U.S. Budget Negotiations

[altmin]

https://insideevs.com/features/764586/trump-battery-boom-ev-bill/

A Big, Beautiful Disaster For America​

President Trump says he wants energy independence, jobs and AI. His anti-electric vehicle plans stand to derail all of that.​

The problem is that America isn’t very good at making batteries. This was supposed to change as the IRA promoted domestic EV and battery manufacturing: after all, in order to get the full $7,500 tax credit at purchase, EVs had to be made in North America, as did a minimum percentage of the critical minerals and other components within their batteries.

But if the battery boom goes bust, it could be bad news for Trump’s agenda on multiple fronts. That includes losing tens of thousands of manufacturing jobs, sacrificing a shot at greater energy independence, and continuing to depend on China for so much of America’s battery needs.

Changing the fact that the U.S. now ranks a dismal fourth overall in global battery production was supposed to be a huge boon to domestic manufacturing employment. The opposite has happened since Trump returned to office. According to a recent report from the nonpartisan Zero Emission Transportation Association, more than $14 billion in clean energy projects were canceled this year due to “policy uncertainty.” Those include halting construction on a battery plant in South Carolina; the closure of two plants in Michigan; and a scuttled plan for a battery component plant in Georgia.

Incidentally, most of the states where battery plants were once planned, but are now seeing cuts, went for Trump last November. Yet the effects will be seen everywhere.

 

[superrific]

The FCC does have some regulatory capacity under the broadcast distortion rule. Layman's terms, networks can't intentionally falsify the news. The rules seem pretty loose.

-It can't cause public harm but it doesn't explicitly state it applies to elections and is really more geared towards panicking people or sending police to the wrong place. That could really be argued by the attorneys.

-It can't infringe on first amendment rights and it can't prosecute differences of opinion which likely wouldn't apply.

-it has to be intentional and it has to be something more than a minor distortion. I would assume that this would be intentional and major but I'm sure it would be argued.

-It also doesn't really address selective editing. Obviously Harris said all those things so does that fall under broadcast distortion? That could be argued in Court too.

Based on my choice of overnight lodging yesterday evening, I suspect if it ever did go to court as an FCC enforcement action, CBS would win but not sure why they would really want to risk their broadcast license. Pay the fine and move on. They should have suffered a whole lot more reputational damage than they did but plenty of other networks are worse.

https://www.fcc.gov/broadcast-news-distortion

Please kindly cite the statutory authority for the "broadcast distortion rule," and its implementing regulations in the Code of Federal Register.

What's that? There's actually no such rule? Huh? How can that be? You slept in a tin can for nothing?

 

[superrific]

They paid 16M bitch.

Yes, that's the point. It was an illegal strongarm by the Trump administration, leveraging the power of the government to directly increase Trump's wealth.

In what universe should we be afraid only of the autocrat who is incompetent? The whole fucking point is that they had to pay the $16M. Here's a little preview of your logic:

Client: I can't afford to pay you $10K for legal services
Ramrouser: I saw your bank account. Of course you can.
Client: That was before you lost all of my money.

Oh, sorry, that's a different scene in your movie. Here's what I'm looking for:

Woman: That asshole just raped me!
Man: Nope. I came inside you.
Woman: I didn't consent.
Man: 16M bitch.

 

[superrific]

If you’re so smart, volunteer to represent ABC and CBS in these lawsuits. Otherwise, shut up big guy.

I'm too busy representing your clients for malpractice.

 

[superrific]

I've never understood

Truer words have never been spoken.

 

[ZenMode]

My understanding is that BBB cuts a bit more than 1 trillion from Medicaid and the 50 billion is under the control CMS which will review applications from rural health facilities to be reviewed, approved, and allocated for 10 billion on a yearly basis over 5 years.

Will every rural health facility be approved ?

If every rural health facility ( over 200 ? ) applies and is approved with the 10 billion distributed equally, that would would amount to less than 5 million/year. Seems to me this pittance is being used as a distracting talking point to fool people into thinking the BBB is not going to decimate rural health facilities.

Would it be too cynical to wonder if the CMS approves only red state applications ?

I think the point is we don't know how much the changes will impact how many rural hospitals/clinics and how many will be approved. People seem to be reacting based on a lot of assumptions.

 

[superrific]

I think the point is we don't know how much the changes will impact how many rural hospitals/clinics and how many will be approved. People seem to be reacting based on a lot of assumptions.

I think the point is that you don't know anything.

The people who run those hospitals and clinics have a very good idea how this will affect them. They know that a paltry $10B a year will not make them whole. And of course you are leaving out the problem of attracting doctors, which became a hell of a lot of harder for several reasons. The Big Ugly Monstrosity more or less declares war on physician training in the US.

 

[ZenMode]

I think the point is that you don't know anything.

