Summary
Vivek Ramaswamy, recently appointed to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has proposed defunding federal programs that lack current congressional authorization.
This could affect programs like veterans’ healthcare, NASA, and early education initiatives, which still receive funding despite expired authorizations.
Ramaswamy argues that cutting these programs could save billions, and he’s committed to targeting expenditures that “don’t advance the interests of American citizens.”
DOGE, co-led by Elon Musk, aims to curb government spending, with Musk estimating potential cuts of up to $2 trillion.
FWIW, this breaks from the Two Santas Strategy. This Santa is suppose to be funding things conservatives want, while at the same time reducing taxes (on the rich), thereby driving the deficit up without making their voters mad. If you actually cut funding for a bunch of stuff people rely on, you will earn the ire of the voters, that’s why no one ever does it.
Yeah, there will be a core of people who will defend Trump and Musk to their self-inflicted death, but those people are in the minority. Most Americans (and most people in the world) voted against the incumbent this year because they were unfortunately there during a time of inevitable inflation. And they’ll do it again if their lives continue to get materially worse over the next few years.
I can’t help but wonder how we would be sitting right now if Trump had won in 2020. But we’re due for a generational crisis, and I don’t think that wouldn’t have been nearly as exciting.
This is amazing. Good. Fuck the troops. Let’s see you garrison your military bases in every other country in the world, losers. You can’t even meet recruiting goals now!
No exceptionalism for war criminals. Get in like the rest.
Any woman or veteran or union worker who voted for Trump is going to have a serious case of buyers remorse. I am none of those things but still voted for Harris because it seemed like the responsible thing to do, lesser of two evils. Way lesser it seems.
Buyers remorse or will they blame someone else?
They’ll blame democrats like always
Well, the democrats didn’t do enough to differentiate themselves from Trump. This is the result 🥄 /s
To be fair that’s at least partially true. Democrats moved hard to the right this election.
Democrats cannot fail; they can only be failed
Okay I’m ootl on this asshat but now I keep hearing his name. Who the fuck is he and what the fuck is his problem?
Conservative to both questions
Given the rest of trump’s cabinet about 50/50 shot at being someone who assaults children.
“This bloated liberal socialist program is inefficient and doesn’t work. Because it’s liberal and socialist. So we’re going to get rid of it. We’re planing to plan a replacement plan, but we haven’t planned on when to plan it. But we’ll blame the libs for that too, even though we have essentially captured all branches of the government at this point.”
And people will eat it the fuck up like the hogs they are
Part of me, as an outsider looking in with abject horror, wants to see this happen just because I still hold out hope that it might finally wake up a not-insignificant part of rural and rust-belt America that live off these benefits (or ‘handouts’ according to the GOP) out of their political stupor.
But on the other hand, I know that once it’s gone, it’s very unlikely to be brought back in the immediate future by the current crop of Dems, who seemingly would rather keep dangling it as a carrot (along with restoring ablation access) in order to entice voter turnout.
If it’s gone it’s gone. Those people in rural America who live off handouts and vote R can live with the long term consequences. The only way you will see a change is if they are no longer insulated from the consequences of their actions. Fox
NewsPropaganda is going to be spinning itself in circles to justify why their “gubment program” was ended under Trump.Perhaps they will vote blue in the future and we will have enough of a majority that more liberal policies can be enacted.
Just know that there are people in the US that feel the same. And it’s horrifying.
Remember when if you didn’t “support our troops,” Republicans would ask you why you hated America?
The good old days when it was republicans who were “if you’re not with us I will enjoy watching you die”
At best, “support our troops” was a version of that dumbass magical thinking that, in earlier times, held that the U.S. lost in Vietnam because Americans didn’t clap for Tinkerbell, err, I mean, support the war. Mostly, it was a thought-terminating cliché.
Yeah, as you rightly point out, it was never about the soldiers themselves.
“Lost in Vietnam”? Oh, no, they were saying much worse than that. It used to be that if you suggested the US lost Vietnam that you were “insulting the bravery of the troops” or some shit like that. It was only after the War on Terror became unpopular that you could say the US lost Vietnam (because, you know, it did) without some jackass wingnut bringing out the faux patriotism.
I learned the ugly truth of that way back in 1990 when I was still in Middle School and Bush Sr. sent Americans to die for oil in Iraq and all of his fans in my town were tying yellow ribbons around the trees in their yard to “support the troops” being sent to die pointlessly.
They confirmed, for anyone paying attention, that that was always performative bullshit.
Save billions on essentials while spending trillions in bullshit.
they just want Russia to be the top superpower
Could you picture that little runt Ramaswami in basic training? He’d wash out on the first day.
Not for millenia would I have realized that Department of Government Efficiency stood for DoGE. What a funny little boy Elon is.
Okay I agree with the other comments here but I’m a bit confused on this.
