Doge

[Michael K.]

It's reasonable to question the claimed savings numbers. I'm sort of broadly in favor of what Elon and Co. are doing but I doubt the savings numbers are what they claim.

Also, nobody should be under any illusion that Elon is going to balance the budget. For what it's worth, the only way to balance the budget is to address entitlements, which may not be possible until the US is actually in some sort of crisis.

Of course it's reasonable. The issue is the absolute disdain. All I hear is "the numbers are inflated". If this was Harris, and she was finding all this overspending, do you think Democrats would be screaming for proof of who is auditing, what is being found, are the numbers inflated? Sorry, but common sense tells me when someone doesn't want you to look for fraud, they might have something to hide.

[GL_Storm]

It's reasonable to question the claimed savings numbers. I'm sort of broadly in favor of what Elon and Co. are doing but I doubt the savings numbers are what they claim.

Also, nobody should be under any illusion that Elon is going to balance the budget. For what it's worth, the only way to balance the budget is to address entitlements, which may not be possible until the US is actually in some sort of crisis.

Of course it's reasonable. The issue is the absolute disdain. All I hear is "the numbers are inflated". If this was Harris, and she was finding all this overspending, do you think Democrats would be screaming for proof of who is auditing, what is being found, are the numbers inflated? Sorry, but common sense tells me when someone doesn't want you to look for fraud, they might have something to hide.

I'm not reading a lot of disdain on here, except maybe from SoB. But he's just one guy.

[Walla Walla Dawg II]

This article says that some savings have been overstated, and some weren't really saving because an expenditure that DOGE counted as a current "cut" was already cut in the Biden administration.

https://abcnews.go.com/US/doge-website- ... =119408347

Sorry, but ABC has lost all credibility with:
Russia, Russia, Russia
Allowing Biden to claim that he inherited high inflation, and not correcting him.
Not discussing Harris's "real" feelings on transgender bullshit and abortion.
Allowing Biden to claim that he inherited high gas prices, and not correcting him.

ABC has an agenda, and they will not allow Trump (or Musk) any kudos.

[Michael K.]

I'm not reading a lot of disdain on here, except maybe from SoB. But he's just one guy.

I live in Washington, so most of the Social Media I see is here in State. The amount of hate about how the savings are being found, how they are being reported, are they inflated, how many jobs lost...blah blah is ridiculous. I hate to be that guy, but Democrats are whiney bitches.

[GL_Storm]

I'm not reading a lot of disdain on here, except maybe from SoB. But he's just one guy.

I live in Washington, so most of the Social Media I see is here in State. The amount of hate about how the savings are being found, how they are being reported, are they inflated, how many jobs lost...blah blah is ridiculous. I hate to be that guy, but Democrats are whiney bitches.

You're right that it's very partisan. At the same time, while I am (like I said) sort of broadly supportive of what Elon is doing, I think he's fanning the flames and drawing a lot of the hate on himself. And the latest development, which is these judgements ordering the government to rehire many (or all?) of the laid off workers suggests to me that they should have planned this out a little bit better than they did. I get the idea of moving fast, but if you planned this so that the layoffs happened over a six-month period, or even a year, with all the proper notifications and due process, that would still be remarkably fast for the government.

[Michael K.]

At the same time, while I am (like I said) sort of broadly supportive of what Elon is doing, I think he's fanning the flames and drawing a lot of the hate on himself.

He and Trump both do that, but mostly because people are so fucking sensitive! I'm not asking him to be warm and fuzzy, I am asking him to do a job.

[Michael K.]

And the latest development, which is these judgements ordering the government to rehire many (or all?) of the laid off workers suggests to me that they should have planned this out a little bit better than they did. I get the idea of moving fast, but if you planned this so that the layoffs happened over a six-month period, or even a year, with all the proper notifications and due process, that would still be remarkably fast for the government.

It's ridiculous. So, just about every job in America is "right to fire", but the Government, which historically over spends...isn't? Must be nice.

[GL_Storm]

At the same time, while I am (like I said) sort of broadly supportive of what Elon is doing, I think he's fanning the flames and drawing a lot of the hate on himself.

He and Trump both do that, but mostly because people are so fucking sensitive! I'm not asking him to be warm and fuzzy, I am asking him to do a job.

I think saying it that way (people being too sensitive) is trivializing the issue to a level that isn't helpful. With very little planning and virtually no attempt at communications to the public, they've executed the most significant layoffs in the history of the US government. And you expect people aren't going to be pissed about that?

A point I'm trying to make here is that the result is what counts. The ultimate goal has to be reducing the size of the government, and that's really, really hard. To understand the urgency of the situation, the current fiscal year deficit is 7% of GDP, about $1.9 Trillion. That's an astounding number and completely unsustainable. Interest on the national debt is now approaching $1 trillion per year, which is larger than the defense budget.

[Michael K.]

I think saying it that way (people being too sensitive) is trivializing the issue to a level that isn't helpful. With very little planning and virtually no attempt at communications to the public, they've executed the most significant layoffs in the history of the US government. And you expect people aren't going to be pissed about that?

Why is it more significant for Government employees to be laid off than other Americans? Maybe they should learn to code? How many Government employees did Clinton let go?

A point I'm trying to make here is that the result is what counts. The ultimate goal has to be reducing the size of the government, and that's really, really hard. To understand the urgency of the situation, the current fiscal year deficit is 7% of GDP, about $1.9 Trillion. That's an astounding number and completely unsustainable. Interest on the national debt is now approaching $1 trillion per year, which is larger than the defense budget.

The way you don't reduce it is to do nothing, and add to the deficit. The fact that there is an effort, and it is met with so much uproar and resistance? Sorry, do you think the Democrats wouldn't be cheering like crazy if Harris had won and was doing the exact same thing? It's stupid...beyond stupid.

[GL_Storm]

I think saying it that way (people being too sensitive) is trivializing the issue to a level that isn't helpful. With very little planning and virtually no attempt at communications to the public, they've executed the most significant layoffs in the history of the US government. And you expect people aren't going to be pissed about that?

Why is it more significant for Government employees to be laid off than other Americans? Maybe they should learn to code? How many Government employees did Clinton let go?

A point I'm trying to make here is that the result is what counts. The ultimate goal has to be reducing the size of the government, and that's really, really hard. To understand the urgency of the situation, the current fiscal year deficit is 7% of GDP, about $1.9 Trillion. That's an astounding number and completely unsustainable. Interest on the national debt is now approaching $1 trillion per year, which is larger than the defense budget.

The way you don't reduce it is to do nothing, and add to the deficit. The fact that there is an effort, and it is met with so much uproar and resistance? Sorry, do you think the Democrats wouldn't be cheering like crazy if Harris had won and was doing the exact same thing? It's stupid...beyond stupid.

I don't know how many Clinton let go, though I know it was a significant part of getting to a balanced budget. But also, I believe his administration did it over several years. It wasn't all at once and it didn't give the appearance of capriciousness and lack of care for the services that could be disrupted.

I think if Harris had won, we wouldn't be doing any of this. But if she had been elected and was trying to push a broad cost cutting and deficit reduction agenda, I think moderate Dems would fall in line while the left would howl.