Nobody does!

The people who run those hospitals and clinics have a very good idea how this will affect them. They know that a paltry $10B a year will not make them whole.

Really? How can they know that? Are you telling me the current hospital in question KNOWS how many patients they will be losing, how much that will cost them and how much they'll get and they KNOW it won't be enough? If that's your claim, explain how they could possibly know all of that HOURS after the bill passed?

And of course you are leaving out the problem of attracting doctors, which became a hell of a lot of harder for several reasons. The Big Ugly Monstrosity more or less declares war on physician training in the US.

Stop changing the subject.

 

[BlooVooDoo]

Nobody does!

Really? How can they know that? Are you telling me the current hospital in question KNOWS how much they'll get and they KNOW it won't be enough? If that's your claim, explain how they could possibly know that HOURS after the bill passed?

Stop changing the subject.

Most likely they know staff will leave for bigger hospitals and clinics in larger communities sooner rather than later. Nursing and diagnostic/clinical lab technicians are in high demand. We have positions advertised constantly, and many of the new hires come from smaller facilities.
It’s also possible they’ve already been told the state will not be able to extend additional funding. Most of these places operate on margins that are precariously thin. A 3% drop in support could be catastrophic.

 

[lawtig02]

I just hope all those rural MAGAs are ok with all their local doctors, to the extent they exist, being from India and Nigeria.

 

[Mulberry Heel]

https://insideevs.com/features/764586/trump-battery-boom-ev-bill/

A Big, Beautiful Disaster For America​

President Trump says he wants energy independence, jobs and AI. His anti-electric vehicle plans stand to derail all of that.​

The problem is that America isn’t very good at making batteries. This was supposed to change as the IRA promoted domestic EV and battery manufacturing: after all, in order to get the full $7,500 tax credit at purchase, EVs had to be made in North America, as did a minimum percentage of the critical minerals and other components within their batteries.

But if the battery boom goes bust, it could be bad news for Trump’s agenda on multiple fronts. That includes losing tens of thousands of manufacturing jobs, sacrificing a shot at greater energy independence, and continuing to depend on China for so much of America’s battery needs.

Changing the fact that the U.S. now ranks a dismal fourth overall in global battery production was supposed to be a huge boon to domestic manufacturing employment. The opposite has happened since Trump returned to office. According to a recent report from the nonpartisan Zero Emission Transportation Association, more than $14 billion in clean energy projects were canceled this year due to “policy uncertainty.” Those include halting construction on a battery plant in South Carolina; the closure of two plants in Michigan; and a scuttled plan for a battery component plant in Georgia.

Incidentally, most of the states where battery plants were once planned, but are now seeing cuts, went for Trump last November. Yet the effects will be seen everywhere.

The real problem is that MAGA Nation is mostly opposed to switching to electric cars and trucks, just like they've become fiercely opposed to almost any progressive changes in our society, whether it's economic, technical, or social change. If anything, they want to turn the clock back on progress, including stopping or at least slowing down the development and sales of electric vehicles. Any change now scares them and leaves them frightened of the future. So what's likely going to happen is that the rest of the world will continue to move ahead with transitioning to electric vehicles, and we'll be left behind as MAGA Americans keep insisting on driving huge gas-powered SUVs and pickup trucks. And, typically, not only are they insisting on continuing to drive gas-powered vehicles, they want to make it difficult for anyone else in America to drive electric cars too. Because it's not enough just for them to do something, everyone else has to go along as well whether they want to or not. That's how they roll.

 

[gtyellowjacket]

I just hope all those rural MAGAs are ok with all their local doctors, to the extent they exist, being from India and Nigeria.

That happens to a large extent today. It's not everybody but plenty of Indian and Nigerian doctors in rural settings and most are there because they couldn't get a job in an urban or suburban environment. Not to say they're bad but they don't necessarily have the same education and licensing path as most American born doctors.

And it's not necessarily the money. Rural physician jobs can actually pay very well because of lack of competition. And of course the cost of living is much lower. But the reason these rural hospitals and other facilities have trouble attracting people is physicians are by their nature highly educated and most don't want to live in the middle of nowhere and educate their kids in some middle of no where school. Spouse also may not want to limit their job prospects by living outside of an urban area. That's been our experience.

When it comes to foreign born doctors, they may take that rural job for a few years to get some experience on the CV and then move to a more urban area. That's a pretty common path.

 

[superrific]

Stop changing the subject.

I'm not changing the subject. If you don't understand that doctor shortages are a huge problem for rural areas and in fact an existential threat to their businesses . . . well, it would be par for the course for you I guess.

The idea that hospitals haven't been analyzing these issues for months and years is ludicrous. That they don't understand their business or their bottom line enough to make projections. Once again you confuse your own ignorance for the non-existence of knowledge.