How are we still spending money on these things if congress doesn’t approve it? The legislature sets the budget, did they just forget to make it official and extend these? Also why even have a phase out period in the first place?
I think it’s because there is a difference between the Budget and Appropriations in Congress. The budget is a plan, where programs are authorized and an overall budget is set. The appropriations process is what assigns particular dollars to particular discretionary programs. (Certain programs deemed “mandatory” by Congress, like Social Security, Medicare, and interest on the debt, get allocated money automatically and are not involved in appropriations)
If I had to guess, I would say that once a program is authorized once under a budget, it can continue as long as it (or the Federal department it is part of) is not specifically de-authorized, and as long as it continues to receive appropriations specifically for that program.
So, it is likely that this is all about Ramaswamy’s total ignorance of how Congress works. Which tracks pretty well with what this DOGE is all about.
So, it is likely that this is all about Ramaswamy’s total ignorance of how Congress works. Which tracks pretty well with what this DOGE is all about
How Congress worked.
It still works that way, until the rules change. Republicans have the votes to change how Congress works, if they act in unison. But they will have just a slim a margin as last time, and they had trouble electing a Speaker. Even in the next Congress, they needed a secret vote to elect the Senate Majority Leader because they didn’t want any receipts on who voted for whom to make it back to Dear Leader.
It is possible that the Republican Party turns into a oroboros of spite, eating itself from within because of perceived grievances. That might be the best possible outcome we can hope for.
Did the rules need to change to allow a convicted felon to become President? Why would they need to change for anything else?
Fascism means “might makes right,” and Trump will be commander in chief of the US Military. Which, by the way, is larger than the next 9 largest combined (I believe, gonna double check real quick)
Edit: yarp. Next ten countries combined actually: https://www.pgpf.org/chart-archive/0053_defense-comparison
I am terrified at them defunding the VA. I’ve had a much easier time getting good medical care from VA doctors than I ever did going private and I’d be bankrupt without the VA. It’s because of the VA that I have any savings at all
Agreed. They must have gotten better in the last decade too, because I don’t see the horrible things that people have said about the VA. Yes there are long wait times for appointments, but that’s happening in private care now as well.
As a US citizen, paying for veterans healthcare and early education programs advance my interests a whole fucking lot more than paying this jackass.
Stupid piece of shit, you don’t speak for us.
I know what you mean but he does, quite literally, speak for us now. This is what we asked for.
I sure as fuck didn’t, I voted against every single fascist asshole on my balot. I’m just angry.
Collectively protest the most American way possible. Stop buying anything but the essentials. Don’t cut out life enjoyment, but make sure it’s for as few dollars as possible. This fucks with the supply chains and their precious stocks.
Right there with you
So did I but unfortunately we lost. That’s democracy in action. The country we live in (the collective we) asked for this.
Thanks for voting. You’re justified in being angry. There’s a lot to be angry about. Right now we need to focus on blocking every action of this government. We need to shine a light on candidates doing the right thing and bring them up to positions of leadership.
Suggestions?
Pick an issue, or a few, you care about. Find the local or regional group that is already fighting for that issue. Join their newsletter. When they have events or meetings near you, go. Meet people and network. Someday you will find a way you can help in a way that fits your skill set, say yes.
It really is that easy to get involved, and these organizations need volunteers way more than they need money. People make the world move forward, not money, not votes. I mean voting and giving helps too, but giving your time is often way more important with activism.
I’ll see what I can do… Appreciate the input.
One more thing I might suggest is to start attending some of your town/city council meetings. You can also ask the clerk to put you on their mailing list for meeting minutes. Some have a sign up on their website. Just getting a feel for what your locality is dealing with can help you to understand what the local issues are. Local politics are often more accessible to change.
This is an unusual question, but do you know any way I can get more involved if I’m not awake when people meet and organize?
I have a severe circadian rhythm disorder and as a result am not awake during the day. All I’ve been able to come up with in terms of contributing is writing cards to potential voters (I got a couple in the mail when I updated my voter registration), and maybe calling potential voters on the other side of the country who are in a different timezone.
I feel really powerless to contribute, but I don’t wanna sit back and do nothing, disability or not :( if you can’t think of anything, that’s okay, I will keep looking for ways to be involved
Voting is a small part of political change, it needs to be done but that’s not where the work is. Getting involved in your community and pushing for changes is far more productive, activism of all types.
I would start by getting on mailing lists for things you care about and email for local city council meeting minutes. You might be surprised by some of the meeting times of local orgs. Some events are evening, but you can still learn about what is needed if you are staying engaged with local things. I can’t tell you what will work, but I reiterate I would start by getting on mailing lists for things you care about and take opportunities when they come.
Edit: and don’t be so hard on yourself, you can only do what you can do. Take your wins when they come and focus on those.
