Matt Hodge

Believer in Free Markets & Fiscal Conservatism

[Matt Hodge @matthodge156]

@SpursReporter @TomerAzarly Who was the person who came into the camera frame from the right pointing at the baseline? Did the ref make the call because a random spectator was so animated?

[Marc Goldwein @MarcGoldwein]

We're on course for 4%-4.5% inflation for 2026.

Graph via @katekgen at @BudgetHawks

[Kite & Key Media @kiteandkeymedia]

As of 2025, half of the federal government’s new debt is ... to pay the interest on our old debt.

[Adam Thierer @AdamThierer]

I see the idea of AI socialism is back in the news again today.

I’ll just reiterate what I’ve said here many times before: The idea of nationalizing AI – whether “hard” (complete govt ownership) or “soft” (equity stakes) nationalization – should be rejected in all its forms. It does not matter whether AI nationalization is being pitched by Bernie Sanders, national security hawks, or AI companies themselves – all flavors of AI socialism are poisonous and must be stopped.

Nationalizing AI, or even treating AI like a regulated monopoly or public utility, would have the same deleterious effects (and then some) that we have seen in countless other historical case studies. The entire history of nationalization and utility-style regulation is one of capture and cronyism, diminished innovation and consumer welfare, and censorial controls on speech in the case of information and communications technology (ICT) markets. Our nation would lose its competitive advantage in computation and algorithmic innovation if we took this disastrous path for AI. AI would become a Technology of Control instead of a Technology of Freedom.

Below you will find some journal articles and essays I’ve authored on the ugly history of soft nationalization and regulated utility economics and politics in the ICT policy world. We must not repeat this disastrous history with AI.

[CRFB.org @BudgetHawks]

🚨Unless changes are made, Social Security's insolvency would trigger automatic benefit cuts - $500 on average nationally, and even more in 29 states. One-in-five Americans, 63 million, would be impacted if those cuts happened today.

Solutions are long overdue; a bipartisan commission would be an important step toward preventing this outcome.

Learn more: https://t.co/ia2rY2HOrj. #NoStateSpared

[Luke Rosiak @lukerosiak]

https://t.co/7V1oWKxuWZ

[CRFB.org @BudgetHawks]

No State Spared 🗺️ Mapping the Impact of Social Security's Insolvency

Our new first-of-its-kind “No State Spared” report illustrates the potential state-by-state impact of Social Security's insolvency, highlighting the consequences of continued inaction.

Social Security insolvency is less than 7 years away, at which point retirees will face a 24% benefit cut upon trust fund depletion...

Using the projected 24% benefit cut and the most recent state-level data available, we estimate that ⤵️

➡️ Average monthly benefit cuts would surpass $500 in 29 states.

➡️ More than 15% of the population would be directly impacted in 47 states.

➡️ Total benefit cuts would exceed 1% of GDP in 40 states.

No state would be spared from the potentially devastating effects of Social Security insolvency.

For information on the impact on your home state, check out the report here 👉 https://t.co/bBqZTPWMBL.

[Rep. David Schweikert @RepDavid]

Congress keeps piling on debt. Treasury still has to find someone willing to buy it.

If buyers stop trusting Washington, the math gets ugly fast.

[Rep. David Schweikert @RepDavid]

A 24% Social Security cut would mean $511 less each month for the average Arizona retiree.

That’s why I’ve spent a decade putting forward proposals to protect those benefits.

[Megan Cassella @mmcassella]

For those keeping track: U.S. Customs says as of Friday, $85 billion in tariff refunds has been approved and is on its way to importers, and $20.6 billion has been delivered.

That's of the roughly $166 billion in refunds + $4 billion in interest the government owes overall.

[Adam Butler @GestaltU]

It’s not the debt, per se. It’s what we didn’t build / create / fix with the it. We blew it subsidizing consumption and credit instead of funding investment - in infrastructure, education, fundamental science and engineering. So we haven’t built the capacity to service it.

[CRFB.org @BudgetHawks]

🎥WATCH: CRFB President @MayaMacGuineas joins @PBS @AmanpourCoPBS w/ @WalterIsaacson to discuss the national debt reaching 100% of GDP, and how this moment reflects our worsening fiscal picture.

Rather than continuing to let the debt rattle bond markets and risk higher inflation, MacGuineas argues policymakers should address the problem by finally fixing our trust funds and finding new savings and revenues to bring the budget back into line.

➡️Watch the full interview here: https://t.co/YJfDM4tpRS

[Dan Crenshaw @DanCrenshawTX]

Remember the ESG craze a few years ago?

Banks were scared to finance oil and gas. Bitcoin mining was supposedly boiling the oceans. Cow farts were destroying the planet.

That same anti-growth mentality has now shifted toward AI data centers.

Yes, they use enormous amounts of electricity. Fine, let’s figure out how to put more power on the grid. That’s what major technological revolutions require. And energy markets are already responding. Many data center companies want to build their own power sources and I have legislation that would streamline permitting to do that.

Yes, they use water for cooling. Mostly water that would otherwise flow out to sea.

In return? Trillions in private infrastructure investment. American jobs. AI leadership over China. Breakthroughs in medicine, engineering, and science.

America became powerful by building things. We shouldn’t start apologizing for it now.

https://t.co/UrqZWWOZ15

[Marc Goldwein @MarcGoldwein]

This kind of Medicare for all would cost About $30 trillion over a decade.

Financing that it would require a 32% payroll tax, a 25% income surtax, a 42% VAT, or a $12,000 per person “public premium”. https://t.co/6CekIyHhi9

[JD Vance @JDVance]

Today, the task force and the DOJ announced a massive take down of two of the largest Medicaid fraud cases in Minnesota state history, as well as the largest autism fraud scheme ever charged by the federal government. Our message is simple: if you’re committing fraud, we will find you, and we won’t rest until justice is served.

[Dan Ornelas @DanielMOrnelas]

What shall we do, take away country club memberships from seniors sitting on 6 investment properties with $8k/month in passive income? They paid into the system!!

[CRFB.org @BudgetHawks]

🚨NEW: @USGAO estimates the federal government made at least $186 billion of improper payments in FY 2025 – up 15% since FY 2024 and totaling $3 trillion since 2003.

Reducing improper payments should be part of a strategy to improve efficiency, lower deficits, and reduce government waste, fraud, abuse, and errors.

More in our latest blog below ⤵️

[CRFB.org @BudgetHawks]

Think US national debt isn't going to impact you⁉️ News alert: It already has.

The Committee’s @MarcGoldwein joined @USATODAY's “The Excerpt” to discuss how we should be tackling the problem of rising national debt and what is at risk if we don't.

Listen to the full interview here🎙 https://t.co/S07GkgJTLU

[John Arnold @johnarnold]

A fire alarm is going off and everyone is ignoring it.

[Senator Dave McCormick @SenMcCormickPA]

California uses Medicaid for exorcisms, gym memberships, music lessons.

Meanwhile, fraudsters get rich while a low-income kid goes without care.

$1.3 BILLION in fraud, frozen this week.

Congress must keep digging into every state until every dollar reaches those who need it.
https://t.co/trtYTuTv3U