Cut hard, cut deep, fix what breaks. Supposedly the GOP CR contains $80B in cuts for this year (through 30 Sep) - against a projected 2000 billion dollar deficit for this year. That's just 4 percent. Not good enough, but a start. Turning in to the 2026 budget, all departments across the board should face at least ten percent reductions - with some being zeroed out completely. We need cutting momentum.
The GOP talks a great game when not in power, but never delivers once given the reins. At least the present-day Dems are honest about their desire to spend America into oblivion.
I would remind people that speed also kills. It's far harder to fix things once they're broken especially when it wasn't necessary. DOGE's record with false savings and re-hires doesn't fill me with confidence.
Letting go thousands of workers without knowing what they do doesn't sound like 5 mph to me. Breaking things with little real savings as a result and causing harm is a bad idea. Musk's DOGE is something we can do without.
So, you'd rather continue speeding toward the fiscal cliff and watching hundreds of billions of dollars wasted or stolen?
Because you're otherwise engaging in the nirvana fallacy I warned about. Go slow, go "fine," and you will see that almost every dollar you try to cut will somehow be defended as a sound or necessary expenditure. The thieves in government have zero shame and a mountain of arrogance.
I think more drastic measures even than what DOGE proposes are necessary. But then, you know I want to return to a constitutionally-restricted federal government of the type and size the founders envisioned - not the abomination we have now. Even if we just went back to pre-1930 (though rather well before 1913), we would be far better off. The abundant abuse of the "general welfare" clause has done nothing to benefit the general welfare of the country.
So do I, but change is always incremental. We can desire a return to a minimalist federal government as a long-term goal, but getting there will take decades. DOGE is a good first step. It's showing people just how disgusting government spending is.
I understand the caution of incrementalism, but I'd prefer a more direct and drastic approach. Eliminate the almost the entirety of the bureaucracy at ones, as well as the majority of the additional staff members under the employ of Congress, the executive, and the judiciary. Make the elected members of government actually do their jobs rather than farming it out to staffers while they themselves are wined and dined by lobbyists. End the lobbying; end the bloat; end the corruption. And EDUCATE the masses on what the government is supposed to be (because most today seem to think America was intended to be a centrally-managed Marxist-like "state."
Cut hard, cut deep, fix what breaks. Supposedly the GOP CR contains $80B in cuts for this year (through 30 Sep) - against a projected 2000 billion dollar deficit for this year. That's just 4 percent. Not good enough, but a start. Turning in to the 2026 budget, all departments across the board should face at least ten percent reductions - with some being zeroed out completely. We need cutting momentum.
If Congress actually passes a cut, and the universe doesn't implode, more people might ignore the doomsayers and get on board.
Remember, spending starts in Congress with the house, who has been in charge of the house, ie the Speaker, for most of the time since 2000?
The GOP talks a great game when not in power, but never delivers once given the reins. At least the present-day Dems are honest about their desire to spend America into oblivion.
I would remind people that speed also kills. It's far harder to fix things once they're broken especially when it wasn't necessary. DOGE's record with false savings and re-hires doesn't fill me with confidence.
If you’re standing still, or more accurately going backward, even 5 MPH seems fast.
If it’s DOGE or nothing, which would you prefer?
Letting go thousands of workers without knowing what they do doesn't sound like 5 mph to me. Breaking things with little real savings as a result and causing harm is a bad idea. Musk's DOGE is something we can do without.
So, you'd rather continue speeding toward the fiscal cliff and watching hundreds of billions of dollars wasted or stolen?
Because you're otherwise engaging in the nirvana fallacy I warned about. Go slow, go "fine," and you will see that almost every dollar you try to cut will somehow be defended as a sound or necessary expenditure. The thieves in government have zero shame and a mountain of arrogance.
Terrific article! As I explained to Officer Rutherford, I've always felt The Need For Speed...
...but never more than I do now. :-D
I think more drastic measures even than what DOGE proposes are necessary. But then, you know I want to return to a constitutionally-restricted federal government of the type and size the founders envisioned - not the abomination we have now. Even if we just went back to pre-1930 (though rather well before 1913), we would be far better off. The abundant abuse of the "general welfare" clause has done nothing to benefit the general welfare of the country.
So do I, but change is always incremental. We can desire a return to a minimalist federal government as a long-term goal, but getting there will take decades. DOGE is a good first step. It's showing people just how disgusting government spending is.
I understand the caution of incrementalism, but I'd prefer a more direct and drastic approach. Eliminate the almost the entirety of the bureaucracy at ones, as well as the majority of the additional staff members under the employ of Congress, the executive, and the judiciary. Make the elected members of government actually do their jobs rather than farming it out to staffers while they themselves are wined and dined by lobbyists. End the lobbying; end the bloat; end the corruption. And EDUCATE the masses on what the government is supposed to be (because most today seem to think America was intended to be a centrally-managed Marxist-like "state."