The Department Of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is my favorite specific activity of the Trump administration thus far, second only to the broader "Great Rejection" message and cultural reset signaled by the GOP's sweeping victory this past November.
History has shown, congressional republicans are more content to kick and scream when the Dems haves majority and lead, than to actually lead when they have a majority. Considering the lack of principle present in the vast majority of Republicans in Congress, I expect we’ll see the same rooster-like posturing as usual, followed by the equally typical impotence of the hen-pecked majority to do anything meaningful.
I hate to be the Donnie downer here, but I’ve seen nothing to (yet) convince me that either Johnson or Thune have the spine to make any significant progress.
As a libertarian, as a matter of principle, I don't think we should have public libraries - libraries should be private, either for profit or non-profit.
However, libraries are a relatively small budget item, they are popular with parents and kids, and even if they are inefficiently run, they don't stop me from getting my books at Barnes & Noble or Amazon if I choose. So, if I was a libertarian candidate for office or (one can dream!) a libertarian office holder, closing libraries would not be "the hill I would die on". There are bigger fish to fry with finite political capital (yeah, mixed metaphor but I'm not a Substack author), and I'd never get a chance to fry those fish if I'm known as the grinch who stole the library.
Much of the DOGE and pony show is the equivalent of trying to close the library.
Is it, though? Libraries are popular... and they are also locally funded (and often supported by private fundraising efforts, as ours is).
The laundry list of DOGE cuts that I've seen may be popular to those who personally benefit, but they reek of special-interest, of "who the hell wanted this?," of over-reach (this is all federal, and the Federal government is restricted in what it is allowed to do)... and that's before we get into the efficiency part. Canceling unused software licenses should not be controversial.
And, if a program that's worthwhile gets caught up in the wave, well, Congress could easily fix that. Congress's dysfunction should not be an excuse for continued sclerosis.
Or, figure out how to keep them open with less money.
Without diving in, this has the feel of Washington Monument Syndrome - pick the things that many like to highlight as a blanket condemnation of DOGE rather than saying "Yes, there's a lot of abuse and waste and fraud, let's applaud its elimination while working to rescue the good stuff." I refer to CNN, not you.
“Own goal”, Unforced error”, pick your favorite sports saying. Why even bring it up and risk undermining political support for the serious cuts and reforms that need to be made? Just a for-instance, I’m waiting for DOGE and/or the GOP to go after farm subsidies, which serve no purpose other than to buy votes in farm states. I’d hold my breath waiting but blue doesn’t go with my outfit.
Given the choice between an imperfect good with some errors or nothing at all, which would you go with? I haven't seen any attempt at any of this from the GOP when it was in power before, and I am certain that a slow and "perfect" approach would cut nothing in the end.
What we are getting now is next to “nothing at all”. If cutting a penny gets you almost as much grief as cutting a trillion then go for cutting the trillion. Go big or go home. That was Gingrich’s problem in the 90s, for all his bluster he was wrestling with Clinton over a few percentage points in the budget.
Every dollar saved is worthwhile. Moreso, the exposure of all this garbage builds momentum and public support for uprooting and unmasking waste. That, in turn, might give Congress a backbone to do their job and make real cuts.
History has shown, congressional republicans are more content to kick and scream when the Dems haves majority and lead, than to actually lead when they have a majority. Considering the lack of principle present in the vast majority of Republicans in Congress, I expect we’ll see the same rooster-like posturing as usual, followed by the equally typical impotence of the hen-pecked majority to do anything meaningful.
I hate to be the Donnie downer here, but I’ve seen nothing to (yet) convince me that either Johnson or Thune have the spine to make any significant progress.
⬆️ ditto unfortunately I’m in agreement with Donnie Downer, but let us hope “this time it’s different “
I have to hold out a glimmer of hope. Otherwise, what's the point of blogging?
Hoping for change……
Let me suggest an analogy....
As a libertarian, as a matter of principle, I don't think we should have public libraries - libraries should be private, either for profit or non-profit.
However, libraries are a relatively small budget item, they are popular with parents and kids, and even if they are inefficiently run, they don't stop me from getting my books at Barnes & Noble or Amazon if I choose. So, if I was a libertarian candidate for office or (one can dream!) a libertarian office holder, closing libraries would not be "the hill I would die on". There are bigger fish to fry with finite political capital (yeah, mixed metaphor but I'm not a Substack author), and I'd never get a chance to fry those fish if I'm known as the grinch who stole the library.
Much of the DOGE and pony show is the equivalent of trying to close the library.
Is it, though? Libraries are popular... and they are also locally funded (and often supported by private fundraising efforts, as ours is).
The laundry list of DOGE cuts that I've seen may be popular to those who personally benefit, but they reek of special-interest, of "who the hell wanted this?," of over-reach (this is all federal, and the Federal government is restricted in what it is allowed to do)... and that's before we get into the efficiency part. Canceling unused software licenses should not be controversial.
And, if a program that's worthwhile gets caught up in the wave, well, Congress could easily fix that. Congress's dysfunction should not be an excuse for continued sclerosis.
Just now on CNN a GOP congressman was squirming when asked about the closure of thousands of national park campsites.
If they are worth funding, they should make the case for reinstatement.
Or, figure out how to keep them open with less money.
Without diving in, this has the feel of Washington Monument Syndrome - pick the things that many like to highlight as a blanket condemnation of DOGE rather than saying "Yes, there's a lot of abuse and waste and fraud, let's applaud its elimination while working to rescue the good stuff." I refer to CNN, not you.
“Own goal”, Unforced error”, pick your favorite sports saying. Why even bring it up and risk undermining political support for the serious cuts and reforms that need to be made? Just a for-instance, I’m waiting for DOGE and/or the GOP to go after farm subsidies, which serve no purpose other than to buy votes in farm states. I’d hold my breath waiting but blue doesn’t go with my outfit.
Given the choice between an imperfect good with some errors or nothing at all, which would you go with? I haven't seen any attempt at any of this from the GOP when it was in power before, and I am certain that a slow and "perfect" approach would cut nothing in the end.
What we are getting now is next to “nothing at all”. If cutting a penny gets you almost as much grief as cutting a trillion then go for cutting the trillion. Go big or go home. That was Gingrich’s problem in the 90s, for all his bluster he was wrestling with Clinton over a few percentage points in the budget.
Every dollar saved is worthwhile. Moreso, the exposure of all this garbage builds momentum and public support for uprooting and unmasking waste. That, in turn, might give Congress a backbone to do their job and make real cuts.