The following is a letter to the editor by Rhino Times reader Patrick Henry.
I have to wonder why they are trying to make it look like large numbers of people are protesting the actions of DOGE. I also have to wonder how many of those people are government employees whose jobs are on the chopping block because they are not a necessity to efficient (emphasis on ‘efficient’) operation of the federal government.
From working(?) from home (and compound that with the cost of maintaining empty or near empty buildings at DC rates) to the salaries and benefit packages they get, it’s little wonder these people are not excited about the gravy train finally pulling into the station. They are going to have to get REAL jobs and join the rest of us working stiffs. How many people ever heard of “franking” and know how our elected representatives abuse it for personal gain?
Then there are the elected representatives. From what I have read and heard there is one example of a person who went from being a bartender to a Congress person and is reportedly (I cannot personally confirm) now a millionaire, and if true happened in just a few years while “serving the people”. Yes I’m referring to a Democrat but I am sure there are Republicans guilty as well.
There is so much, so much which can be cut from the Federal Government, reducing the size of the beast and bringing it back under control of those it is supposed to be serving. “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” Maybe we need to stop fighting with the Fed and start holding our State representatives feet to the fire and follow the Constitution, not that we need to be letting up on the Fed.
Am I calling for a Second American Revolution? In a way, yes. We the People need to remind these representatives they work for ALL of us, not themselves and their cronies.
Here’s an idea…pay your staff from your salary. Anyone care to guess how quickly government size would shrink and grow more efficient?
Patrick Henry
I propose a congressional bill requiring every bill in the House and Senate to be individual bills with no riders or hidden expenditures. This would accomplish two things: transparency of every bill proposal with no hidden “pork” and bills short enough for every representative and senator to read before voting.
Never again could a Congressman hide some dorky money-spending proposal into an important bill. There wouldn’t be a bill to fund all “Veteran Health Care for Life With NO Exceptions” that was voted down because something was snuck into the bill to “Study Why My Dog Insists On Touching My Arms With Her Wet Nose Constantly” for a million dollars.
I also propose a perpetual volunteer citizens organization that serves one year at a time to complete the task DOGE has begun. Citizens could ask to be put on a list and chosen by lottery regardless of party or voting status.
Deborah
Not being ugly, but every bill put before Congress is available to the public for review BUT in too many cases it’s difficult to find in the Congressional Record and in too many cases by the time it’s proposed and up for a vote We the People don’t have time to read and respond to our elected representatives. Then there is the layers of non-elected staffers who review and ?advise? YOUR representative on how to vote for YOU. Our representatives need to pay 90% of their staff FROM THEIR OWN POCKET. Wonder what would happen then? (Have to get their own coffee, run their own errands, read the bills THEY are voting on. WOW, what a concept)
In your second paragraph, what you are proposing is the equivalent of what is referred to as a line item veto, something that was proposed but shot down because of the amount of power it would give the President. I am kind of on the fence about that but lean toward not giving that power because of the ultimate partisan abuse we would see (see Doddering Uncle Joe). I do agree each bill should be written and submitted for vote W/O all the silly, wasteful, vote-buying amendments Congress Critters use to buy/influence votes.
As for a volunteer citizen group, the problem I see is it would soon be filled with ‘volunteers’ who don’t have outside concerns like having to work for a living and raise their families and would soon be made up people who are handpicked by a certain party out of your volunteer pool. (Never underestimate the power of a professional politician (tip of the hat to Alan)).
At one time there was a proposal to allow for something called a line item veto. It would have given the President the power edit a bill prior to signing it. This would have created a REAL Constitutional Crisis due to a power struggle between branches. You provide an excellent example with why “clean” bills are necessary. “Clean” bills take away a lot of power ( and, IMO, a lot of something else that begins with a ‘B’) from these office squatters putting them all on an equal level.
The problem with the idea of a perpetual volunteer organization is these Congress Critters could and will find a way to get “their” volunteers in and simply create a clog in the system.
