Administration ‘Not Frugal’

Feb. 9, 2026 Editor, The News-Gazette: Based on my 26 years of teaching, plus 10 years of prior professional experience, I often say that numbers matter. Thus, the following list shows costs estimates for some of the promises and proposals stated by the current presidential administration: $300 million – Supplemental Shutdown Support for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Nutrition Program; $400 million - Remodel White House Rose Garden, Ballroom and East Wing; $700 million (plus $300 million/ month ongoing) – attack and embargo Venezuela; $1.6 billion – Increase longterm federal child-care support; $2.5 billion – Pay “warrior dividend”; $10 billion – Create sovereign wealth fund; $12 billion – Pay tariff relief for U.S. farm and agriculture; $20 billion - Support Argentina; $20 billion - Support Ukraine; $33 billion - Support Israel against Hamas, Hezbollah, Yemen, and Iran; $88 billion (annually) – Change immigration, deportation, detainment and border programs; $200 billion - Purchase mortgage bonds to lower interest rates; $280 billion - Pay “tariff dividend” to low-and middle-income Americans; $600 billion - Build “dream military”; $2.5 trillion - Replace federal income tax.