On Monday night, the Trump administration's Office of Management and Budget (OMB) imposed what it calls a temporary "pause" (you can read it here) on all federal financial assistance programs, at least to the extent permissible by law. This was supposedly being done to stop "financial assistance for foreign aid, nongovernmental organizations, DEI, woke gender ideology, and the green new deal." A Trump spokesperson insisted that this freeze will have no impact on social security, Medicare, food stamps and any other assistance that goes directly to individuals. But it did. Medicaid portals went down in all 50 states following this memo, jeopardizing 74 million Americans enrolled in this program. The White House later claimed that problem was being rectified, but the lack of clarity was evident in a hearing before Judge Loren AliKhan, during which the Justice Department was unable to specify what financial assistance programs were being paused. As a result, she paused the pause, at least until Monday. Local elected officials are scrambling to see whether aid programs they and local nonprofits rely on, like Head Start, Meals on Wheels and subsidized housing, will still be around when the dust settles.
Are they Marxist, too?
NorCo Exec Lamont McClure called the directive "cruel, callous, and craven. ... By halting federal funding, the White House is causing needless harm and uncertainty to the citizens of Northampton County. This move directly undermines the essential services that our community relies on.”
Bethlehem Mayor Willie Reynolds will conduct a news conference this morning at 9 am (livestreamed) adding that this memo leads to chaos for people both in and out of city hall.
From Mayor Willie Reynolds' news conference, we learned that Bethlehem relies on $43.4 million from the federal government and makes it part of its budget.
The salaries of five police officers assigned to the Bethlehem Housing Authority are paid by HUD. Moreover, bullet proof vests and police car tech come from DOJ grants every year. Bethlehem was unable to draw down on these grants as of last evening.
Bethlehem's Department of Health has been locked out of a program that removes lead from homes, and the contractors who do this work (local small businesses) are left unpaid.
A $3.5 million grant for the purchase of the Greenway in south Bethlehem has been stopped. A federal grant that would enable children walk more safely to seven different schools has been "paused."
"It'd hard to think instability and chaos isn't the point," notes Reynolds, who states the executive order just seeds distrust and a lack of confidence in government. "We need to stand up for each other. ... We are not going to let this instability and chaos allow us to retreat or to sit down."
The City is still "surveyng the damage" and determining where it has been locked out." He said Congress legally appropriated this money.
UPDATE 3:28 PM. Trump has done an about face and has rescinded the draconian order freezing federal aid that would have hurt millions of people. This is what I expect from Captain Chaos.
66 comments:
You are a piece of Shit First there is no chaos another lie by you and all do is lie about our President. You and the democrats are in chaos The majority of American people realize that you people are anti-America and should be deported.
Trump is doing what should have been done a long time ago. The common sense approach. You democrats have no clue everything you do is a failure and the American people pay for it. But The majority are now on to you and your kind. All you do is lie and call names. The democratic party is a thing of the past and so are you.
Shutting down WIC payments for infant formula, payments for medical care, grants for medical research... The CDC is no longer allowed to talk to the World Health Organization even though Bird Flu is affecting entire farms including both birds and cows. Farm workers have been hospitalized with infections of the virus. I'm waiting for the self described pro-lifers to speak out on this but I think it's going to be a long wait.
All i here is "REEEEEEEEEEE" by the left.
We knew this would happen the second any of their play money was touched. Its Ok Don, keep moving forward.
Easy snowflake. Don't blow an orange gasket. We're only into the second week of your dear leader's four year term. At the rate you're melting down, you could could implode by this Friday.
It is interesting that no one questions what is evident, much of the U.s. economy is dependent on money transfers from the federal government. With a debt of $36 trillion and a deficit of $2 trillion, near 1/3 of the federal budget, some kind of painful action is required.
While these actions may be painful, no one can imagine the pain and the helplessness that will result if drastic actions are not taken to address the insolvency of the federal government.
What is needed is cooperation and a realization that this country is at the end of the road, no more road left to kick the can down.
I am sure that we will hear that taxes need to be raised, of course on someone else.
We live in a global competitive world and drastic action is needed, and it is going to be painful, but the alternative to managed action is the end of this economy as we know it.
Either fiscal management happens or it will all collapse, and everyone will be poorer than they can imagine.
Those who watched the White House briefing yesterday at 1pm were told repeatedly that NO funds that go directly to benefit American citizens (Meals on Wheels, etc.) will be stopped.
The brand new order, just hours old, is being finalized with more details to follow today. Too soon for anyone to set their hair on fire.