Deborah,
Sorry for the double posting. Apparently there was some sort of server error and I thought my original post was lost somehow.
It’s fun watching the Democrats squealing like stuck pigs now the their God – Government – is being forced to become more accountable and responsible.
I am all for a more efficient government but that isn’t what DOGE is doing. They aren’t cutting waste or eliminating fraud. That would take time and effort and real brain power to find and root out. They are just cutting programs they don’t consider essential or important based on no clear criteria. We know this because of all the mistakes they are making. Most notably:
• DOGE Claimed It Saved $8 Billion in One Contract. It Was Actually $8 Million
• False claim that the U.S. was spending $50 million on condoms for Gaza. (A week or so later, Trump inflated the amount to $100 million and said the condoms were going to Hamas, an indefensible perversion of an already indefensible lie.)
• The workers, whose agency oversees the nation’s nuclear stockpile, had been fired only to be rehired when they realized the mistake.
• Claimed funding from USAID was used to media Politico, which was incorrect
• Accidentally Fired Bird Flu Response Workers when we have the worst bird flu outbreak in US history
• About 950 employees of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Indian Health Service were told on a phone call Friday afternoon they were being laid off, but hours later they were told the layoffs were rescinded,
• Musk has repeatedly claimed that his so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) project had uncovered massive government fraud when it alleged that 150-year-olds were claiming Social Security benefits. No such fraud exists. Especially at the scale he claims.
And these are only some the obvious errors made public or caught by news media. What other smaller essential services are being cut where we won’t understand the long-term impact until it is too late?
Oh, and let’s not forget that this is a clear overreach of executive authority as Congress has spending authority as per the US Constitution that the conservatives claim to care about so much. Sort of like they claim that they support the bible so much yet show no compassion or empathy for the less advantaged.
I guess we should have taken notice of how much conservative love Putin and should have realized that they WOULD support Drump’s moves to become the first authoritarian leader of the US (or as he calls himself now, King).
But you be you.
The problem is Chrissy quotes these things but fails to cite sources. I will say the nuclear stockpile one was brought out in the news and was immediately corrected, and they have found some Social Security issues where people long dead are still on the rolls and reportedly still getting a check.
I will say I personally think they are moving a little too fast in some areas.
Cracks me up Alan makes compliant i didn’t list all 7 sources for the stories then lists no sources for his own. Typical conservative hypocrite.
Since you called out two the stories as false, I share the following sources below. Feel free to share you sources that counter these (and not just saying you don’t like my sources doesn’t count).
https://abc7ny.com/post/new-social-security-chief-contradicts-claims-millions-dead-people-are-getting-payouts/15933337/
https://apnews.com/article/nuclear-doge-firings-trump-federal-916e6819104f04f44c345b7dde4904d5
Funny Alan has responded…..not shocked he cant back his hollow accusations of falsehoods. Because what a noted is true.
No problem. I know the idea isn’t realistic because politics and politicians won’t allow it. Each bill would involve too much transparency or truth. I’m aware bills are generally available to read. I was being a bit snarky, referring to some budget bills that were so long Congressmen were encouraged to pass them before knowing what was in them. Citizens reading bills and sharing their views with their representatives rarely have an impact on their vote. Unless they have the time and money to wage a mass campaign to change what is in a bill the influence of those who have put the item in the bill will prove much more powerful. Also these “small” additions are done at the last minute as the bill goes to the floor. that’s why I like the idea of single-item bills.
Thanks for reading my comment in the first place and being so diligent in your reply. I think generally we’re on the same thought wave. We just want things to be clear and those in government to stop wasting our tax money on stupid stuff. It’s pretty simple.
I liked the line-item veto proposal, but it was vetoed. After the first year, such a group would be corrupted, and partisanship would take over. This DOGE exercise will uncover waste and fraud. It will also show that it leans more towards one political view than the other, but I do hope they keep as objective as possible.
Deborah,
I apologize if I came across as anything except trying to help and inform. Unlike some on here I try not to talk down or throw an education in peoples faces.
