The hottest Federal Spending Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top U.S. Politics Topics

Grants to Combat School Violence Redirected to Defray Costs of Illegal Immigration

OpenTheBooks Substack • 194 implied HN points • 21 Jan 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Federal Spending
  1. Some federal school-violence grants are being used to pay for services for immigrant and English-language-learner students instead of just physical security upgrades.
  2. School districts report that recent influxes of migrant families have strained resources and coincided with higher juvenile arrests and disciplinary issues, so they’re hiring counselors, translators, and running cultural-competency programs.
  3. Critics argue this diverts money from the program’s original goal of funding locks, alarms, and proven safety measures, noting about $13.5 million across 15 grants explicitly serve foreign students.

OPEN LETTER TO ELON: Let's Build "America's Checkbook"

OpenTheBooks Substack • 465 implied HN points • 05 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Federal Spending
  1. Creating a tool called 'America's Checkbook' can help Americans see government spending in real time. This tool would make it easier for taxpayers to understand how their money is being used.
  2. Transparency in government spending is important. The founders of the United States believed that the public should have access to detailed records of expenditure.
  3. By working together, Americans can push for more accountability and efficiency in how government funds are managed. This will ensure that future administrations remain open and responsible to the public.

House passes the Biden-McCarthy debt limit/spending bill

Speaking Security • 275 implied HN points • 01 Jun 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Federal Spending
  1. The House passed the Biden-McCarthy debt limit/spending bill with a 314 to 117 vote.
  2. The bill places strict limits on discretionary budget spending, giving less money to non-military initiatives and more to the Pentagon.
  3. The Biden-McCarthy bill reflects a bipartisan consensus to prioritize military spending over other areas, with the Pentagon receiving a record-setting budget while other sectors face cuts.

Top Links 591 Place-based Bidenomics did not help Harris. The ghost particle gap & the terrors of nuclear tripolarity.

Chartbook • 271 implied HN points • 18 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Federal Spending
  1. Place-based federal spending didn't support Harris in the elections. Many hoped that local investments would change voter opinions, but that didn't happen.
  2. There's a focus on nuclear tripolarity and its risks. This situation highlights increasing global tensions, especially with nuclear powers.
  3. The importance of understanding scientific concepts, like the ghost particle gap, is emphasized. It shows how complex scientific ideas affect broader discussions.

Open the Books Testifies Before Senate Small Business Committee

OpenTheBooks Substack • 8 implied HN points • 15 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Federal Spending
  1. Federal spending per person has ballooned and the government often spends more without getting better results; rising federal salaries and big safety-net costs are major drivers of debt.
  2. Small-business programs and pandemic aid were often misdirected to large firms, wealthy entities, and dubious borrowers, while fraud and improper payments were widespread and harmed true small businesses.
  3. Increasing real-time transparency and using better data systems and AI can empower citizens to spot waste and fraud and hold government accountable.
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Will Elon's Team of Elite Math Twinks Tell Him That You Can't Close a $1.8 Trillion Budget Gap By Eliminating a $0.04 Trillion Agency?

I Might Be Wrong • 25 implied HN points • 06 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Federal Spending
  1. Elon Musk's team is trying to find ways to cut a massive budget deficit, but suggestions like eliminating a small agency won't make a real difference.
  2. Young and inexperienced teams can bring fresh ideas, but they might also lack the courage to challenge big figures when things don't add up.
  3. Real budget solutions will likely involve tough decisions like tax increases or cuts to popular programs, which are often avoided in flashy discussions.

Republicans Should Aim for Canada-Size Cuts

QTR’s Fringe Finance • 16 implied HN points • 05 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Federal Spending
  1. Canada did well economically in the 1990s after making big cuts to spending and focusing on privatization. This shows that similar actions could help stabilize a country's finances.
  2. In the 1990s, both Canada and the U.S. managed to cut spending successfully. However, Canada stuck to its cuts longer than the U.S. did, which helped their economy grow.
  3. To avoid a financial crisis, the U.S. government needs to consider making substantial and sustained cuts to spending, similar to what Canada achieved. A goal of reducing spending by a few percentage points of GDP might help stabilize the economy.

Reducing Spending Now: The Key to Growth, Not Austerity

QTR’s Fringe Finance • 17 implied HN points • 17 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Federal Spending
  1. Cutting government spending can actually help grow the economy instead of slowing it down. It frees up resources for private businesses to invest and expand.
  2. By reducing spending now, it can lead to higher incomes for Americans in the future. People can earn more if the government manages debt and keeps taxes low.
  3. Spending cuts can avoid future tax hikes, which can be harmful, especially for low-income families. Less spending now can protect people from financial strain later.