Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)

[farmstud60]

Trump announcing a new Department of Government Efficiency that Musk and Ramaswamy will be in charge of and last about 18 months.


This would really shake things up in Washington DC. There is a lot of bloat in Washington DC government. Guessing there is a lot that will need to get through Congress, but it will certainly open up the debate and challenge the swamp to defend itself.





https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/tr...12/id/1187813/

[Unique_Carpenter]

But are not government studies expensive and end up with bloated staff counts?

[farmstud60]

Originally Posted by Unique_Carpenter

But are not government studies expensive and end up with bloated staff counts?

I don't believe this is actually going to be a government agency, and it has an end date in 2026.


More details will have to come out but it sounds like it could be a positive move as swamp creatures won't be included.

[Why_Yes_I_Do]

One might wonder: Why hasn't there always been a DOGE??

[Busty]

Musk's ass kissing served him well

[1blackman1]

This’ll be a waste of time. Neither of them actually comprehend how govt works. Neither is a business. I’d love to see them fund and cut waste but only people that work in govt can really grasp where that waste is.

What would be more efficient would be to determine which programs the federal government shouldn't administer and just allow the states to take full responsibility. For example, Medicaid shouldn't be regulated federally. Just allow the state to collect the tax and do there own low income medical insurance programs. That'd debloat HHS. And the states can levy their own taxes.

If that was what he was looking for, that'd be all good. Just cutting staff, that'll never make a real difference.

[texassapper]

I can bet you 100% that Musk and Vivek are familiar with Pournelle's Iron Law of Bureaucracy.,

Pournelle’s iron law considers organizations as being made of two types of people:

“First, there will be those who are devoted to the goals of the organization…Secondly, there will be those dedicated to the organization itself.

The Iron Law states that in every case the second group will gain and keep control of the organization. It will write the rules, and control promotions within the organization.”

[farmstud60]

Originally Posted by 1blackman1

This’ll be a waste of time. Neither of them actually comprehend how govt works. Neither is a business. I’d love to see them fund and cut waste but only people that work in govt can really grasp where that waste is.

What would be more efficient would be to determine which programs the federal government shouldn't administer and just allow the states to take full responsibility. For example, Medicaid shouldn't be regulated federally. Just allow the state to collect the tax and do there own low income medical insurance programs. That'd debloat HHS. And the states can levy their own taxes.

If that was what he was looking for, that'd be all good. Just cutting staff, that'll never make a real difference.

It won't be a waste of time, but there are probably a lot of pencil pushers in Washington DC that should be canned. We were talking about this today, and often there are 3 people employed where only 1 is needed, at least that is the way state government seems to work. It takes an outside business man to see this

[LayingPipe]

Let's wait for the details but I think it will be more like a task force that just hands a report to the President. Having the country run like a business is a fatal blow to politicians who come to Washington broke and leave millionaires.

[1blackman1]

Originally Posted by farmstud60

It won't be a waste of time, but there are probably a lot of pencil pushers in Washington DC that should be canned. We were talking about this today, and often there are 3 people employed where only 1 is needed, at least that is the way state government seems to work. It takes an outside business man to see this

That’s true in a lot of ways. Though eliminating personnel isn’t exactly the way to make govt more efficient. It may save a couple of dollars but won’t improve govt.

The only way to make government run better would be to take some functions from the federal govt and move it to the state entirely. Things like block grants and payment matches are an inefficient and wasteful way to implement programs that states actually run, ie Medicaid.

Govt contract procurement is also wasteful. An example would be how govt buys fatigues (battle dress uniform) for the military. Rather than porential designs being submitted by vendors and the govt choosing the one they want, they go through a paid design process separate under each branch and then choose the one they want. So vendors that lose still get paid similarly to the winning vendor. And the silliest part is that marines fatigues are slightly different that army fatigues though they are used in the same theaters. Meaning there was a wholly separate procurement process even though ultimately the purchased fatigues aren't really different.

[texassapper]

Originally Posted by 1blackman1

Though eliminating personnel isn’t exactly the way to make govt more efficient.

