biden’s mental decline and potentially unauthorized use of autopen for sweeping pardons and other executive actions, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) today sent letters to President Biden’s physician and former White House aides demanding they appear for transcribed interviews.
“The cover-up of President Biden’s obvious mental decline is a historic scandal. The American people deserve to know when this decline began, how far it progressed, and who was making critical decisions on his behalf. Key executive actions signed by autopen, such as sweeping pardons for the Biden Crime Family, must be examined considering President Biden’s diminished capacity. Today, we are calling on President Biden’s physician and former White House advisors to participate in transcribed interviews so we can begin to uncover the truth. In the last Congress, the Biden White House blocked these individuals from providing testimony to the Oversight Committee as part of the effort to cover-up Biden’s declining health. Any continued obstruction will be met with swift and decisive action. The American people demand transparency and accountability now,” said Chairman Comer.
Last Congress, Chairman Comer subpoenaed three key White House aides – Annie Tomasini, Anthony Bernal, and Ashley Williams – who ran interference for President Biden and also requested a transcribed interview with his physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor. The Biden White House obstructed the Committee’s investigation and refused to make the aides available for depositions or interviews. Chairman Comer also subpoenaed the audio recordings related to Special Counsel Robert Hur’s investigation into President Biden’s mishandling of classified documents, but Attorney General Merrick Garland defied the subpoena. According to a new book, Original Sin, one person familiar with the internal dynamic at the White House stated, “Five people were running the country, and Joe Biden was at best a senior member of the board.” Last week, Chairman Comer announced that he would continue the investigation into the cover-up of Biden’s mental decline and use of autopen for key decisions.Oh yes.... Very pleased to see Comer heading this up LOL. HILARITY TO ENSUE. Hopefully they'll add Jim Jordan to the mix... These two are my favorite comic relief.
Wouldn't you rather have an "elderly man with a poor memory" EFFECTIVELY running the country as opposed to a clearly dangerously mentally ill dictator running it?
Who will be heading up the investigation of Trump's crypto scheme?
I have an extremely difficult time imagining if this was a Dem president doing the exact same thing that the level of outrage wouldn't be off the charts... Remember Hunter? LOLHey, hypocrisy is a hallmark of the extreme Left and what is now considered the Right.
Mike, give this a listen — it's Stephen A. Smith offering his unfiltered views. He is right on the money.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2e3h39AOOEShar,
Thanks for sharing.
He speaks the truth that we all knew about biden.
I will never understand why the left is in such a state of denial about biden's cognitive decline. It's a Emperor with No Clothes moment. The American people SAW biden's decline. The left was so dedicated to their cover up it is unbelievable. How they handled biden's mental decline is the definition of the term gaslighting.Well said, some of us saw Joe for what he was from the very beginning. In my view, there were signs early on that he was cognitively impaired, but for many, it didn’t matter. They weren’t concerned with leadership or ability; they just wanted a body in the White House, warm or cold. It was never about competence; it was about symbolism. And sadly, they just didn’t care about the consequences. From day one, I saw a guy with no clothes.
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