Trump’s Agenda is On Track & NOAA’s Florida Impact - Top 3 Takeaways – May 22nd, 2025 – Driven By Braman Motorcars
Takeaway #1: OBBB Is Close to becoming reality
Several key changes took place with the OMBB between Wednesday and this morning when it passed the United States House of Representatives by 1 vote. Medicaid work requirements moved up by three years. Greenish New Deal initiatives that will be nixed. Assurances that DOGE savings will continue to be realized through July 4th of next year. Also, assurances from the Trump administration that DOGE savings will continue to be found and that as they are they will be applied. In other words, the deficit spending that’s been outlined is less than it was yesterday and will continue to come down as more savings are found and applied. By a vote of 215-214 President Trump’s agenda has passed the House of Representatives and now is in the hands of the senate.
Takeaway #2: NOAA Way
While congressional Republicans are still working feverishly on the OBBB, the Left is working overtime to attempt to keep the status quo in place. As you likely know, as far as the political left goes there’s only one direction that the size of government agencies should go. As the detesting of DOGE has shown, it’s never ok in the eyes of the Left to cut government spending in anyway, even with DOGE having saved the average taxpayer over a thousand dollars by not funding things like transgendered Peruvian comic book heroes, which was one of many projects undertaken by USAID, or funding a Taliban terrorist as DOGE found the US Institute of Peace doing, or parties at Caesar's Palace because why not? It’s only taxpayer money! So naturally when it comes to a government agency that you actually know, and probably like, the Left is ready to fight. And that’s the case with pending NOAA cuts. NOAA is currently the third most approved of government agency (only behind the National Weather Service and NASA) with a net positive approval rating of 50-points. At the recommendation of DOGE, and as is currently being accounted for in the OBBB, NOAA would be tasked with doing what it is does with $1.5 billion, or 22%, less per year. Trivia time. How many employees would you expect NOAA to have? Have a number in mind? The answer was over 12,000 until just recently – it stands at about 11,000 as of today after the initial DOGEing with just under a thousand more that are unlikely to stay. It’s likely safe to say you hadn’t noticed and that’s the point.
Takeaway #3: What large federal government agency do you think has been running at peak efficiency?
Here’s a hint – if you name any you have no credibility with me or anyone who’s researched this stuff seriously. NOAA likely does better than most, but to suggest that there’s no bloat? Please. So anyway, enter a story that’s made the rounds across our state this week. The story originally written for a Gulf Coast online publication Suncoast Searchlight (written by a reporter originally from Madison, Wisconsin who’s worked for leftwing outlets The Progressive and The Guardian)– has been picked up by news outlets from around the state (under multiple headlines – to make it sound as dire as possible for the targeted audience) like this in the Miami Herald: How budget cuts could harm Florida’s fishing economy, threaten red tide research. The story goes on to say stuff like this: Sweeping cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration could imperil Florida’s multibillion-dollar fishing industry and coastal economy, industry leaders and scientists warn — a dire prospect for a region built on tourism, seafood and the health of its waters. At one point in the story, with the reporter showing her colors she said... the Gulf of Mexico, recognized federally as Gulf of America by Trump’s executive order. Seriously? Should I point out then that it is also the Gulf of America by law in the state of Florida for which this story is written? In any event the story goes on in great detail and with many anecdotes about how vital NOAA’s work is to Florida’s coastal sustainability. This includes numerous projects and grants from the agency that supports them. And as conservationist, I’m supportive of much of what they do. But here’s the thing and it’s a considerable thing, and also my second trivia question for you. I did a little work on this yesterday. What percentage of NOAA’s budget goes to Florida specific projects? The answer is...1%. Ok, so 1.17% to be exact. Somehow or another I’m sure our state will pull through if NOAA has “only” about 10,000 employees and spends $17.3 million fewer dollars on Florida specific projects (which is what the figure would be if the cuts are applied equitably - there’s a chance there wouldn’t be any meaningful impact in our state). So yes, they’re trying hard, this one was a good effort. They still need to fail better. At least if they’re going to be able to fool me and by extension you.