In case you have not perused this, it’s worth a look.
None of the stats are new, but it underscores how bloated the government/swamp has become. Whether it is fixable is still an open question. Whether anyone in elected office looks beyond their next government paycheck is also an open question.
This DC swamp is funded with money printed by Congress with help from the Federal Reserve. That devalues the currency and creates the inflation (currently 3% and growing) we live with today that steals people’s savings/wealth.
And the politicians who are screaming the loudest are the ones who’ve pocketed the most from this huge waste. Ever see a poor politician ( or even a middle class one)? Didn’t think so.
Don’t remember if it was the Greeks or who, but one of our ancient civilizations had a very good practice: any official who increased their personal wealth while in office was investigated and if they increased their worth because of their position in government, they faced execution. Think we can learn from and bring back some of these practices. On another note, I also heard someone propose that at every election there would be a separate “ballot” stating where they wanted tax money to go. Not sure how this would exactly work, but it would give those in power an Idea of what we support and what we don’t support.
Just remember that most if not the vast majority of these completely untargeted and completely non-merit based forced resignations and terminations are human beings doing jobs that many in this country would consider important.
These decisions are being made by a bunch of interns on their first jobs with zero experience with or understanding of the agencies they are ruling over.
I now personally know a half dozen people who have had their lives drastically disrupted or outright destroyed by these actions. None of them were DC bureaucrats and all of them worked hard every day to serve the public interests as they were hired to do. Now those jobs (including forest fire prevention and suppression) will not be getting done.
JUDGES, The Ducking Judges that continue to rule against the DOGE actions, Those are the Swamp Rats that need to be held to account. Why/How do they justify ruling against Government Corruption and Abuse of our tax dollars?
I recently read Edward Watts book, Mortal Republic: How Rome Fell into Tyranny
In it, he described how Rome devolved from a Republic where citizens were actively engaged in governance and regularly ran for public office as that was considered part of being a good citizen. Term limits on elected offices were one (1) year and most offices were held by two-co-equal office holders as a check on each other. Think, 2 Presidents who could do nothing or substance without the other’s consent.
Then, Rome devolved into a series of tyrants/dictators/emperors who used violence to gain, retain and be personally enriched in public office. Rome became a polity where individuals sought public office for enrichment and power rather than as a civic duty to Rome. Some even proclaimed themselves to be gods or divinely endowed to rule the empire.
Firing people sucks. But, due to managerial neglect and an unwillingness to ask “Is this position necessary?”, many organizations grow into bloated versions of themselves and have to be radically reduced in size.
I once had a corporate job where my first days on the job I was handed a fist-full of one-way plane tickets and I flew from Texas, to Iowa, to Florida, to Los Angeles and then to Seattle and either closed offices entirely or face-to-face called my employees in to fire them. Finally got so fried by the experience that I dropped my pager in a toilet in Everett WA.
Elon and his 25-year-old wiz kids should be required to do their firing face-to-face. It’s cowardly to fire people with an e-mail or on X. Looking people in the eye and saying “I’m sorry, but your position has been eliminated” is something altogether different. Lots of tears, yelling, anger, negotiation, feelings/assertions of entitlement.
All jobs are contracts between the employer and the employee. The employer agrees to pay an employee to do a task(s) so long as that task is deemed necessary by the employer, and employees agree to do that task in exchange for a paycheck. Employers don’t own employees, employees can leave their jobs at any time, and employment is not an entitlement (i.e., a promise to pay someone forever).
Yes, Judges are becoming involved because the elected officials who created this bloated bureaucracy (i.e., Congress) failed to do their job and manage the growth or oversee agencies that have grown beyond recognition. For the most part, Judges have nada training or experience or staff to help them make these decisions.
In the end it is a political matter. The people who ran for and won political office should be held accountable by being kicked out of office for not doing their jobs instead of being re-elected as is often the case.
My favorite one goes by Big Balls on the net (19 year old) … I know when I was that age. I knew everything … Edward Coristine … Senior Adviser … Is this because he was a Senior ?
I remember when Biden was in office the Clintons or Obama were running the show … Heard it all the time … Who is running it now seems like Elon is… D.O.G.E Delusional Oligarch Gleichschaltung Elon
I remember that as well . Athens I think. Anyway, you were elected for one year. If you had more money when you left than when you entered office you were executed. Sounds like a good way to stop the BS👍
In the private sector I went through the same thing at least four times, including the last when I decided I was done. Essential one minute, gone the next. War’s over, adios. New prez, see ya’ later…life went on, nothing is guaranteed. Have a back up plan. Mine was a truck and some power tools, and posting an “odd-jobs” ad in the paper and local bulletin boards. Made good money doing that, and it was a nice career break.
Dumbest stuff was getting asked to come back a couple times after a few weeks or months Nah, wasn’t happening.
Lots of dumb/wasteful spending that can be documented. Lots of it with very vocal political constituencies who will scream like bloody murder if anyone even considers cutting “their” money. Getting rid of enough of it to dig out of a $2 TRILLION annual deficit is another thing altogether.
A good start would be to unelect members of Congress, which is responsible for this spending catastrophe.
