[DOGE] What if Elon Musk is put in charge of government efficiency?

[Snowball]

It says that it does that. And all regimes make that same claim essentially (e.g. the People's Republic of so-and-so). But none of them really do, and neither does the US Constitution.

That's right because the changes and powers involved in life as we live it in the modern world are far more impactful than people can understand, and everyone is afraid of change to reverse course and go back to a better way of living. We are slaves and we are afraid, and democracy and the constitution aren't helping us, they are more in the way than anything else.

 

[unknown]

Shit just got real...

 

[Occam's Banana]

The quotes I am replying to here are from another thread (Trump announces Emergency Actions 1st Day to Drastically Reduce the Cost of Living):, but my reply is more on-topic for this thread.

Expanding the cabinet is the opposite of reducing it

Creating more agencies, departments and expanding the bureaucracy, obviously reduces the size, power and scope of government.

By definition, expanding the size of the cabinet is certainly the opposite of reducing the size of the cabinet - but it is not necessarily the opposite of reducing the size of the government in general. For example, if you increase the size of the cabinet by one department, but that department reduces the size of each of the other departments by half, then that might very well result in a net reduction in the size of the government. I am extremely skeptical that it would happen in actual practice, but it is at least theoretically possible to reduce the overall size of government by increasing some (new ?) part of it.

The Executive and Legislative branches have the power now to downsize government [in general] without first expanding it [at the cabinet level].

That is one of the reasons I am skeptical. If the will and wherewithal was there, it could already have been done.

On the other hand, given how inefficient the government is by its nature, it seems appropriately ironic that any attempt by (some part of) the government to make government more efficient would itself be ... inefficient.

And here's another reason I am skeptical:

"Government efficiency" is an oxymoron.

Unlike private actors, government has little to no incentive to be "efficient", because it suffers little or no serious or significant consequences for being "inefficient" (none, at least, that can't be fobbed off onto someone else - such as tax payers, et al.).

Even if genuinely dedicated reformers manage to somehow reduce wastefulness, etc., it can't and won't last - the system will inevitably revert to form and the status quo ante will reassert itself. (But in the meantime, it would be fun watching a bunch of outraged pundits and parasitic bureaucrats squeal like stuck pigs - so there's that, I guess ...)

 

[Swordsmyth]

$#@! just got real...

You think Trump might give him that new cabinet position to eliminate regulations and other agencies?

 

[Occam's Banana]

Shit just got real...

THREAD: Ron Paul: Willing to Help Elon Cut Government

 

[Matt Collins]

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1852546748956225833

 

[TheTexan]

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1852546748956225833

+outta rep but thats awesome lol

 

[Brian4Liberty]

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1852546748956225833

Best meme in history!

https://x.com/RonPaul/status/1852493942283239458

 

[Occam's Banana]

//

 

[Brian4Liberty]

Holy crap. It's happening.

https://x.com/DonaldJTrumpJr/status/1852516365464490346

 

[Anti Federalist]

https://x.com/AntiFeder1776/status/1852572185539334498

 

[osan]

Many problems here. For one thing, what is even meant by "efficiency"? Do I want efficient government? Methinks I don't. I want small goverment. Tiny. Vanishingly so.

I've head Musk make some comments in the past that left me shaking my head. That aside, because it is "government", I refuse to trust it, save that it will serve to exercise my sphincter. No thanks.

And not to beat a dead horse, but the focus is on efficiency and not size. Perhaps the latter is intended, but if so, then use the damned correct words. Pooching so much as the language you use gives me no reason for confidence here.

Here's Osan's Law, riffing off of Murphy: If "government" can make things worse, it will.


And really... Making yet another government department? Is there no end to the irony?

 

[jmdrake]

Regulations meant to restrain global oligarchs like himself, from stealing the people's sovereignty.

Our Consitution doesn't guarantee or even demand an "efficient" government.

It guarantees and demands a government OTPBTPFTP.

Right now the FAA seems to be hampering SpaceX over "safety concerns" and the effect of sonic boom on seals while at the same time NASA is counting on SpaceX to fix Boeing's mess which left two astronaughts stranded on the space station. I'm not sure how that helps "the people."

 

[GlennwaldSnowdenAssanged]

Many people think they should be recognized for everything they do correctly.
I believe things are supposed to be done correctly so praising every time a person does what they are supposed to do or expected to do correctly is crazy.
People complain because they are only criticized and not praised for anything. Once again people are expected to do a good job.

When it is said, "Our Consitution doesn't guarantee or even demand an "efficient" government." they shouldn't have to. It should be expected that if they are doing it it should be done efficiently and correctly. If things are being done inefficiently, the way they are being done, is wrong and must be modified. Waste comes from the taxpayers pocketbook.

In my opinion if people are openly suggesting that inefficiency is a good thing, I say they are wrong.

 

[GlennwaldSnowdenAssanged]

A town that can manage with 2 police officers should hire 20 so they can be inefficient.

 

[vita3]

Elon can do everything

Puke

 

[TheTexan]

Elon can do everything

Puke

I dunno if he can do everything, but he certainly seems to be able to do anything that he sets his mind to

 

[spudea]

Let's be honest, Ron is too old. It should be Rand. Rand has a yearly festivus complaining about government waste. Yet Rand is MIA. Rand will never be president and he doesn't even show any interest in working with the Trump admin.

 

[osan]

Many people think they should be recognized for everything they do correctly.

Those seem to be the same people who want their kids to get trophies for losing a soccer game. Lash them once with an 8 ga. soft iron wire across their back and it might straighten them up. OTOH, anyone that far gone might be beyond correction. Difficult to tell these days.

I believe things are supposed to be done correctly so praising every time a person does what they are supposed to do or expected to do correctly is crazy.

This one of those aspects of American culture gone amok that has, IMO, done all sorts of damage. I see no valid basis for falling to my knees in worship every time you do something correctly, particularly when I pay you to do it so.

When it is said, "Our Consitution doesn't guarantee or even demand an "efficient" government." they shouldn't have to. It should be expected that if they are doing it it should be done efficiently and correctly. If things are being done inefficiently, the way they are being done, is wrong and must be modified. Waste comes from the taxpayers pocketbook.

To be fair, the problem roots with the taxpayers who put the same yoyos into positions of power over and over again no matter how abominably they perform their duties.

I want NO "government" and proper governANCE. But that requires an intelligent, smart, and morally/attitudinally intact population.

We're doomed.

 

[GlennwaldSnowdenAssanged]

Those seem to be the same people who want their kids to get trophies for losing a soccer game. Lash them once with an 8 ga. soft iron wire across their back and it might straighten them up. OTOH, anyone that far gone might be beyond correction. Difficult to tell these days.



This one of those aspects of American culture gone amok that has, IMO, done all sorts of damage. I see no valid basis for falling to my knees in worship every time you do something correctly, particularly when I pay you to do it so.



To be fair, the problem roots with the taxpayers who put the same yoyos into positions of power over and over again no matter how abominably they perform their duties.

I want NO "government" and proper governANCE. But that requires an intelligent, smart, and morally/attitudinally intact population.

We're doomed.

According to the rhetoric, Trump and team are offering something different. Something not promised on this scale ever before. And what is the take? Don't believe him, no government, we don't want efficient government.... Nothing is ever good or pure enough.