From what I understand, the order is targeted at Non-Governmental Organizations who have been receiving billions of dollars per year without oversight and accountability. One example given was $50 million dollars to provide condoms to people in Gaza!
In the end, there will be far less federal money (our tax dollars) thrown around at ridiculous causes and programs of no benefit to American citizens.
Great news!
A few points:
It’s great to see that the democrats are back to doing what they do best – scaring people who dependent on government for their own political gain.
It’s apparent that Lame-Duck Lamont (we can just call him Lame-Lamont) is already campaigning for Congress, and that you are dutifully carrying the water for both him and your democrat masters.
It IS a shame that some partisan, democrat bureaucrats within the federal government (also known as the “Deep State”) caused the review to be necessary by trying to continue to push out money for DEI and woke policies in defiance of the President’s ban against such programs.
It shouldn’t be a surprise that places like the Antiracist Systematic Justice Center for Progress are upset that the taxpayer spigot is going to shut off the $37 MILLION they received this fiscal year, but it’s also important to remember that many benign-sounding organizations have been corrupted by such programs. Even the YMCA started using some of its supposedly much-needed monies to fund social justice programs. So yes, I do think that ALL grants, loans, etc. need to be reviewed.
I realize that simple math isn’t a democrat strong point, but both Lame-Lamont and Wee Willie need to understand that the US deficit (annual) is close to $2 TRILLION, and the national debt (which is cumulative) is now over $36 TRILLION. Lame-Lamont and Willie need to learn some the rest of us know – that the best way to get out of a hole is to stop digging.
That $36 TRILLION is going to have to be paid by all of us, including our children and grandchildren (and maybe beyond). So maybe it’s time for small-minded local politicians to think about them first instead of their own political gain. Just a thought.
People are going to die! Lol! The over the top hyperbole cracks me up from the media and the left. Honestly though, this is what Trump does. It’s an unforced error. This is why it’s hard to be a supporter of him. Yes, a review of all the bullshit spending needs to be done, but take a deep breath and do it methodically. He’s trying to fit a 4 year presidency into two weeks.
9:00 AM : Bethlehem Mayor Chicken Little to Subjects:
The Sky is Falling!!! The Sky is Falling!!!
LVR + MSNBC + CNN = TDS.
That is all.
I'm comfortable with this freeze. I'm unhappy it didn't go farther. The time for sending rubbers to Gaza and researching lesbian obesity is over. I don't like, and didn't vote for Trump. But I like this.
"Elections have consequences."
- Barack H. Obama
Too many unjustly live off the government' Huge wake up call. Loving it.
Will the whining heads of these so-called non-profits take a pay cut so they can continue to save the world? Of course not.
I haven't such chaos since the roll-out of Obamacare. Weird.
Ah, the grifters are in a tizzy. Especially those organizations that demonize anyone not considered a minority or whatever groups have jumped on the bandwagon of "the oppressed." I am looking at some of you on Allentown City Council for starters. Not sure if completely off topic but any non-profits supporting the "victim" too traumatized to give DNA to FBI. And how many non-profits have supported "MeMe" Gerlach over the years? And our CDC not much better than the sacred cow WHO. Nice decision WHO on the polio vaccine fiasco that added to the misery of the children in war torn areas. Governments and non-profits should exist to provide a service. Not to give someone a job.
Love it love, love it!! Stop all the wasteful spending!!
Eight months of pay and benefits to quit your job with the government. Not too shabby a deal! You could get a job with the non-profits once the dust settles down and teach them how to word their grant requests.
Did this include cutting the 50 million for condoms sent to Gaza?
I find it funny after 4yrs of an open border, high inflation due to spending, spy balloons, evacuating embassies, two wars, Afghan withdrawal you now choose to use the words chaos. Instances like this is why nobody takes the news seriously anymore. You all have beclowned yourselves and this is case in point. Go ride your bike enjoy the air but remember to lock it up so you don't have a third one stolen.
You just can't help yourself- stop gaslighting everyone! Its people like you Trump won!
No surprise to me- he's doing what he promised on the campaign trail.
At least they stopped the $50 million for condoms to Gaza!
Stop your nonsense- S.S., medicaid, medicare, etc. was not stopped. Pausing out of control Gov't spending, like sending $50M in condoms to Gaza is a bad thing?
You just don't get it; 2 assassination attempts, a weaponized Justice System, The media, tech, academia, etc. outspent 4/1, and Trump still won. Your contempt for the other side is disgusting- so much for "being better," which lasted less than a week! You can thank Obama & Biden for Trump!
