Show Me

“Where’s the beef?”

“Show me the money!”

A person might have to be a certain age to remember those phrases.  In 1984, Clara Peller, a grumpy little elderly lady, became famous for holding a hamburger and demanding to know where the beef was.  It was a part of Wendy’s advertising to show the public that they had the hamburger patties when other chains lacked any substance.  She demanded to know “where’s the beef?”

In a 1996 film, Jerry Maguire, Tom Cruise played a sports agent attempting to save his business by getting a hold-out football player, Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding Jr.), a lucrative contract worthy of his talent.  He wanted a BIG payday.  Despite all the promises, Tidwell wasn’t going to believe it until he saw the actual money.  He demands proof.  “Show me the money!” 

Now in 2026 I have come to a point with our president and his constant fly-by-night word salads and promises to want some proof.  To the president I say “where’s the beef” and “show me the money”.  Promises, promises, promises . . . and nothing to show for it.

The president has made a lot of promises to the American people as a part of his “make America bigger and better”.  Part of those promises involve money in the form of dividends and rebates.  Under Elon Musk and his illicit Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), he and the president promised American citizens dividend checks from the downsizing of the government and the money it would save.  They promised that there would be checks for $5,000 per person from the trillions of dollars saved.  We, the people, are still waiting.  There hasn't been a check in the mail yet.

The other big promise straight out of the president’s mouth was a rebate for the tariffs he inflicted upon the rest of the world.  He promised these trade tariffs would raise trillions of dollars to lessen the national debt.  He promised $2,000 dollar rebate checks to lessen the fiscal impact upon the country’s citizens pocketbooks.  He promised it repeatedly . . . it was on a loop and that he constantly played whenever he felt pressure on his political future.  Haven’t seen that check in the mailbox either. There are no trillions of dollars being raked in.  The United States Supreme Court nullified his tariffs last week declaring that the president has no power of grounds to implement tariffs carte blanche.  It was illegal and against the Constitution.  And now he is claiming he doesn’t remember making such promises despite the fact there is numerous digital evidence of him making the promise on television.

“Where’s the beef?”

“Show me the money!”

Me and everyone else would like to know . . . where is the money?  After all, a promise is a promise.  This is the United States of America where we believe a person at his or her word.  Don’t we say that a person is “as good as his or her word”?  That might explain everything . . . the president’s words are worthless.  We know this president is a liar.  In his first term (2017-2021) there were 30,573 false and misleading claims–lies spoken by this individual in public.  It is well documented.  That is an average of almost 21 lies per day during his first term.  He hasn’t slowed down since . . . the man is a certified liar and is on a record pace to break his first term’s record of lies.  His first year of his second term–2025–has been called the “Year of Lies”.

So why wouldn’t we want proof?

“Where’s the beef?”

“Show me the money!”

Surely he can produce the proof to substantiate his promises.  He claims that our nation’s economy is the best it has ever been . . . that folks are moving up the economic ladder . . . that there’s money in the bank.  Egg prices are down.  Gas is under two dollars (basically in Iowa where none of us live).  Yeah . . right!  Proof it.

According to the president every policy, bill, law, and executive order has strengthened the nation’s fiscal outlook and standing.  DOGE saved trillions of dollars.  Tariffs raised trillions of dollars.  Money is coming in hand over fist for the good ol’ U.S.A.  That’s what we are being told.  Things are looking rosy.  That is why we have been promised dividend and rebate checks.  We are all reaping the benefits of this fiscal genius.

Except . . . the guy is a “fake” . . . a liar . . . an idiot.  He is driving our nation towards fiscal disaster and bankruptcy.  In his first term as president he increased the national debt by 39% or $7.8 trillion dollars.  In his second term he is doing even better as he has increased the nation’s debt by $2.17 trillion in the first year.  He’s spending like crazy when there is no money to spend.  That $2.17 trillion breaks down to $5.95 billion dollars a day, $248 million per hour, $4.13 million per minute, and $68,902 per second.  Those figures are from the United States Joint Economic Committee Report.  He’s supposed to be bringing the national debt down . . . saving money . . . with everything that he is doing.  The facts state otherwise.