You've never seen a road crew working have you?

[Tiny]

Originally Posted by 1blackman1

That’s true in a lot of ways. Though eliminating personnel isn’t exactly the way to make govt more efficient. It may save a couple of dollars but won’t improve govt.

I believe Jacuzzme wrote in another thread that Musk eliminated 80% of the staff at Twitter and it works as well now as it did before. I believe Musk could make some progress. But given he's just one person and also running several businesses, how much? The federal government is a huge monstrosity, much, much larger than Tesla. I hope he's successful. Ramaswamy is there for window dressing.

Originally Posted by 1blackman1

The only way to make government run better would be to take some functions from the federal govt and move it to the state entirely. Things like block grants and payment matches are an inefficient and wasteful way to implement programs that states actually run, ie Medicaid.

Great idea. I'd take it a lot further. Our healthcare system is around 17% of GDP, much larger than other countries. Farm Medicare and all the rest out to the states! You'd have 50 different experiments, and hopefully the most successful would be copied and the others would die out.

Originally Posted by 1blackman1

Govt contract procurement is also wasteful. An example would be how govt buys fatigues (battle dress uniform) for the military. Rather than porential designs being submitted by vendors and the govt choosing the one they want, they go through a paid design process separate under each branch and then choose the one they want. So vendors that lose still get paid similarly to the winning vendor. And the silliest part is that marines fatigues are slightly different that army fatigues though they are used in the same theaters. Meaning there was a wholly separate procurement process even though ultimately the purchased fatigues aren't really different.

Good example. There must be many other inefficiencies that should be eliminated.

[Jacuzzme]

Originally Posted by Why_Yes_I_Do

One might wonder: Why hasn't there always been a DOGE??

They don’t want efficiency, or strive to attain it.

I was asked to do some contract work at the FBI center near Clarksburg WV, they wanted certain things done every week. I had them send me the documentation and as I looked it over I found that most stuff they wanted done had service intervals of six months or even annually. I very directly told their contract administrator this, showing them the manufacturer’s recommendations, and they had zero fucks to give. It was getting done every week if it was by me or someone else. Not wanting to drive there every week, I figured out how much I’d charge a private individual for the same work, and submitted a bid for FOUR TIMES that amount, figuring they’d instantly reject it. Within a week they emailed me accepting the bid. Did it for six months until the contract expired and, much to their chagrin, told them I wasn’t interested in renewing. Driving all that way every week wasn’t worth it to me, even at the ridiculous rate they were willing to pay.

Moral of the story is that government agencies, if they’re anything like the FBI/CJIS, don’t give a rats ass about being good stewards of the taxpayer’s money.

[Tiny]

Originally Posted by Jacuzzme

They don’t want efficiency, or strive to attain it.

I was asked to do some contract work at the FBI center near Clarksburg WV, they wanted certain things done every week. I had them send me the documentation and as I looked it over I found that most stuff they wanted done had service intervals of six months or even annually. I very directly told their contract administrator this, showing them the manufacturer’s recommendations, and they had zero fucks to give. It was getting done every week if it was by me or someone else. Not wanting to drive there every week, I figured out how much I’d charge a private individual for the same work, and submitted a bid for FOUR TIMES that amount, figuring they’d instantly reject it. Within a week they emailed me accepting the bid. Did it for six months until the contract expired and, much to their chagrin, told them I wasn’t interested in renewing. Driving all that way every week wasn’t worth it to me, even at the ridiculous rate they were willing to pay.

Absolutely crazy!

[lustylad]

Originally Posted by Jacuzzme

Not wanting to drive there every week, I figured out how much I’d charge a private individual for the same work, and submitted a bid for FOUR TIMES that amount, figuring they’d instantly reject it. Within a week they emailed me accepting the bid. Did it for six months until the contract expired and, much to their chagrin, told them I wasn’t interested in renewing. Driving all that way every week wasn’t worth it to me, even at the ridiculous rate they were willing to pay.

You should renew the contract, J. Your fat profit should easily cover visits to Spa Holistic on the way down & back lol.