- Vagitarian Nov 23, 2024 at 11:19: PM
Vagitarian
Well-Known Member
Elon and Vivek — co-leaders of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (advisory group recently announced by Trump) laid out their vision for the initiative in a Wall Street Journal op-ed. Kinda.
When you peel back the layers of whimsical, gauzy, tech, bro- speak, their ideas can be boiled down to one principle: MASSIVE cuts to federal programs that, when deployed elsewhere, caused calamity.
The op-ed is light on specifics. They claim they’ll use lawyers and “advanced technology” (without explaining technology) to sniff out “thousands” of regulations they think should be cut (without listing any of these regulations). Ramaswamy, for the record, has absurdly suggested cutting 75% of the federal workforce in the past (along with disbanding agencies like the Department of Education and the FBI). In their op-ed they claim (without including any proof) cutting these regulations will justify cutting throngs of federal jobs, though they say their department will help “support” the fired employees’ “transition into the private sector.”
They also ‘claim’ Trump has unilateral power to stop Congress from funding government programs he doesn’t like. This is a ridiculous, right-wing legal theory they predicted will be affirmed by the Trump-packed Supreme Court, but it justifiably prompted House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar, of California, to encourage the two men to reread Article I of the Constitution, which lays out Congress’ authority to act as a coequal branch of government.
When you peel back the layers of whimsical, gauzy, tech, bro- speak, their ideas can be boiled down to one principle: MASSIVE cuts to federal programs that, when deployed elsewhere, caused calamity.
The op-ed is light on specifics. They claim they’ll use lawyers and “advanced technology” (without explaining technology) to sniff out “thousands” of regulations they think should be cut (without listing any of these regulations). Ramaswamy, for the record, has absurdly suggested cutting 75% of the federal workforce in the past (along with disbanding agencies like the Department of Education and the FBI). In their op-ed they claim (without including any proof) cutting these regulations will justify cutting throngs of federal jobs, though they say their department will help “support” the fired employees’ “transition into the private sector.”
They also ‘claim’ Trump has unilateral power to stop Congress from funding government programs he doesn’t like. This is a ridiculous, right-wing legal theory they predicted will be affirmed by the Trump-packed Supreme Court, but it justifiably prompted House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar, of California, to encourage the two men to reread Article I of the Constitution, which lays out Congress’ authority to act as a coequal branch of government.