Thomas Massey

If the Republican plan passes under the rosiest assumptions, which aren't even true, we're going to add $328 billion to the deficit this year. We're going to add $295 billion to the deficit the year after that, and $242 billion to the deficit after that, under the rosiest assumptions. Why would I vote for that?

With all due respect, my friend Elon is terribly wrong about the one big beautiful bill.

We had a long conversation yesterday. He and I spoke for, I think, more than 20 minutes on the telephone. And I extolled all the virtues of the bill. And he seemed to understand that.

I think in terms of political spending, I'm going to do a lot less in the future.

I think I've done enough.

Well, if I see a reason to do political spending, in the future I will do it. I do not currently see a reason.

You can pull all my fingernails out. You can shove bamboo up in them. You can start cutting off my fingers. I am not voting for Mike Johnson tomorrow. And you can take that to the bank.

Yeah, they convinced me. I was at lean no until this meeting. Not a no. This is a no. Why? They're talking points. Look, these are not something I made up. This is the leadership's talking points. It adds $328 billion to the deficit. It adds $295 billion to the deficit the year after that. Yeah.

If the only way they get to this magic thing where it's not gonna kill our country is five years from now, they imagine that 2.5% growth accumulates. And that even right here, they say they're gonna cap discretionary spending. You think we're gonna cap discretionary spending and then spend at the rate of inflation after that? That has never happened. So their assumptions are wrong.

But even if you take their assumptions at face value, they told us in there they're going to increase the deficit in 2025 by $328 billion.

They convinced me in there. I'm a no. Look, their own numbers, if the Republican plan passes under the rosiest assumptions, which aren't even true, we're going to add $328 billion to the deficit this year. We're going to add $295 billion to the deficit the year after that, and $242 billion to the deficit after that, under the rosiest assumptions. Why would I vote for that?