4 ms·

Ask HN: Should tariff war revenue be spent: Farmers, Kids, Fund the Shutdown

8 points by stopbulying 1y ago

Tariff revenue is near $190 billion for 2025 so far. That money could keep the government running, pay for at least a $10b subsidy for American farmers, or provide adequate social services for women and children. They raised the debt limit by $4,000,000,000,000 ($4T) in May of 2025 and are already out of money, and so we're at "shutdown showdown" again. How should the tariff revenue be spent to help the United States?

Tadpole9181 1y ago
The budget has already been signed, we know how it'll be spent: tax breaks for the wealthiest and funding ICE similarly to the marines ($25 billion a year).
- downrightmike 1y ago
  I'd rather have the marines, they are at least trained.
  - deleted 1y ago
    [deleted]
AnimalMuppet 1y ago
If they've exceeded revenue by $4T since May, $190B is going to get them less than a week. $1T deficit per month is not sustainable.
duxup 1y ago
Isn't the tariff revenue already "spent"? US still is spending more than it brings in right?
al_borland 1y ago
What happened to DOGE and the goal of paying down the debt? It seems if the goal for to decrease spending, we shouldn’t need to raise the debt limit. And revenue from tariff’s should be used to accelerate paying down the debt. I know everyone seems to not care about that anymore and moved on, but I haven’t. Servicing the debt is the biggest expense in the budget. If we don’t get it under control it will be the whole budget. If we can eliminate that debt, then we’ll have all kinds of money for other things.
- FranzFerdiNaN 1y ago
  Why do you think the GOP or DOGE cares about the budget or the debt?
stopbulying 1y ago
-$4T/4mo = -$1T/mo -4,000,000,000,000 + +0,190,000,000,000 -------------------- -3,710,000,000,000 CNN recommended: "White House says it will use tariff revenue to fund federal food aid for mothers and young children" https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/07/politics/tariff-revenue-federal-food-aid https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/07/politics/tariff-revenue-feder... "Trump considers massive bailout of at least $10 billion for American farmers hurt by his trade war" https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/05/business/farmer-bailout-trump-tariffs https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/05/business/farmer-bailout-trump... "Trump’s tariff revenue could help keep the government open. Why isn’t that happening?" https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/06/economy/tariff-revenue-government-shutdown https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/06/economy/tariff-revenue-govern...
- deleted 1y ago
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scarface_74 1y ago
[flagged]
- cowboylowrez 1y ago
  This is Trumps time. I'm pretty sure he will have some say on who suffers the consequences of his electoral win.
  - scarface_74 1y ago
    He already does. He is cutting funding for blue state initiatives that were already allocated. Of course Congress should have the power of the purse. But the Republican Congress is spineless as is the Supreme Court. Before now, Republican representatives would never let even a Republican President usurp their power.
- morgan814 1y ago
  [dead]
deleted 1y ago
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8 points by stopbulying 1y ago

Tadpole9181 1y ago

The budget has already been signed, we know how it'll be spent: tax breaks for the wealthiest and funding ICE similarly to the marines ($25 billion a year).

downrightmike 1y ago
I'd rather have the marines, they are at least trained.
- deleted 1y ago
  [deleted]

AnimalMuppet 1y ago

If they've exceeded revenue by $4T since May, $190B is going to get them less than a week. $1T deficit per month is not sustainable.

duxup 1y ago

Isn't the tariff revenue already "spent"? US still is spending more than it brings in right?

al_borland 1y ago

What happened to DOGE and the goal of paying down the debt? It seems if the goal for to decrease spending, we shouldn’t need to raise the debt limit. And revenue from tariff’s should be used to accelerate paying down the debt. I know everyone seems to not care about that anymore and moved on, but I haven’t. Servicing the debt is the biggest expense in the budget. If we don’t get it under control it will be the whole budget. If we can eliminate that debt, then we’ll have all kinds of money for other things.

FranzFerdiNaN 1y ago
Why do you think the GOP or DOGE cares about the budget or the debt?

stopbulying 1y ago

-$4T/4mo = -$1T/mo -4,000,000,000,000 + +0,190,000,000,000 -------------------- -3,710,000,000,000 CNN recommended: "White House says it will use tariff revenue to fund federal food aid for mothers and young children" https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/07/politics/tariff-revenue-federal-food-aid https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/07/politics/tariff-revenue-feder... "Trump considers massive bailout of at least $10 billion for American farmers hurt by his trade war" https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/05/business/farmer-bailout-trump-tariffs https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/05/business/farmer-bailout-trump... "Trump’s tariff revenue could help keep the government open. Why isn’t that happening?" https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/06/economy/tariff-revenue-government-shutdown https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/06/economy/tariff-revenue-govern...

deleted 1y ago
[deleted]
deleted 1y ago
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scarface_74 1y ago

[flagged]

cowboylowrez 1y ago
This is Trumps time. I'm pretty sure he will have some say on who suffers the consequences of his electoral win.
- scarface_74 1y ago
  He already does. He is cutting funding for blue state initiatives that were already allocated. Of course Congress should have the power of the purse. But the Republican Congress is spineless as is the Supreme Court. Before now, Republican representatives would never let even a Republican President usurp their power.
morgan814 1y ago
[dead]

deleted 1y ago

[deleted]