Like everything else with government (at ALL levels IMO) the beast has taken on a life of it’s own and very little short of killing it (not what I’m advocating), as you said we should keep fighting the good fight for change. I do think one change that would go a long way would to be make finance bills (budget, spending, allocating, etc.) off limits to riders and attachments.
I agree with 99% of your last paragraph and respectfully disagree with the other 1%. I’m a fan of respectfully agreeing to disagree because that’s how adults interact.
Signing many executive orders doesn’t make Trump a radical president. He is just fixing the radical things the Biden administration did with EOs.
Ronald Reagan said, “Either you will control your government, or the government will control you.”
While every president has pledged to rein in government spending, Trump is the first to truly take action on this front.
With a $ 36 trillion debt looming, it’s time for drastic measures. Cut, Baby, Cut, and then cut some more.
Why not balance the cuts with additional revenue to balance the budget? Because keep in mind that Trump has no plan to balance the budget or reduce debt (he plans to increase budget deficit) as he is just trying to mask the additional cuts to wealthy taxpayers.
There is nothing fiscally responsible about the Drump administration. it is all about fleece the country to justify cuting taxes for wealthy and big business.
Chris,
That is such a ridiculous statement it is not even worthy of an answer.
Just more ChrisCrap, Patrick.
Funny you still respond. Lol
We will see that Drump does as he did last time. Run up the deficit with tax cuts for himself and his rich friends and large busiensses.
Our deficit is absurdly large. Time the wealthy pay the the same tax rate I pay. Thst and cut our spending and balance the budget. Not complicated.
If a mistake is made, then correct the mistake. Keep cutting the hell out of the BS and dead wood in the Federal govt. Next maybe states and local govts will figure it out. BUT, not in Guilford County or Greensboro. You live here , you’re screwed.
Trump comes in inheriting deficit spending from the Obiden apparatus of $2,100,000,000,000 (7.3% of GDP! on annual basis), and Dems want to criticize Trump for not being frugal! Seriously? Chris are you here for comic relief or something?
Trump inherited a great economy from Obama yet still increased deficit spending when he gave himself and his buddies big tax cuts while average Americans taxes barely changed due to changes in the deduction rules.
Are we pretending that Obama didn’t have to recover the economy from the 2008 financial crisis? That Biden had to recover from Covid after Drump mishandled the pandemic (‘our numbers wouldn’t be so high if we didn’t test”) Trump increased the national budget deficit even prior to Covid by passing a massive unfunded tax cut.
Trump isn’t making government efficient. He is making a power grab by cutting spending he doesn’t ‘like” even though spending was passed by Congress. He is NOT looking for fraud or waste. He is just making emotional cuts (many having to be reversed once the children of DOGE learn what those people actually do for the American people).
Amazing how conservatives who claim to love the Constitution are ignoring such a blatant violations of the Constitution of the United States. Heck, he even tried to eliminate part of the Constitution with an executive order as if he were a King…..which he has taken to calling himself lately.
But you be you.
Healey, there isn’t much point in reasoning with this guy Chris. The reality you illustrated will be ignored, as he deflects and digresses. This is because Chris is not intellectually honest. He is not in search of truth through logical debate and elementary reasoning, like Aristotle.
The truth is of no concern to him. He participates here because of the psychological desperation and anxiety he suffers from his inadequacies. If he can score points in his own mind, regardless of the sophistry and dissembling required, then he can assuage his insecurities and feel better about himself.
That is what he’s doing.
Are we really pretending that conservative presidents didn’t run up deficit spending?! What a joke.
The only time conservatives care about the budget deficit and debt limits is when a democrat is in the President’s office. When a republican is in the office, they threaten to shut down the government.
Federal deficits go up and down depending on spending versus income. The real concern is the DEBT, but some people don’t want to point THAT out.
