Elon Musk attends the opening of the Tesla manufacturing facility Berlin Brandenburg in Gruenheide, Germany, March 22, 2022. (Patrick Pleul/Pool by way of AP, File)
Fellow op-ed contributor Gary Stout just lately referenced my assertion that “the Democratic Get together is hurtling towards irrelevance” and acknowledged that I had supplied proof to assist this declare. To this point, so good.
Nevertheless, Stout then veered off beam, alleging that “Republicans gleefully assist Donald Trump’s multi-pronged assault on the precious providers supplied by the federal authorities and his disdain for the rule of regulation.” Such claims spotlight how indifferent Stout and his fellow Democrats have grow to be from actuality.
Let’s study the assertion that Trump is attacking important federal providers. This can be a acquainted Democratic tactic – fear-mongering designed to incite panic earlier than details are established. No last finances has been accredited, and negotiations are ongoing. Declaring catastrophe earlier than understanding what’s being proposed will not be solely untimely but additionally deceptive.
The Division of Authorities Effectivity (DOGE) has not focused any “worthwhile providers.” Its mission is evident: to remove fraud, waste, inefficiency, and monetary mismanagement. Are Democrats significantly arguing that these must be preserved? It’s taxpayer cash being squandered or misappropriated. If Democrats insist on defending these practices, it’s no surprise they’re dropping credibility.
In simply 10 weeks, DOGE has uncovered staggering ranges of waste and fraud. Constitutional and important authorities capabilities have been retained, with some realigned for larger effectivity. Fraudulent contracts have been canceled, bloated businesses downsized, and pointless expenditures lower. The projected financial savings up to now exceed $140 billion – and counting.
Think about just a few egregious examples:
One division of the Treasury Division reportedly disbursed $4.7 trillion via a single line merchandise and not using a Treasury Account Image (TAS), that means practically 70% of all federal spending was unaccounted for. The failure to trace such an astronomical sum ought to lead to mass firings on the Treasury Division and, the place applicable, felony prosecutions.
DOGE has deactivated 200,000 authorities bank cards after discovering 4.6 million energetic accounts, a stunning quantity given the whole federal workforce is about 3 million workers. With spending limits of $10,000 per 30 days per card and little oversight, the potential for abuse is immense. The place did the cash spent on these playing cards go? H
DOGE canceled a Veterans Affairs contract for upkeep of its web site that was costing $380,000 per week. The identical work is now being performed by a single VA worker using 10 hours per week.
And the record continues with these reviews:
$60 billion in misspent Medicare and Medicaid funds.
$20 billion in faulty tax credit.
$10 billion in improper meals help funds.
$2 billion in improper Social Safety funds in a single yr.
Moreover, DOGE says it has uncovered 5 million Social Safety numbers issued to unlawful immigrants, granting entry to advantages fraudulently. Many recipients had been additionally discovered on voter rolls, and a few are alleged to have voted. Additional audits led to the elimination of seven million people over 120 years outdated and 20 million deceased people from Social Safety information. What number of of those had been additionally on voter rolls stays unknown.
Sure, businesses have been closed, and workers have been laid off. But when these departments had been inefficient, redundant, or corrupt, why ought to they’ve been preserved? Important providers stay intact whereas pointless bureaucracies are being streamlined or reassigned. The federal authorities exists to serve the American folks, not as a taxpayer-funded employment program or a conduit for illicit monetary dealings.
And the way have Democrats responded to those revelations? Not with outrage over fraud and waste, nor with requires accountability. As a substitute, they’ve resorted to obstruction, submitting tons of of frivolous lawsuits in entrance of handpicked activist judges. They’ve appeared on tv spewing profanity somewhat than providing options. They’ve even inspired protests, with mobs concentrating on Tesla dealerships and autos for vandalism. This isn’t the habits of a severe political social gathering; it’s the tantrum of a gaggle unprepared to manipulate responsibly.
If the Democratic Get together needs to stay related, it should give attention to addressing the true issues that DOGE has uncovered somewhat than participating in baseless assaults and obstruction. Till then, the social gathering’s decline into irrelevance will solely speed up.
Dave Ball is the previous chairman of the Washington County Republican Get together.
