Pause on Federal Grants - MD25-13

[BuzzH]

Certainly they must know already?

Contact them again...ask them to keep searching for a spine.

 

[Mallardsx2]

Maybe this is the pause needed for people leading government funded projects to take some responsibility for expenditures instead of thinking they have a blank check book.

Our government spending is out of control. I think we (most) of us can at least agree on that... Now, we ALL have to sacrifice in order to get expenditures under control nationwide to reduce our national debt before China owns us for good.

I hate that wildlife habitat projects are now in jeopardy, I truly do, but you can thank the people who earmarked 50 million dollars' worth of condoms to Gaza (disguised as "medical aid", amongst other massive expenditures in foreign countries) for this.

I hope that funding for projects that really make our country better are evaluated and allowed to move forward. Those projects and expenditures that don't benefit the USA or our closest allies should be shut down immediately until our national debt is under control.

 

[Bluffgruff]

Maybe this is the pause needed for people leading government funded projects to take some responsibility for expenditures instead of thinking they have a blank check book.

Our government spending is out of control. I think we (most) of us can at least agree on that... Now, we ALL have to sacrifice in order to get expenditures under control nationwide to reduce our national debt before China owns us for good.

I hate that wildlife habitat projects are now in jeopardy, I truly do, but you can thank the people who earmarked 50 million dollars' worth of condoms to Gaza (amongst other massive expenditures) for this.

I hope that funding for projects that really make our country better are evaluated and allowed to move forward. Those projects and expenditures that don't benefit the USA or our closest allies should be shut down immediately until our national debt is under control.

Pays to check the facts before you make claims.

https://www.reuters.com/fact-check/no-evidence-us-spent-50-million-condoms-gaza-2025-01-30/

 

[Treeshark]

This may present an opportunity for states to fund more of their own wildlife projects and rely less on the Federal government to do the heavy financial lifting.

 

[Steiny77]

Long time recipient of CRP payments here, but I'll be the first to tell you it is pretty darned stupid. The government is basically paying me (with money they don't have) to grow weeds in former crop fields and I'm glad to take the $$ as I wanted this ground for wildlife habitat anyway. So I get my habitat and an annual check. These programs are not used much by any of the really big time farmers who have and continue to wreck the most habitat so it's not making a huge impact anyway. Most of the CRP recipients are small time landowners like myself that don't depend on farming as sole source of income.

I don't think it would be crazy to shut off a lot of the CRP programs and instead allow land owners to hold those properties that remain in habitat "property tax free". Guys like me are going to keep doing this stuff anyway, the CRP checks have just been a bonus.

 

[SAJ-99]

Now, we ALL have to sacrifice in order to get expenditures under control nationwide to reduce our national debt before China owns us for good.

Debt is not ever going to go down. It’s part of the system. And China doesn’t own enough of own debt to matter much anymore. Even if they sold every $ of it tomorrow it would raise rates about 0.5%.

Yes, we have problems with the budget. There is a process to fix that where every citizen gets to have their voice heard. Cuts need to happen, but why can’t we sacrifice by paying more taxes too? The elephants in the budget aren’t even being addressed. At least call your reps and make that point.

 

[Treeshark]

The elephants in the budget aren’t even being addressed.

Fair point. So far it’s been just low-hanging fruit that was politically safe.

If “they” are serious about this (I have serious doubts), there are much bigger fish to fry in this effort.

 

[Mallardsx2]

Cuts need to happen, but why can’t we sacrifice by paying more taxes too?

 

[SD_Prairie_Goat]

This may present an opportunity for states to fund more of their own wildlife projects and rely less on the Federal government to do the heavy financial lifting.

No idea about your state, but my state everything related to wildlife has to be self funded by tags costs and state park fees. I don't see that working out well. Either deer tags are about to be $160 a tag for residents, or a night camping at the state park is $80/ night.

In my experience most "fiscally responsible" states don't care too much about wildlife or their habitat if state funds are solely required

 

[BuzzH]

Maybe this is the pause needed for people leading government funded projects to take some responsibility for expenditures instead of thinking they have a blank check book.

Our government spending is out of control. I think we (most) of us can at least agree on that... Now, we ALL have to sacrifice in order to get expenditures under control nationwide to reduce our national debt before China owns us for good.

I hate that wildlife habitat projects are now in jeopardy, I truly do, but you can thank the people who earmarked 50 million dollars' worth of condoms to Gaza (disguised as "medical aid", amongst other massive expenditures in foreign countries) for this.

I hope that funding for projects that really make our country better are evaluated and allowed to move forward. Those projects and expenditures that don't benefit the USA or our closest allies should be shut down immediately until our national debt is under control.