Federal Debt
$26,945 billion – 2020
$35.46 trillion – 2024
‘Nuff said
Alan showing ignorance again. I guess he ‘forgot’ about Trumps record spending and record debt. The growth in the annual deficit under Trump ranks as the third-biggest increase, relative to the size of the economy, of any U.S. presidential administration. Trump grew the national debt from 19.5 trillion to 27 trillion. More hypocrisy from Alan. Not shocked.
‘Nuff said
“The growth in the annual deficit under Trump ranks as the third-biggest increase, relative to the size of the economy, of any U.S. presidential administration.”
Your sure about that Chris? You’re sure?
You better tell Reuters.
“US budget deficit tops $1.8 trillion in fiscal 2024, third-largest on record” The headline from a Reuters article
dated October 18th, 2024. Let me repeat that date…OCTOBER 18TH 2024.
I didn’t know President Trump was President in 2024.
Chris = Liar
Austin = Lies and misformation
Do even read the quoted you quoted from my comment …relative to size of the economy….under Trump.
Your headline looks at the gross figure. National debt is normally discussed as % of GDP. Also note, that my quote is regarding the total term of the president. Your quote is a single year. Also, note, I wasn’t making statement that Biden didn’t run awful deficits, I was noting how Trump did the same if not worse (he ran up deficit more than Biden).
Wow, you are slow. Do try to think through things before you comment. It is really getting bad how often I have to point out your errors in logic or just straight ignorance.
Phiss, you are such a child! You rant on here like a homeless person complaining about the food at the shelter. And would you please, PLEASE have an adult edit your posts? PLEASE! I have to get my 3year old grand daughter to decipher your drivel. The good news is he has hoisted his leftist white flag “but you be you” once already so he’s on the floor kicking and screaming but nearly out of breathe. Quick question for you Phiss? If you were at one time a conservative as you claim who was the last conservative president that you voted for? Anxiously waiting on your next big lie but then again you are a leftist Marxist commie so…
The “so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)” is called that.
– SSA Acting Commissioner Leland Dudek, “The reported data are people … with a Social Security number who do not have a date of death associated with their record. These individuals are not necessarily receiving benefits.”
– “Experts say no, fraud is not quite as prevalent as the Trump administration says…2015 through 2022 the Social Security Administration paid $8.6 trillion in benefits, about $71.8 billion (or less than 1%) of which were improper payments.” (I’d say there was “fraud” since I don’t expect that 71.8 BILLION collected from worker’s paychecks should be used “improperly”.)
“One reason the DOGE audit found 150-year-old beneficiaries receiving checks is likely the result of a computer glitch…computer system is based on a 60-year-old programming language…audit by the SSA’s inspector general in 2023 found 18.4 million people who were age 100 or older, weren’t receiving benefits and had not had earnings reported in 50 years who were considered deceased. The agency didn’t update the records because it was considered too “costly to implement.” (This is horrible record keeping and the fact that possibly 18 million people were on the list as receiving checks or not deceased IS LIKELY THE RESULT OF A COMPUTER GLITCH does not mean it IS because of a computer problem. It is the responsibility of the agencies to keep their tools and equipment updated to do their work properly. So the numbers Musk provided weren’t wrong.)
(Market Watch, By Alessandra Malito Last Updated: Feb. 20, 2025)
They do make inaccurate claims about how much money is being used “improperly” and in their firing from each department. Trump and Musk act impulsively and should be more cautious in their remarks. It’s a publicity flaw that harms their success with people who could be convinced their ultimate goals are valuable. I think they get excited and their brains are thinking ahead of their mouths. They are rectifying their mistakes by rehiring people and correcting the figures regarding the total money they are reporting.
Most importantly, our government spending is being audited, and programs are being looked at for efficiency and credibility. Taxpayers are being allowed to know how our money is being spent and we can comment publicly about their decisions. We’ll also have a vote to let them know how we think about what they are doing in two years. Usually, we never have a chance to know what these agencies spend money on or how much, and in the past, I’ve found it disturbing. The more people know the more we can let our representatives know whether or not we approve.
