this post was submitted on 29 Sep 2026
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"Because of tariffs, we are taking in hundreds of billions of dollars of profits," he said. "It's one of the reasons I can offer, if Republicans win the House and the Senate, $5,000 to every adult. And we can do it and the Democrats can't, because the Democrats don't have any income, and they're gonna drive us in[to] a depression. They won't have any money."

Bitch you already promised us a tariff refund check.

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[–] Voroxpete@sh.itjust.works 97 points 1 week ago (4 children)

"Because of tariffs, we are taking in hundreds of billions of dollars of profits," he said. "It's one of the reasons I can offer, if Republicans win the House and the Senate, $5,000 to every adult. And we can do it and the Democrats can't, because the Democrats don't have any income, and they're gonna drive us in[to] a depression. They won't have any money."

His so-called logic is so bad it makes my head hurt.

  1. You already control both chambers. You could pass it now if it wasn't an obvious bribe to get people to vote for your party.
  2. Nothing about the Dems winning midterms stops the tariffs being in place. Literally your entire legal argument is that you don't need Congress to approve them, so logically the Dems controlling Congress wouldn't stop them if that was true. So they'd still have the money.

How do people actually fall for this shit? How?!

[–] bobjones1665@lemmy.world 76 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Measles have returned because people believe vaccines cause autism. That's your answer.

[–] areakode@riskeratspizza.com 14 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

Will this be the first infectious disease to be both eradicated and reintroduced? Damn, we're good.

Anybody know where we can get ahold of some small pox? /s

[–] FrChazzz@lemmus.org 8 points 1 week ago

In 1993 Michael Crichton introduces us to the wonders of de-extinction and we all dreamed of dinosaurs in zoos. 33 years later and all we get is rebooted viruses.

[–] inclementimmigrant@lemmy.world 34 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (3 children)
[–] AdolfSchmitler@lemmy.world 18 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Some children were left behind

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[–] Eldritch@piefed.world 7 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

Oh we have us an optimist here. We aren't even lucky enough to have a president Dwayne Elizando Mountain Dew Camacho.

Idiocracy would be a step up. We are in a full-on kakistocracy.

[–] CharlesDarwin@lemmy.world 8 points 1 week ago (1 children)

At least in that fictional narrative they knew enough to reward someone smarter than them.

The way it typically works is to have the dumbest declare that their vibes overrule expertise.

[–] Eldritch@piefed.world 9 points 1 week ago

Yep that's why I say that I would much rather be in an idiocracy situation right now. It was truly an optimistic look at the future. If you look back now.

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[–] jtrek@startrek.website 7 points 1 week ago (1 children)

How do people actually fall for this shit? How?!

Many people "Reason" emotionally. The words don't matter so much as the feelings.

[–] CharlesDarwin@lemmy.world 11 points 1 week ago

It's like the people going on vibes toward the end of 2024 and deciding that voting for donnie would improve their lot. Even though virtually every economic indicator was pointed in the right direction at that point.

Meanwhile, lots of the chattering class kept flogging anyone pointing this out, saying it negated people's feelings to point out the facts of an economy that was on the right track.

[–] AmyAye@nord.pub 6 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Also, Dems winning does not make this supposed money go away. If they are taking in these "hundreds of billions", that belongs to the government, not the Republicans.

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[–] ThePowerOfGeek@lemmy.world 71 points 1 week ago (1 children)

"They're going to drive us into a depression"

...Unlike the depression that's already forming because of his fucking stupid and disastrous economic policies?

Yeah, I'll take my chances with the party that has consistently brought economic stability, rather than the party that is ruining the economy (again) and flagrantly trying to buy votes (after they've already made similar promises and failed to deliver).

[–] BooBees@fedinsfw.app 20 points 1 week ago

The only party that actually reduces or has ever done away with deficits to the point of surplus, and the only party that has done so nearly every time elected, with the exception of those inheriting a pandemic and a nation with an economy crashing thanks to it.

[–] chahn.chris@piefed.social 63 points 1 week ago (3 children)

Bro, tariffs are paid by us.

You’re promising to give us our money back? Like you can do that? Maybe just fucking do it right now?

Nobody should vote for republicans this guy screws everyone over all the time. If republicans win they will tariff harder and take even more away because their policy approach is fuck you that’s why.

But hey maybe we’ll get some more asshole racist ai video entertainment or whatever.

[–] hume_lemmy@lemmy.ca 27 points 1 week ago

Don't forget the massive chunk he added to the national debt. He stole America's wallet, ran up the credit card, and now expects forgive and forget because he handed back $5.

And the sad thing is, it'll work on a sizable chunk of the US electorate.

[–] Treczoks@lemmy.world 10 points 1 week ago

Yes, tariffs are paid by you, but do you believe that someone stupid enough to vote for the orange-haired monkey would understands this? For them, the farm shop or Walmart just raised prices because things got more expensive.

[–] kmartburrito@lemmy.world 9 points 1 week ago

Except those tariff refunds go back to the companies (even though taxpayers pay), like Nintendo for example, and then they can decide whether or not to refund. Most won't.

[–] Feathercrown@lemmy.world 44 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Ignoring everything else wrong with this, it's government money. If it actually existed it wouldn't just vanish when a democrat gets elected.

[–] MelodiousFunk@slrpnk.net 17 points 1 week ago

Trump and cronies are pros at making government money vanish.

