Arthur C. Donart, Ph. D. wrote this essay.
Neither President Trump nor his babysitter Elon Musk are capable of finding “waste” in Government and eliminating it. Waste is often caused by human error due, to false or inaccurate information. For an example, when working on a building project, I measure the height of the doorway and then cut the two-by-four. As I go to put it up, it is too short. Guess I wasted a two-by-four. If you are going to cut out waste, you first must devise ways to improve the accuracy of your information and the execution of your work.
Cutting staff only works when there is not enough work to keep them busy. Even then, it may not make sense. Cutting staff in the Emergency Room, because you are not busy, doesn’t make sense. When you need them, they will not be there. Cutting the Fire Department staff, because there is no fire to put out, is also nonsense.
The new DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) is outside the Government. It is authorized by Trump to root out waste. Actually, DOGE is an SS-like group or hit squad, to terrorize Federal employees and cause chaos in agencies established by Congress to serve the American people. The President’s purpose, I believe, is so he will have an excuse to abolish them without Congress’s approval. For example, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets and enforces standards to protect the American people ,from allowing a greedy corporation from poisoning their water source. Denying the EPA the resources necessary to accomplish its mission, and them claiming it is a waste of taxpayer money, is Orwellian to the extreme.
Musk lied to get into our Country on a student visa. Now, he has a $400, 000,000 contract with our Government! He claims all agencies should limit their budgets for maintenance to no more than 15%. This illustrates his stupidity. Maintenance needs depend on the state of disrepair the building or equipment is currently in. Anyone with a home or car knows that, if they let the maintenance lapse, it is likely to cost them more in the long run.
Therefore, “saving” on maintenance may prove more expensive. I went to the Veterans Association Medical Center with my prior MRI saved on a CD. The VA computers were so out of date, they could not use my CD. Instead, I got another MRI. No money was saved.
Finally, what is Trump and his MAGA Party going to do with all the money they purport to have saved us poor, ignorant taxpayers? Well, according to Trump, he will reduce the Corporate Tax rate from 20% to 15%–thus, keeping a lot of money in the world’s richest man’s pocket. Trump’s model is Robinhood in reverse–screw the poor, working stiff, and give tax savings to the rich.
Elon Musk gambled $200,000,000 on Trump winning the election, and now he’s cashing in.