Elon Musk is to be President Donald Trump’s first ever leader or secretary of the Department of Government Efficiency (D.O.G.E). And, unlike some of the career politicians on Capitol Hill who have worn out their welcome, Elon Musk has said this about how he is to be paid.
“I want no pay, no awards, no recognition or fancy title. I just want America to reach greater heights.” 一 Elon Musk
The people who are the makers of this country like Elon Musk and Donald Trump have already proven themselves as billionaires. They did so as capitalist makers and not socialist takers. Their minds are those of creative geniuses. For those who are not like them, like so many of the Democrats, they will never understand it is not about making money to become rich for ego. It is about the self-satisfaction of observing and identifying a problem or need and resolving it. Their rewards come in knowing they solved a situation few others could.
“I think we can reduce the annual federal budget by at least $2 trillion per year. Your tax money is being wasted and the Department of Government Efficiency is going to fix that.” – Elon Musk
The thrust to trim wasteful spending out of the Federal Government is now being joined by yet another famous self-made billionaire, Vivek Ramaswamy.
“Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy’s big plan to rip out ‘$2 trillion’ worth of waste under Trump” – Sky News Australia
Recently Elon Musk noted some of the types of expenditures he will target for elimination as part of the Trump Administration. While the Democrats seem to have a set play in their playbook to attack President Trump and Republicans on a desire to attack Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid, the following shows the only way this is true is when it comes to fraud in these departments. Democrats and the mainstream media need to stop the “misinformation” campaign or be potentially charged and put in prison as a second Biden/Harris Administration was proposing for conservatives, had they won.
“Here are just 15 examples of government waste.
Change is coming…
1. Payments to Deceased Individuals: The federal government has disbursed approximately $1.3 billion to individuals who are no longer alive, highlighting significant inefficiencies in payment systems.
2. Unemployment and Social Security Payments to Prisoners: An estimated $171 million has been improperly paid to incarcerated individuals, underscoring vulnerabilities in benefit distribution processes.
3. Medicaid and Medicare Fraud: Fraudulent activities within Medicaid and Medicare programs have resulted in losses of about $101 billion, indicating a need for stricter oversight and fraud prevention measures.
4. Extravagant Government Travel: For instance, a trip by the Biden administration to Ireland cost taxpayers $4 million, raising questions about the necessity and cost-effectiveness of such expenditures.
5. Maintenance of Underutilized Federal Buildings: The government spends approximately $2 billion annually on buildings that are underused or vacant, suggesting a need for better asset management.
6. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Initiatives: Around $38.7 million has been allocated to DEI hires, prompting debates about the effectiveness and necessity of such spending.
7. Weapons for Non-Military Agencies: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has spent $620,000 on weapons, raising concerns about the militarization of civilian agencies.
8. Tax Delinquencies by IRS Employees: Internal Revenue Service employees have accumulated $50 million in unpaid taxes, highlighting issues within the agency responsible for tax collection.
9. Research on Russian Cats: The National Institutes of Health (NIH) allocated $549,000 to study the movement of Russian cats on treadmills, a project criticized for its questionable value.
10. Transgender Monkeys Research: The NIH also spent $477,000 on studies involving transgender monkeys, sparking debates over the relevance and ethics of such research.
11. Drag Shows in Ecuador: A State Department grant of $20,600 funded drag shows in Ecuador, leading to discussions about the appropriateness of funding cultural events abroad.
12. Improper Payments in Federal Programs: In fiscal year 2020, the government made $98 billion in improper payments, including overpayments and underpayments, indicating systemic issues in financial management.
13. Overpayments in Medicare and Medicaid: Improper payments in these programs have been a persistent issue, with billions lost annually due to fraud and errors.
14. Unused Military Equipment: The Department of Defense has been criticized for spending billions on equipment that remains unused or is obsolete, reflecting inefficiencies in defense procurement.
15. Excessive Spending on Public Relations: Federal agencies have spent over $4.5 billion on public relations and advertising, raising questions about the necessity and impact of such expenditures.”
Billionaires do not become billionaires by being stupid about money in their spending practices. The above are examples of 15 really stupid spending practices. Few Americans would argue with this.
CONCLUSION:
The first time I can recall the exposure of government waste in spending was brought to the attention of the public by the Sunday evening television show “60 Minutes” of CBS.
“60 Minutes: The Money Shuttle – 1982”
Another story that took off about this same time was “NASA spending $20,000 for a toilet seat” which created mass American outrage.
“Pawn Stars: OUT OF THIS WORLD $$$s for NASA Toilet Seat (Season 8)”
The show to report this did not note that the space shuttle toilet in total cost $23 million and the seat was one small but very important part of it since it provided a seal to eliminate waste of human yearn and feces from escaping into the shuttle cabin so the show was a little off base.
A more timely and up-to-date example of cost waste was when President Trump attacked the Biden/Harris Administration for their botched Afghanistan withdrawal leaving billions of dollars of U.S. military equipment behind. The Trump Campaign reported that loss at $85 billion while the Biden/Harris Campaign reported the loss at $7 billion.
If Musk and Ramaswamy can simply improve accounting practices to bring any such two numbers closer into alignment, their services will be well worth it. This one example illustrates just how differently the Republicans and Democrats evaluate the exact same situation.
Copyright © 2024 by Mark S. Schwendau