[–] Pyr_Pressure@lemmy.ca 9 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I mean, if it were from tariffs it just might because Democrats would actually follow the law and stop the tariffs and refund the illegally collected money. Unfortunately that would go back to businesses not individuals.

Although Trump was already ordered to pay back the money so either he ignored the courts or the money already doesn't exist.

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[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 40 points 1 week ago (1 children)

"Because of tariffs, we are taking in hundreds of billions of dollars of profits," he said. "It's one of the reasons I can offer, if Republicans win the House and the Senate, $5,000 to every adult. And we can do it and the Democrats can't, because the Democrats don't have any income, and they're gonna drive us in[to] a depression. They won't have any money."

He's flat out saying he considers the tarrif money "his" if a Republican government has access to it but a democratic government wouldn't...

And obviously ignoring that the "profits" are from a tax on Americans buying shit

[–] dmtalon@infosec.pub 18 points 1 week ago

And obviously ignoring that the "profits" are from a tax on Americans buying shit

Gotta remember who he's trying to bamboozle... Not the bright lights, the dim ones

[–] thermal_shock@lemmy.world 35 points 1 week ago (1 children)

We're already in a recession you dumb fuck

[–] myyass@lemmy.world 7 points 1 week ago

I would say it's beyond at this point.

[–] CharlesDarwin@lemmy.world 34 points 1 week ago (1 children)

"Because of ~~tariffs~~ taxes, I think I can bribe the stupider among you with your own fucking money."

--donnie dumb dumb

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[–] anon_8675309@lemmy.world 24 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Impose tariffs, make all of us pay it, then dangle some refund in front of your poor white trash voters to get them to vote again.

[–] melsaskca@lemmy.ca 7 points 1 week ago

I worry more about the rich white trash already in power.

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[–] socsa@piefed.social 19 points 1 week ago (1 children)

This statement is literally unconstitutional. Plainly, unambiguously, no mask, no nuance, just unconstitutional.

The Treasury handles all of this accounting and congress directs spending. The Executive does not just get to use revenue received from its activities as a slush fund. Basically all of the US Government's revenue is collected by agencies under the Executive. Claiming that they can simply take tariff revenue and turn it into dividend checks is the exact same constitutional argument that he could take IRS revenue and turn it into Bitcoin.

It's so plainly illegal, and it demonstrates exactly why the current SCOTUS obsession with extremely strict standing requirements is a flawed concept.

[–] grue@lemmy.world 11 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

It’s so plainly illegal, and it demonstrates exactly why the current SCOTUS obsession with extremely strict standing requirements is ~~a flawed concept~~ blatantly shameless, corrupt, depraved, and traitorous support for dictatorship.

FTFY.

[–] twjolson@lemmy.world 19 points 1 week ago

He 100% thinks he gets to keep the tariff money.

[–] stoly@lemmy.world 18 points 1 week ago

LOL somehow only Republicans are capable of this because Democrats bad.

[–] paraphrand@lemmy.world 15 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

“Profits.” what a POS.

[–] Pratai@piefed.ca 15 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

So, here’s the deal….

Everyone here can opine on how ludicrous this is, agree with one another about how fucking stupid he is, and circlejerk over how annoying it is that he does this dumb shit-

But he does it because he knows people are going to believe it. It’s not about wether or not he will make good on the promise- it’s only about getting the idiots to dance when he commands them to.

He is buying votes with our money, and it’s going to work like a fucking charm.

Think of it like this:

You know how during trials, some lawyers will say shit that is objectionable, and then stricken from the record? This is entirely on purpose. The jury can’t “unhear” it. Once it’s said, it’s done and it’s effect is now in play.

So, the moment that vapid disgusting bag of child-raping gelatinous flesh opened his shithole of a mouth, all the mentally challenged minions that fall at his feet bought it at a premium.

He’s not paying them shit. But they believe he will and as a result, will do exactly as he says.

[–] FrChazzz@lemmus.org 14 points 1 week ago

I know that this is all Trump's blowhard bullshit, but the logic (and we know there isn't any) could easily be: If we have the money, and it's not his money, but money made from tariffs, then there's nothing to stop the Democrats from also giving everyone a $5000 check...

[–] CaptDust@sh.itjust.works 12 points 1 week ago

Ah yes tariffs, the Republicans personal revenue stream cumulating in a very accessible slush fund to burn whatever way that specific party wishes, up to and including bribing voters.

Makes me wonder why no one else has ever thought of this? Oh, because it's not a political loophole, just blatantly fucking illegal.

[–] dropdrip@lemmy.ml 12 points 1 week ago

It's the government's money, not republican's money. A different party inherits the government and therefore can do what you're proposing. They'd be in the same situation.

[–] Rhaedas@fedia.io 7 points 1 week ago

Aside from it being false, that's not at all how you stimulate an economy. But he's never been good at growing a business, so...

[–] Triumph@fedia.io 7 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Since the tariffs are a tax on American people purchasing things, and since rich people purchase more things, and the promise is to pay every person the same amount, this is classic socialist wealth redistribution.

I mean, it would be, if it ever came to pass.

[–] doc@fedia.io 7 points 1 week ago

But it's a charade when the 1% are getting massive tax cuts at the same time. Still a net loss to the 99% getting checks, but WEEE $5000! 🙄

[–] hopesdead@startrek.website 6 points 1 week ago

Next thing you know, only select people will receive the money and he’ll complain about who is technically considered an adult.

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