A.G. Gancarski
U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, who is currently the leading Republican candidate for Governor, sees room to slash the federal budget.
During an appearance on “Mornings with Maria,” the Naples Republican talked about how much could be cut at maximum, and what the minimum number is to get a budget through the House.
“There is waste, fraud and abuse in Medicaid to the tune of at least $600 billion that can be trimmed out of Medicaid, potentially more if you get creative. You have things like the IRA credits under the Biden administration, those Green New Deal slush fund tax credits. You can cut a lot of stuff out of that,” Donalds said.
“If you cut it all, that’s about $700 billion right there, depending on the scoring, how that comes back from CBO. And then there’s other ancillary areas that you can go and trim back in mandatory spending. I’ve seen the math, there’s been different allocations set where if you really had to be serious and get to the bone, you could do about $5 trillion.”
The House version of the Fiscal Year 2025 Concurrent Budget Resolution passed by a 216-214 margin Thursday. It envisions $1.5 trillion in cuts, which Donalds says is the minimum threshold that his colleagues in the lower chamber will accept.
“The budget hawks in our caucus, who care about mandatory spending cuts and reforms, have been serious about this consistently for the last couple of months. We have to cut mandatory spending. It is not an option for the future health of the United States. So for the House and for the Senate, let’s be clear right now. If you’re not cutting 1.5 billion (dollars), this budget will not pass out of Congress,” he said.
Congress is going into its Easter recess, and committee work will begin thereafter on “passing the necessary spending cuts.”
“If we’re not cutting spending in a significant way, that reconciliation package will not pass the House,” Donalds emphasized.
10 comments
Michael K
April 11, 2025 at 9:34 am
“There is waste, fraud and abuse in Medicaid to the tune of at least $600 billion that can be trimmed out of Medicaid, potentially more if you get creative.”
First of all, where is this “proof” of fraud and abuse? The Inspector Generals have been fired—they are the ones who actually eliminate the fraud and abuse. Second, one of the first lessons I learned is that you never want your accountants and accounting departments to “get creative.” In this case, that results in “magical thinking” rather than sound fiscal responsibility.
He should be honest: The number one priority is huge tax cuts for billionaires – at the expense of those at the bottom .of the ladder.
Darell Glass
April 11, 2025 at 9:59 am
On tuesday I got a great new Land Rover Range Rover from having earned $10,000 dollars this last four weeks. Its the most-financialy rewarding I’ve had. It sounds unbelievable but you wont forgive yourself If you don’t
Go ON my ProFILE
ScienceBLVR
April 11, 2025 at 10:09 am
I’ve seen the math, there’s been different allocations set where if you really had to be serious and get to the bone, you could do about $5 trillion.”
I know his party’s penchant and slavish devotion to “Alternative Facts” but Alternative Math?
I don’t buy it, and neither will the public, especially not once the waste fraud and abuse hits a program they or their family utilize
Peachy
April 11, 2025 at 10:15 am
My rag propaganda newspaper that I no longer subscribe to had many articles over the years of Dr’s, medical providers and such defrauding Medicaire and Medicaid for millions Some of these Dr’s were guilty or f taking tens of millions. Now that is on a local scale. Expand the map nationwide and you are probably in the billions.
JD
April 11, 2025 at 12:06 pm
So your “rag propaganda newspaper” exposed Medicare fraud by doctors, but instead of thanking them for real journalism, you call it fake news? That’s classic disinfo: discredit the source while using it.
Yes, healthcare fraud happens. But it’s the media, audits, and whistleblowers that bring it to light. Billions are recovered every year through enforcement.
If you’re serious about stopping fraud, support oversight and accountability. Don’t use it as an excuse to attack journalism. You can’t claim fraud is real while saying the people exposing it are fake. That’s not logic, it’s propaganda.
Michael K
April 11, 2025 at 1:01 pm
Rick Scott lorded over one of the largest Medicare / Medicare scams in history. As a Republican, his grifting “earned” him a US Senate seat. There’s your biggest fraud.
Skeptic
April 11, 2025 at 1:04 pm
I used to read about Medicare and Medicaid fraud too. Then we elected one of the high-profile perpetrator as Governor and U.S. Senator. Floridians are not widely respected for intellect, but Donalds may be a bridge too far as he campaigns on wiping out health care for millions of Floridians. His attacks on run-of-the mill lower class people may not cost him at the polls, but seniors tend to organize and vote.
PeterH
April 11, 2025 at 12:52 pm
Byron and Doge need to provide written proof to back up their claims of fraud and abuse.
JD
April 11, 2025 at 2:43 pm
Oh I am aware of Scott’s Golden “Grey” parachute. It is freaking gross the lack of couth the BananaRepublicans display and the willful ignorance and lack of critical thinking their followers display. This is why they want to keep education under their thumb (along with the grift).
Here comes the what-about-isms, and binary options. All of their culture wars are binary options because their ilk and followers aren’t willing to try and understand a dichotomy. Once you see that trick, it’s impossible to unsee it.
where's the $10 M?
April 12, 2025 at 12:33 pm
As if we care what Donalds says. Maybe he should focus on the $10M Hope grift right here in Florida? We might actually pay attention to him on that.