Let’s talk about math. Not the kind you need to file taxes or help your kid with homework — we’re talking about the political math Rep. Keith Self is trying to sell you. Spoiler alert: it doesn’t add up.
Rep. Keith Self recently voted yes on the very bill he’d spent weeks grandstanding against. On X, he warned it would grow the national debt from $36 trillion to $56 trillion, called it “the largest debt ceiling increase in our history,” and said it would add “$20 trillion in new debt.” He claimed it “delays meaningful cuts” and framed it as a betrayal of conservative principles.
Then — despite all the tough talk — he voted for it.
Now he’s calling it his “hardest decision yet,” claiming he only voted yes to “stay in the room” and keep fighting. But if you spend weeks railing against a bill as reckless and fiscally disastrous, then turn around and support it — that’s what we call around here “all hat and no cattle.” Big talk, empty follow-through.
Locking the Barn After the Horse Ran Off
Self spent weeks railing against the so-called “Green New Scam,” hyping outrage over tax credits for electric vehicles and solar panels. But the irony? The very bill he voted for already starts phasing out many of those same credits. He voted for the thing he was supposedly trying to kill. That’s like locking the barn after the horse already ran off — and then bragging you saved the ranch.
If that wasn’t bad enough, for all his fiscal hawk talk, the bill kicks the tough decisions down the road until after the 2026 midterms. That includes programs Self has repeatedly targeted — like Medicaid and food assistance — where he’s pushed for stricter work requirements and vowed to eliminate “fraud and abuse.” But none of those cuts are happening now. They’ve been conveniently shelved until after the next election. So after all the noise, what did he actually deliver? Maybe just an attaboy from President Trump?
That’s a question we’d love to ask — if he ever decided to speak directly with the people of TX-03 instead of tweeting or sticking to the friendly confines of Fox News, Breitbart, and out-of-district platforms.
The Self-Serving Budget Plan: Vague, Loud, and Empty
Rep. Self loves to talk about making “real cuts.” But when it comes to specifics — what exactly he’d cut — it’s crickets. And believe us, we’ve asked. More than once. Still nothing.
Instead, we get the usual greatest hits:
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“Waste, fraud, and abuse.” A political cliché. Sure, waste exists — in every large system. But even if you wiped it all out, it wouldn’t come close to fixing the deficit.
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“Work requirements.” Sounds tough, but the truth is most folks on Medicaid and SNAP already work. The rest? They’re kids, caregivers, seniors, or too sick to hold a job.
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“Illegals are getting benefits.” Not true. Undocumented immigrants aren’t collecting Social Security or food stamps. It’s a scare tactic — not a solution.
Why the Math Ain’t Mathing
Even if you wiped out every green energy tax credit tomorrow, you’d save about $369 billion over ten years. Sounds like a lot — until you stack it next to the real numbers:
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Social Security: $1.4 trillion per year
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Medicare & Medicaid: $1.6 trillion per year
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Trump tax cuts (extended): $3.8 trillion over a decade
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Interest on the national debt: $1 trillion per year
So no, your neighbor’s rooftop solar or Tesla isn’t the reason we’re in a $34 trillion hole. The real drivers are clear — but conveniently absent from Rep. Self’s complaints.
All Bark, No Budget Backbone
While Rep. Self thunders about fiscal discipline on social media, he voted for a bill that continues tax cuts for the wealthy, increases border and defense spending, and puts off any real cuts until it’s politically convenient. That’s not fiscal responsibility — it’s cowardice wrapped in red-meat rhetoric.
If you truly believe it’s a $20 trillion disaster, then don’t just talk — stand your ground and vote NO. Otherwise, you’re signing off on exactly what you claim to oppose.
TX-03 voters can do the math, and they sure know when someone’s trying to fool them with slogans instead of real solutions. Don’t forget, we can spot a fella who’s all hat and no cattle from a mile away.
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