Iran War, Cost of Elections and Tariffs- Stealing Our Future while Congress does Nothing to stop this erosion. Meanwhile, in January 2027 between 5 and 10 million people will lose Medicaid coverage because adults 19 to 64 must work 20 hrs a week to get coverage. This also applies to SNAP/food.  Let see- I’m poor, no car, not near public transporation, uneducated, and may have a child at home (child care issue) and now I will have not healthcare ( the kids will have coverage) nor food. So, tonight when you go to bed, be thankful that is not you. Donate to food banks.

Iran War

To date, we have spent $43.6  Billion on the Iran War. The War is expanding and an end is not in sight.

June 25, 2025-If you will recall, Trump said we “completely and totally obliterated nuclear facilities in Iran” including Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan.

Since then, Trump has claimed the war was won or an agreement was going to be reach shortly 32 times.

February 28, 2026- US bombing resulted in destruction of 100 naval vessels and 81 aircraft as well as killing Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

March, 2026- US bombs 1000 infrastructure and military sites and more naval vessels.

April to October– low intensity fighting but with US military escorting ships, oil shipments resume at 80% going through the Strait of Hormuz (costs not lower due to big ships off-loading smaller ships that go thru the strait and then reload on the other side to big ships). Now, Iran is never going to relinquish  their involvment in the strait without the US military escorting ships.

October, 2026– To get headlines and assauge farmers, truckers, etc that use diesel, Trump does a deal with Putin to get some diesel–that will-wait for it–supply 12 hours of diesel to the global market/USA. For it, Starlink in Ukraine taken down resulting in Russian Drone attack and 600,000 Kyiv people losing power.

NOW- October, 2026– Trump says ” ok no, we didn’t get rid of all the Iran’s Nuclear capability” so now we have to bomb Pickaxe Mountain which is Iran’s largest uranium enrichment facility which is 328 feet underground. So now Trump is saying he wnats the use the ‘Mother of All Bombs- MOAB” to bomb it which is the largest bomb the USA has. However, it detonates slightly above ground and would NOT destroy the underground portions of Pickaxe. It would blast away buildings, cave entrances, and surface infrastructure.  So it is a symbolic PR program rather than doing real damage to the centrifuges.

Cost of Elections- in 2026

Congress- $2.86 Billion ($276 million alone by Elon Musk- should be illegal)

Governor-$15 Billion

Local Races-Billions collectively

Total- Congress and Governor- $17.86 Billion

Tariffs

2026 Cost of per household is around $1000

Increase -Coffee- 34%, Ground Beef- 20%, Aluminum – 40%, Steel- 25%, Lumber-12%, autos-10%, Ford- $1 billion in tariff costs, GM – $4.5 Billion in tariff cossts, electronic- 12%, Clothing- 4.5% and of course, gasoline and diesel.

Meanwhile, here are some programs Trump wants to eliminate. (PBS)

And, Trump’s future for generic drugs- 0% tariff while he is in office, and once out- 100% from August 2028 -2029 and 200% from August 2029 and the future. 90% of US prescriptions are generic. Guess who is going to pay for those tariffs- taxes- you and I.

Meanwhile, Coporate tax cuts- Permanent, No Tax on Tips- ends 2028, Senior extra $6000 deduction- ends 2028. So gave some seniors and tips to get the permanent corporate tax cuts permanent. And, in second quarter 2026, corporate tax profits increased by $400.9 billion, up 18% a historic high.

Given the state of the bond market, over-inflated stock market, interest rates and the impact of AI on the job market, we need to really decide on who we elect.

Whether you are a Republican or Democrat, we need to start voting and demanding answers and results on issues facing our lives and make sure they follow through. Vote for the person, not the party. Personally, we have voted for both parties in our lifetime.