The chaos is simply you BO and the Dems. Trump is getting rid of the dead wood in the Federal Gov't and sticking to his word.
Nobody will get hurt except the people who are the cheaters.
Why is it that only boomer republicans use the word “woke”? It was a bad word to begin with as it didn’t really describe what it defined and eventually it died out- except for old white guys, who seem to love to use it.
Trump voters defending have no idea of the ramifications on the economy that they freeze will have. Jobs will be lost, people will lost services that allow them to work, like public transportation and child care, and smaller non-profits will be forced to close. It also weakens public safety-grants like the JAG grant pay for police and police equipment, EMS will not be reimbursed. Schools will lose funding for special education, early childhood education and before and after care programs. Trump voters are delusional if they think this won't affect them. And this is the tip of the iceberg. Wait until they cut Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
"With a debt of $36 trillion ..."
Who cares? That debt will be suffered by our ungrateful and entitled children and grandchildren. It's a dine-and-dash situation. I'm ordering filet mignon, caviar and champagne. Thanks kids!
Interesting to see how this impacts the million dollar LVPC "Climate Action Study" which was for some reason funded by the 2022 Infrastructure bill.... which ended up doing very little for actual infrastructure and instead funded aspirational projects like climate studies.
AOC ranting over the price of eggs. Liberals all of a sudden interested in spending after pissing through trillions. The guy has been president for five minutes and there is this thing called the bird flu. Settle down.
It’s almost like the exact opposite of Biden. Trump has given more press access in a week than Biden did in 4 years. Trump is everywhere! It’s chaos always, but he’s definitely transparent.
Yeah, I guess it got changed when people figured out what it was and it didn't help things politically. Kind of like "Defund the Police" became "Public Safety Reform".
Call it what you want. We all know it when we see it and it ain't selling anymore.
Congress approves the budget, not the president ... basic civics that orange-wingnuts don't understand. Our country isn't fascist just yet, but they're working on it.
"I really don't care, Margaret".
He thrives on chaos... it's bait and switch... tell "the less educated" what they want to hear get them riled up, get elected on the basis of false promises. Then, make everyone look over here at all the chaos, meanwhile over there special interests are buying his crypto anonymously so he can enrich himself... FACT! All of his supporters need to realize that he doesn't care about them or their concerns it's all a money making scam just like every other his entire adult life. He may attempt to do what the promised while campaigning for appearances and it appears that's what we're seeing now, but only a small portion of it will happen & he'll have an excuse ... like it's the democrats, the deep state or the judges (some of which he appointed last go around) and his supporters will take that bait hook line and sinker as well. If at some point his supporters realize that they've been scammed, they'll internally justify it rather than be extremely pissed off... our forefathers would be sad & embarrassed that we're throwing it all away.
You do realize that Trump added over $8 trillion to the debt in his first term don't you?
So much for you being better, O'hare. You just can't help yourself.
We finally have a President, and not just a figurehead.
10:26 you're delusional! Bait N Switch? We just went through 4 years of that! We finally have a President who puts US first!
Gee, can I count on the Federal budget to back my lack of financial planning? Everyone counts on the FREE (nothing is FREE) Fed greenbacks. Now there are certain projects, departments where this is part of the taxes that get paid, but it is time for the PORK TRAIN to stop running. I have zero problem to pull funds from these lame pork laden finances. Strip it bare. Obviously, some kind of glitch with the IT part of this, but it will get fixed. NO ONE is going to starve, suffer, die, because of this glitch. Contrary to Chicken Little, the "sky is not falling".
P.s. I would like to find out who mfg the condoms, as they didn't seem to be working. Hamas terrorists breeding keeps going!
Well, this is very interesting to say the least. All spending needs to be reviewed, including the defense budget, and who does not believe there is fraud and abuse all across the federal government.
Don't forget the fraud and graft in the state government, the first look should be at the Turnpike commission and the bridge commission, political pay off jobs galore.
That might be reasonable if the cuts were going to bring down the federal deficit, but instead they are going to go to cutting 6 trillion in taxes for billionaires.
Trump will do what is right for our country The democrats will lie and lie some more look at all the lies from Obama and Biden --The Border is secure just one of thousands of lies Who ever would side with a democrat is an idiot.