Your “third biggest increase was in the FY 2024 budget…during Biden’s rule.
But hey, what do I know. I’m ain’t college edumicated like you. I was too busy doing something else.
You don’t have to apologize for lacking education. We can all see how you struggle with basic concepts such as Social Studies and Economics. (See my follow-up to the first comment you made on this topic.) You really aren’t doing yourself any favors. But you be you. It’s cute you try.
DOGE is working
Democrats have one plan, and one plan only. They hope Trump fails. That’s it. Their only path back to power is betting against America’s success. No real vision, no actual leadership—just waiting and praying for the country to lose. Inspiring stuff.
Going forward I would suggest that you use news outlets that have a little more credibility. ABC and the Associated Press are two of the outlets that for the past four years have insisted that the border was closed, inflation was transitory and men can have babies. Oh, I almost forgot Biden was mentally capable of being the president.
Just suggesting.
James
You forgot God didn’t make little green apples and it don’t rain in Indianapolis in the summer time.
Keep going DOGE! We need accountability and transparency when it comes to how our taxes are spent. The same needs to happen at the state and local levels as well.
Funny how DOGE removed from the internet the line item listing of Government spending that has always been available (by law by the way) yet you think he is being transparent? Speaking of accountability, it is the roll of Congress to control spending. NOT the executive branch. So how about a little accountability and we call it what it is…an extreme overreach of executive power.
Much like Joe Biden’s executive orders cancelling $190 billion of student debt which was passed on to the taxpayers to cover. By the way, calling it student debt by the media and others, and implying that it was only for tuition expenses, is another misdirect as I know many students who took out the largest loan allowable due to the low interest rate and used the money for whatever need/want arose on a given day. Some even purchased vehicles with their money.
Good point. I had thought student loans were restricted to tuition. Thanks.
DOGE has the power to edit the internet? OMG…Elon Musk has such incredible reach and power that none of us are safe! He can censor the internet, control the President, launch and recover rockets! MY GOD, who knows what else.
Thank God we have Chris with that incredible college education that allowed him to spot this danger and save us.
Weird comment. DOGE had the site shut down. Yes. Not sure the point you are trying to make….
I am concerned that he had the site brought down. The suspicion is that when Musk claimed he was the first to disclose this level of spending detail when in fact (and as usual) he was wrong. It was pointed out that the federal government was required to provide line-item budget details as public record. Funny that that made him uncomfortable, and he had the site brought down. (Again, in full disregard for the law). Of course, it might be because the media was using the site to fact check his claims and pointing out his errors on a daily basis.
But you be you. It’s cute when you try to get a gotcha. Keep at it. You will get one one day. Atta boy!
Alan,my friend
You ask for help, (head slap), yet you are still letting him lure you in. Stop it, or I’m switching you to decaf!
Please quit allowing yourself to get off focus. Think what Bullethead would say.
It’s cute he tries.
Simpson Bowles was good idea but nothing evere happened. DOES best thing to ever happen to America. TRUMP not perfect but he is a doer and not a talker. TOO MUCH TAX WASTE IN AMERICA.
Burn baby burn
The fall of America
Demise due to fear and ignorance.
Axekick? I’m more of a roundhouse or wheel-kick man myself. As for the fall of America, I think we’re in good hands as long as we can keep the socialist progressives out of the way. In case you’re wondering, I’m referring to the commies ruling from the bench as if they’re kings and queens. I hope we don’t have to revisit 1776 again but like Tom Holman says, if they’re breaking the law they’re on the table. Don’t get it twisted. They’re aren’t 81 million living citizens that voted for the shit show that was Biden/Harris. FAUXTY-SIX was a scam orchestrated by non other than the Kenyan dream and the communist Chinese but make no mistake, WE THE PEOPLE are running things now so stay out of the way. The government corruption days are over!
The fall of the roman empire was due to the wealthy taking over the government, the USA time is up. Hatred serves only those who use it to grab and maintain power, until eventually it destroys them.