Trump’s “Money for Nothing” Programs Undermine American Founding Principles

By Michael Dorstewitz
Monday, 15 December 2025 10:27 AM EST

Although President Trump has achieved some significant successes for America within the first 11 months of his second term, he should reconsider several recent initiatives.

These programs appear more aligned with socialist economic principles than those developed by an individual who thrived through capitalism.

Last week, the White House announced that “the Trump administration is giving the next generation a real jumpstart on saving—and on the AMERICAN DREAM.” The announcement cited the Council of Economic Advisers, stating that a Trump Account could grow to over $300,000 in just 18 years.

The White House further clarified: “An American child born after December 31, 2024 and before January 1, 2029 for whom a Trump Account is established will receive an initial $1,000 deposit from the government, with the potential for parents to contribute up to an additional $5,000 per year.”

Additionally, employers are encouraged to contribute up to $2,500 annually to each employee’s Trump Account without affecting their income.

This initiative was included in the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBBA) and directs the U.S. Treasury to pay each newborn $1,000 to seed the account.

The CDC reported a provisional 3,622,673 births in 2024. This would equate to more than $3.6 billion annually.

Trump has repeatedly proposed sending $2,000 “tariff dividends” to low and middle-income Americans, claiming revenues from his increased import taxes would cover the cost and still reduce debt. However, the Tax Foundation estimated that these “tariff dividends” would exceed tariff revenue, placing the United States in deeper financial trouble.

Even if this did not occur, the funds would be better utilized for debt reduction.

In 2022, the IRS processed approximately 165 million individual tax returns. Assuming two-thirds were low-to-middle income wage earners who would receive the $2,000 “tariff dividend,” that would amount to roughly $220 billion.

Both initiatives invite widespread fraud, waste, and abuse on a massive scale. Recent investigations revealed more than $1 billion in welfare fraud in Minnesota, much of it committed by the Somali community. Some funds were used for lavish lifestyles, while others supported Al-Shabaab terrorist activities in Somalia.

At the federal level, early in this administration, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) discovered hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars lost to fraud and mismanagement.

This comes at a time when American identity is already under threat.

The three Founding principles that contribute to American exceptionalism are individual liberty, a free market economy, and personal responsibility. Think of them as three legs on a stool: remove one, and the stool collapses.

The previous administration sought to undermine the first leg—stripping Americans of fundamental freedoms including free speech, a free press, and religious freedom guaranteed by the First Amendment, as well as the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms.

Regarding the second leg, efforts have persisted for decades to replace the free market economy with socialism. Lawmakers such as Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) promote socialist policies with fervor. Moreover, New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani aims to transform the city into a “socialist paradise,” while Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) recently suggested that Congress should handle all needs for citizens.

“Congress has the money and power to feed every family, house every neighbor, and guarantee healthcare for every person but instead, my colleagues choose to line their own pockets by supporting endless war,” she stated.

However, Congress lacks significant funds. The only resources they possess come from coercing the public, and they manage these poorly—having placed the nation in more than $38 trillion of debt.

Now, these new White House programs risk eroding the third leg—personal responsibility. As the rock group Dire Straits noted, this would amount to “Money for Nothing.” While receiving “Money for Nothing” may seem appealing, it can undermine self-worth. In extreme cases, individuals might feel entitled to continue receiving such benefits without effort.

We should tell the president and Congress: “Thanks, but no thanks—we can do it ourselves.”

Famed American economist Thomas Sowell observed that one of the sad signs of our time is that we have demonized those who produce, subsidized those who refuse to produce, and canonized those who complain.

Michael Dorstewitz is a retired lawyer, former U.S. Merchant Marine officer, and Second Amendment supporter.