Maybe you shouldn't have been playing rip van winkle for your whole life. Maybe you should have been paying attention and demanding some accountability from Congress, you know, those that actually control spending.

It's not the average person that's responsible for gov. spending, that's what we send people to congress for.

What is the average person's fault is not holding them more accountable, asking more questions, and frankly, being too stupid/ignorant to understand how these things work. It's also our fault for allowing outright bullshit lies to be perpetuated and for idiots to believe that 50 million in condoms was sent to Gaza.

P.T. Barnum was right all along.

In the meantime, I suggest contacting and staying in contact with those we've entrusted to do the job we sent them there to do.

 

[Treeshark]

I don't see that working out well. Either deer tags are about to be $160 a tag for residents, or a night camping at the state park is $80/ night.

Why would that be a bad thing for the vast majority of people who don’t live in your state?

 

[BuzzH]

No idea about your state, but my state everything related to wildlife has to be self funded by tags costs and state park fees. I don't see that working out well. Either deer tags are about to be $160 a tag for residents, or a night camping at the state park is $80/ night.

In my experience most "fiscally responsible" states don't care too much about wildlife or their habitat if state funds are solely required

Same in Wyoming, the State kicks in ZERO dollars from general fund for GF.

Pittman/Dingell funding is a self imposed tax.

 

[BuzzH]

View attachment 360382

Yes, if you're serious about cutting deficits. Increase revenue and control spending.

Isn't complicated.

 

[WyoCoalMiner]

Yes, we have problems with the budget. There is a process to fix that where every citizen gets to have their voice heard. Cuts need to happen, but why can’t we sacrifice by paying more taxes too? The elephants in the budget aren’t even being addressed. At least call your reps and make that point.

Of all the problems with Gov budgets, the last one that should be addressed is revenue. I am happy to sacrifice more, provided Palestinians buy their own condoms, Guatemalans pay for their own sex changes, illegal immigrants cover their own housing costs, USAID gets its $3.5B annual G&A costs under control, and the folks in small town MT pay for their VFD radios first.

When your budget is so far out of control, you attack cost first then worry about what your price of goods sold should be. IMO.

 

[SAJ-99]

Long time recipient of CRP payments here, but I'll be the first to tell you it is pretty darned stupid. The government is basically paying me (with money they don't have) to grow weeds in former crop fields and I'm glad to take the $$ as I wanted this ground for wildlife habitat anyway. So I get my habitat and an annual check. These programs are not used much by any of the really big time farmers who have and continue to wreck the most habitat so it's not making a huge impact anyway. Most of the CRP recipients are small time landowners like myself that don't depend on farming as sole source of income.

I don't think it would be crazy to shut off a lot of the CRP programs and instead allow land owners to hold those properties that remain in habitat "property tax free". Guys like me are going to keep doing this stuff anyway, the CRP checks have just been a bonus.

CRP was set up to prevent farmers from planting marginal land (flooding 1 of 3 years and collecting the insurance) and to mitigate soil erosion. Apprarently some have forgotten the dust storms from the Great Depression and silt-filled rivers. If you don't value that, do your part and give the checks back. There is a problem in that most Americans will agree with you and not see value in the program. That s why funding been cut over the last 20yrs. Farming has become a corporate exercise these days. That horse isn't going back in the barn. But maybe we should stop subsidizing those corporations?

Yes, @Mallardsx2, completely serious. I know it doesn't play well on Fox News. Let's have legit discussion on what should be funded and the cost of those things. Everything should be on the table - expenses and revenues. It's called Democracy.

 

[SD_Prairie_Goat]

Why would that be a bad thing for the vast majority of people who don’t live in your state?

Because the vast majority of people buying tags and camping are from the state.

I don't see the point you're trying to raise

 

[Mallardsx2]

Maybe you shouldn't have been playing rip van winkle for your whole life. Maybe you should have been paying attention and demanding some accountability from Congress, you know, those that actually control spending.

So, your saying showing up and voting is not enough?

 

[Treeshark]

Because the vast majority of people buying tags and camping are from the state.

I don't see the point you're trying to raise

States own the wildlife. They should be responsible for the cost associated with that ownership.

 

[BuzzH]

So, your saying showing up and voting is not enough?

You're dumb enough to believe it is?

Unbelievable, well, actually, not really in your case.

And its you're.

 

[Mallardsx2]

States own the wildlife. They should be responsible for the cost associated with that ownership.

And they are VERY clear about that.

ALL THE TIME it is thrown in the NR's faces.