patrick.net

As of October 2024, Biden-Harris have given $175 billion to 5 million Americans for student loan forgiveness.

That averages to $35,000 for each of those 5 million.

No more handouts like that. Use that ~$100 billion to build the border wall and reinforce border security.

.

I will assume that this means less traffic during my commute LOL!

AD says

As of October 2024, Biden-Harris have given $175 billion to 5 million Americans for student loan forgiveness.

That averages to $35,000 for each of those 5 million.

No more handouts like that. Use that ~$100 billion to build the border wall and reinforce border security.

.

Sure they are not reinstating this debt since they lost the election? They probably would have reinstated it anyway.

Holy shit!

Elon & Vivek just released this.

It might amount to something after all:

https://www.wsj.com/opinion/musk-and-ramaswamy-the-doge-plan-to-reform-government-supreme-court-guidance-end-executive-power-grab-fa51c020?st=DueQ9H

DOGEWontAmountToShit says

Holy shit!

Elon & Vivek just released this.

It might amount to something after all:

https://www.wsj.com/opinion/musk-and-ramaswamy-the-doge-plan-to-reform-government-supreme-court-guidance-end-executive-power-grab-fa51c020?st=DueQ9H

MAGA baby. I hope there is a massive disruption. I don't care if I lose my job, as long as I find a meaningful one.

To paraphrase James Woods in Videodrome - "Death to Globohomo, long live MAGA!"

From the article:

Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy: The DOGE Plan to Reform Government

Following the Supreme Court’s guidance, we’ll reverse a decadeslong executive power grab.

Our nation was founded on the basic idea that the people we elect run the government. That isn’t how America functions today. Most legal edicts aren’t laws enacted by Congress but “rules and regulations” promulgated by unelected bureaucrats—tens of thousands of them each year. Most government enforcement decisions and discretionary expenditures aren’t made by the democratically elected president or even his political appointees but by millions of unelected, unappointed civil servants within government agencies who view themselves as immune from firing thanks to civil-service protections.

This is antidemocratic and antithetical to the Founders’ vision. It imposes massive direct and indirect costs on taxpayers. Thankfully, we have a historic opportunity to solve the problem. On Nov. 5, voters decisively elected Donald Trump with a mandate for sweeping change, and they deserve to get it.

President Trump has asked the two of us to lead a newly formed Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, to cut the federal government down to size. The entrenched and ever-growing bureaucracy represents an existential threat to our republic, and politicians have abetted it for too long. That’s why we’re doing things differently. We are entrepreneurs, not politicians. We will serve as outside volunteers, not federal officials or employees. Unlike government commissions or advisory committees, we won’t just write reports or cut ribbons. We’ll cut costs.

We are assisting the Trump transition team to identify and hire a lean team of small-government crusaders, including some of the sharpest technical and legal minds in America. This team will work in the new administration closely with the White House Office of Management and Budget. The two of us will advise DOGE at every step to pursue three major kinds of reform: regulatory rescissions, administrative reductions and cost savings. We will focus particularly on driving change through executive action based on existing legislation rather than by passing new laws. Our North Star for reform will be the U.S. Constitution, with a focus on two critical Supreme Court rulings issued during President Biden’s tenure.

One of those opinions is on the Chevron Deference….

head count as far as full time equivalents (for civil servants) is driven by appropriation legislation approved by Congress

not sure what can be done as far as RIFs (reduction in force) given that

they could just slowly reduce the budget for "non essential" agencies and federal programs such reduce to 2% below annual inflation , so if annual inflation is 3% then the annual budget increase is no more than 1%

that would help to reduce the deficit and ultimately the debt to GDP ratio

slowly starve it

offer buyouts for early retirements

but I realize that could easily be reversed in the next administration, so I see why there is a sense of urgency with the DOGE to make more permanent reforms

AD says

No more handouts like that. Use that ~$100 billion to build the border wall and reinforce border security.

Just flew in from Cancun to Baltimore for a layover. I was a complete ass hole to the Customs agent. I said you do know you let people overstay their visa and you're the first line of defense. And they just cross the border to the south without interrogation. And once again they thought we were trafficking my nephew. Get fucked.

We got backpacks for the kids with all the national park patches they've been to sewed on. It's like the guys fucking eyes don't work. Sorry he's black. He's family. If you have a US passport just scan it at a kiosk and cut 90% of Customs. That's how I get my boarding pass for flights. Then need to take a picture of me??? Come on man I have TSA Pre, Global Entry, Passport, ID, FOID card, FAA license. I'm of zero threat.

These guys were also in basically full military gear. Bullet proof vest, the whole deal. WE ALREADY WENT THOUGH SCANNERS AND SECURITY!

Sorry, fresh because it just happened tonight. If you have a foreign passport you go to the window. If a US citizen you scan and go about your travels. You could reduce a ton of labor and bullet proof vests overnight.

Ramaswamy posted on X, “We shouldn’t let the government spend money on programs that have expired. Yet that’s exactly what happens today: half a trillion dollars of taxpayer funds ($516 B+) goes each year to programs which Congress has allowed to expire. There are 1,200+ programs that are no longer authorized but still receive appropriations. This is totally nuts. We can & should save hundreds of billions each year by defunding government programs that Congress no longer authorizes”.

https://econolog.substack.com/p/the-doge-of-washington

The Biden administration has been secretly meeting with AI companies. Their message was chilling: "Don't even bother starting AI companies. There will only be 2-3 approved companies, and we'll control them completely." This isn't speculation. These were actual closed-door conversations. They're using something called "regulatory capture." The government blesses 2-3 large companies with a monopoly. In exchange, these companies do whatever the government wants. It's how they controlled social media. Now they want to do it with AI.- Marc Andresseen (Co-founder of Netscape browser) on Joe Rogan Podcast