The president promised DOGE would save at least two trillion dollars, thus the $5,000 dollars dividend checks were promised.  Reality is the the massive destruction of the government only saved at best $55 billion dollars.  That is not even enough to cover the $5,000 dollar dividends promised. Plus it cost the government $10 billion to cover the cost of all the “savings” cuts done in that one year.  There was no impact on the national debt beyond adding to it.  Pure genius.  The promised check vanished like the supposed savings created.  More importantly . . . where is that money?

The president promised that tariffs would bring trillions of dollars to the coffers and make us all better off . . . plus we’d get a $2,000 dollar rebate check.  So far it has only produced 5% of the government’s revenue.  Since taking office and imposing tariffs the nation has brought in $287 billion dollars–not trillions.  Turned out it was a tax on the consumer . . . a tax without representation.  Last week the United States Supreme Court struck down the president’s tariffs as illegal and unconstitutional.  Shut them down.  Plus it looks like the nation (us) will be responsible for the $175 billion refunds to those charged with the tariffs.  Something the president said would be tied up in court for a long time.  It is still going to end up on the taxpayer.  There ain’t going to be any rebate check anytime soon in this term, besides the president states he doesn’t remember promising rebates.  More importantly, where is the tariff money?

Maybe the “peace board” will bring it in at a billion dollars a pop for membership.  That’s what it costs to belong to this board–one billion dollars.  If you were invited.  I am still looking for my invitation.  The president is the chair and makes all the decisions, has all the power, and controls all of the money.  So far $17 billing has been raised.  The United States put up $10 billion and nine other nations put up the other $7 billion dollars.  Where is this money at?

Possibly, at the rate he pardons people for a one to two million dollar donation, the government’s treasury should be growing in leaps and bounds.  But, where is this money?

How about the oil taken from the illegal police action on Venezuela?  Oil the president says was stolen from us.  Oil that was taken and sold for $1.65 to 2.8 billion dollars.  Where is that money?

Where is all the money the president has stated he has raised gone to . . . where is it deposited . . . who has access . . . is it making a difference?  Where’s the beef?  Show us the money!  After all, he did promise a better life for all of us in a “bigger and better” America.  A promise is a promise.

Seems the only person seeing “bigger and better” is the president.  Since starting his second term the president has seen his wealth increase by $1.4 to 4 billion dollars in twelve months.  Nice for him.  Sucks for us as inflation goes up, the dollars plummets, and affordability is lost somewhere in the mess he has created.  But, that’s okay.  The man is generous . . . he doesn’t take a salary for his job.  Donates it.  The man makes $400,000 a year.  Has a $50,000 dollar expense account . . . $100,000 travel budget, and $19,000 entertainment budget.  Also he gets free housing, transportation, and health care.  How generous of him to donate his salary.  In the meantime he puts the burden on the taxpayers for his golf “habit”.  Taxpayers foot the bill for his golfing.  Since starting his second term that bill has been $71 to 110 million dollars . . . 97 out of 399 days or 24% of the time he has been in office is spent golfing.  It is estimated that the cost per trip is $3.4 million dollars.  Remember these costs are paid to him because he only golfs on courses he owns.  How generous.  One golf excursion is worth more than he is compensated in four years as president.  How generous of him to donate his salary.

With all of his boisterous talk of an improved economy based on fiscal genius and policies raking in the money, I have one question . . . where is the money?  Where is all this money the president is talking about?  Have you seen it?  I haven’t seen it.  The only thing I have seen is that the president, his family, and his wealthy friends and supporters are getting richer.  The rest of us are S.O.L. and he doesn’t care.  He hasn’t shown us anything beyond his ability to lie and destroy things.

Think about it . . . he hasn't shown us anything.  He hasn't shown us the money.  He hasn’t shown us an improved economy.  Hasn’t shown us all the peace he promised.  Hasn’t shown us the Epstein files.  Hasn't shown us anything. Except being offended when the people demand proof . . . evidence.  Where’s the beef?  Show us the money!

Let us step up like Clara Peller and demand to see the beef.  Let us demand like Rod Tidwell to see the money.  Lets hold the president to his promises of a “bigger and better” America for someone besides himself, his family, and his wealthy friends and supporters.  We deserve the truth though we may already know . . . it’s a lie.  We are talking about the president after all.