And the republican response: "I really don't care, Margaret". And they really don't- it doesn't affect them so it can't matter. It's shameful, but don't expect your mom's meals on wheels to be delivered next week.
the low-brow knuckle-draggers are out in force, their lack of education & understanding of our system of government is clear. the delusion that he's doing what's best for America is proof of their complete devotion to their leader .... we may be lost.
1776-2025?
Yes, and you realize the democrats held spending hostage each year unless it was INCREASED.
The budget is reviewed by congress, so when there’s commitments, the president can’t unilaterally say I’m going to stop paying… that screws over everyone across the board regardless of political affiliation. In a dictatorship that may be possible, but as far as i know we still have three branches of government. Maybe we should get rid of the legislative & judicial branch and salute Trump or Biden or whomever is in office. I think the founding fathers had something else in mind.
The debt ceiling allows for debts to be paid, it doesn’t increase spending … what’s passed in the budget increases the need for spending. And when we don’t like something, we need to work legally within the system to change it, we can’t throw gasoline on it and light a match. If you don’t like your house, do you burn it down?, or if you don’t like your kids behavior, do beat the crap out of them? That’s exactly what this is… an extreme and unproductive reaction which will only result in more problems and in the case of people much worse.
reynolds like most dems overstated his case. guess he didn't get the memo that all of this has been stalled by a fed judge. Smith will use his silliness against him
You might be right, but not from the actions of Trump, but from the financial abuses of the democratic socialist bankruptcy of the government
I am rejecting all off topic comments from this point. This has nothing to do with the border or evil Democrats.
OK, so the essential funds for essential services were paused. Those funds will have to be paid sooner or later anyway, and possibly with additional money added make up for costs incurred for being late payments. This, including the misery and worry he caused for his electorate, makes this an outstandingly bone headed idea that cost the tax payers even more money to cover the legal fees involved. One would think a "financial genius" would know this and trump probably did, but he threw part of the country under the bus to brag about it to his supporters. Disgusting.
Just to remind you that the economy has fared better under every democratic administration since 1933. Feel free to fact check.
Crazed MAGA folks on here are pathetic and funny. Trump is proving again what a terrible president and person he is. He signs a bunch of papers against trans kids, hobnobs with white nationalists, lies about immigrants, then goes golfing. Fat lazy orange man couldn't wait a week!
Bernie is right. If you wanna pretend that our county and city leaders are making things up when they say Trump ordered federal programs to freeze, you're living in a fantasyland. He did it. His press secretary said it, too. He got his small fat hands slapped in court, and now he's trying to backpedal.
To all the MAGA folks who hate their neighbors and hate America, don't come crying to Bernie when you can't afford your eggs or coffee, which are both now at all-time highs. Trump alone can fix it... haha!
12:45 stop with the hysterics!
Orange wingnuts? LMFAO this coming from the party who tried to jail and bankrupt him, spent billions trying to destroy him, and he still kicked your ass!
Love your comment!!!
You're scary
We had a good run! We're currently the world's oldest uninterrupted democracy. But alas, all good things must come to an end.
Well. The order has been rescinded lol. All that arguing for nothing. The reason Trump won is his actions almost always result in a completer overreaction from the left. Unhinged and seething with hate. Normal people that really don’t like Trump voted for because of the unhinged overreactions to every little thing he does. Relax. Go for a walk. Take a deep breath it will be ok lol.
And eggs are so much cheaper now (they're not) and Trump is working to lower grocery prices (he's not). Your chosen candidate is a liar, a felon and a fraudster. It's sad that you can't recognize a con man.
The difference is Trump had Covid to deal with. Biden USED Covid to spend way too much money. Biden caused double digit inflation, opened the border, and disappeared for months at a time. He chose the worst possible Vice President in Kamala Harris. He refused to step aside. If you’re mad Trump is president look no further than JOE BIDEN. He caused all this.
Brilliant, Trump, as usual. Now we know who takes what Federal money for what and why! No wonder Willie looks good with all of the federal money he has been taking.
Educated peoplevotedfor trump. Give it up already
It's good to know that Trump is too incompetent to know how to git 'er done.
We need to stop spending. Jobs will be affected but there are many out there for those who choose. As others have said we can't sustain this. Whatever happened with Medicaid site....I can tell you I worked for feds and computers went down a lot! Also only a few know what IT programs effect what system that could have been human error or purposeful to get this uproar and reaction. But there is fraud in all systems including Medicaid that needs to be controlled so those who truly need it will get it. Seemed clear to me the directive was very specific and was purposefully misunderstood and exaggerated to cause chaos
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