 

[superrific]

The real problem is that MAGA Nation is mostly opposed to switching to electric cars and trucks, just like they've become fiercely opposed to almost any progressive changes in our society, whether it's economic, technical, or social change. If anything, they want to turn the clock back on progress, including stopping or at least slowing down the development and sales of electric vehicles. Any change now scares them and leaves them frightened of the future. So what's likely going to happen is that the rest of the world will continue to move ahead with transitioning to electric vehicles, and we'll be left behind as MAGA Americans keep insisting on driving huge gas-powered SUVs and pickup trucks. And, typically, not only are they insisting on continuing to drive gas-powered vehicles, they want to make it difficult for anyone else in America to drive electric cars too. Because it's not enough just for them to do something, everyone else has to go along as well whether they want to or not. That's how they roll.

Yep. They couldn't even handle LED light bulbs.

 

[lawtig02]

That happens to a large extent today. It's not everybody but plenty of Indian and Nigerian doctors in rural settings and most are there because they couldn't get a job in an urban or suburban environment. Not to say they're bad but they don't necessarily have the same education and licensing path as most American born doctors.

And it's not necessarily the money. Rural physician jobs can actually pay very well because of lack of competition. And of course the cost of living is much lower. But the reason these rural hospitals and other facilities have trouble attracting people is physicians are by their nature highly educated and most don't want to live in the middle of nowhere and educate their kids in some middle of no where school. Spouse also may not want to limit their job prospects by living outside of an urban area. That's been our experience.

When it comes to foreign born doctors, they may take that rural job for a few years to get some experience on the CV and then move to a more urban area. That's a pretty common path.

Yeah that’s basically what I’m saying. And this bill will (1) reduce pay in rural areas, and (b) drive US educated doctors to more urban areas. So it may be happening now, but it’s about to get turbocharged in those areas.

Also, I agree doctors from foreign schools can be very good. I’m just skeptical most MAGAs will share that view.

 

[superrific]

When it comes to foreign born doctors, they may take that rural job for a few years to get some experience on the CV and then move to a more urban area. That's a pretty common path.

It is. It's fortunate, then, that the Trump administration is so welcoming of foreigners, especially ones with brown skin from countries in Asia or Africa. Now that Americans can no longer afford to train to be physicians, there will surely be a long line of Indian doctors just clamoring to get in. Right?

 

[superrific]

Yeah that’s basically what I’m saying. And this bill will (1) reduce pay in rural areas, and (b) drive US educated doctors to more urban areas. So it may be happening now, but it’s about to get turbocharged in those areas.

Also, I agree doctors from foreign schools can be very good. I’m just skeptical most MAGAs will share that view.

Where are these foreign doctors coming from? Ain't no army of Indian doctors who will come to save us. Australia and New Zealand put up travel advisories against even visiting America. Why the hell would trained medical professionals sign up for endless harassment, paperwork, no political freedom, constant threat of being hurled into an unmarked van?

 

[Calheel]

I've never understood being able to claim gambling losses on taxes.

You can only claim them against gambling wins. It is a basket item.

Suppose you sit down at a slot machine and win $1,200.

Later in the day, you lose $1,200 on the slot machine.

For the day, your winnings are exactly zero.

Under your theory, you would need to pay taxes on $1,200 of “income” because you don’t think you should be allowed to deduct gambling losses.

 

[wmheel1287]

Nobody does!

Really? How can they know that? Are you telling me the current hospital in question KNOWS how many patients they will be losing, how much that will cost them and how much they'll get and they KNOW it won't be enough? If that's your claim, explain how they could possibly know all of that HOURS after the bill passed?

Stop changing the subject.

My mother retired from being a medical administrator in one of the poorest counties in NC and she could tell you on any given moment at any given time what percentage of their deliveries were Medicaid and what the outstanding balance was from the State of NC on those claims. Routinely, those kinds of hospitals and clinics have to borrow funds for ongoing operations with future due Medicaid payments as collateral. Everyone in medicine knows those numbers about their facility or practice. This is EPSECIALLY true in rural counties.

I can assure you that if the practice she ran found out their Medicaid reimbursements were going to be cut by even 10-15%, they would have ceased operations the following week. They are also to this day the only OB/GYN practice in Edgecombe County and the only OB physicians with admitting privileges at the local hospital. If that practice closes, there isn't a single doctor to deliver a baby in the entire county.

 

[Calheel]

In North Carolina specifically for state taxes, the deduction is 0% and always has been. So in your example, NC treats it like you won $9,500 even if losses were $10,000 (so really you lost $500).

Dumbest thing ever on both counts. Only profits should be taxable.

That is a pretty guarantied way to only get W-2G income reported. Basically, it is a law that effectively requires tax fraud.