Summary
Vivek Ramaswamy, recently appointed to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has proposed defunding federal programs that lack current congressional authorization.
This could affect programs like veterans’ healthcare, NASA, and early education initiatives, which still receive funding despite expired authorizations.
Ramaswamy argues that cutting these programs could save billions, and he’s committed to targeting expenditures that “don’t advance the interests of American citizens.”
DOGE, co-led by Elon Musk, aims to curb government spending, with Musk estimating potential cuts of up to $2 trillion.
Part of me, as an outsider looking in with abject horror, wants to see this happen just because I still hold out hope that it might finally wake up a not-insignificant part of rural and rust-belt America that live off these benefits (or ‘handouts’ according to the GOP) out of their political stupor.
But on the other hand, I know that once it’s gone, it’s very unlikely to be brought back in the immediate future by the current crop of Dems, who seemingly would rather keep dangling it as a carrot (along with restoring ablation access) in order to entice voter turnout.
Just know that there are people in the US that feel the same. And it’s horrifying.
If it’s gone it’s gone. Those people in rural America who live off handouts and vote R can live with the long term consequences. The only way you will see a change is if they are no longer insulated from the consequences of their actions. Fox
NewsPropaganda is going to be spinning itself in circles to justify why their “gubment program” was ended under Trump.Perhaps they will vote blue in the future and we will have enough of a majority that more liberal policies can be enacted.
Not for millenia would I have realized that Department of Government Efficiency stood for DoGE. What a funny little boy Elon is.
Please, keep pissing off the military, sounds like a FAFO-prone strategy.
There is a reason Trump is talking about replacing all of our generals (can you imagine the national security risk?) and replacing them.
I’ll let you work it out on your own…
I don’t think he’s ever heard of “fragging”, “mutiny” and the extreme disdain the enlisted already have for REMFs.
Is the tide changing? I feel like the GOP has been dicking the veterans over my whole life and they’re still like their biggest and strongest supporters. Leopards and faces and all that.
Entirely typical.
Republicans have already dicked veterans over so hard that private charities have to try to make up for all of the broken promises.
And it’s still not enough for them.
So DOGE is getting cut then?
Trump: “What is the worst idea we can implement?”
Ramaswamy:“Let’s make all the people that know how to use the most complex and deadly weapons mad at us as quickly as possible!”
Wait, a firearm is complex or am I misunderstanding?
Firearms aren’t really that complex.
When it is connected to a f-16 it might be complex.
I can’t make one.
Ask Tetsuya Yamagami. Likely he can give you some pointers.
/s please don’t.
As a US citizen, paying for veterans healthcare and early education programs advance my interests a whole fucking lot more than paying this jackass.
Stupid piece of shit, you don’t speak for us.
I know what you mean but he does, quite literally, speak for us now. This is what we asked for.
I sure as fuck didn’t, I voted against every single fascist asshole on my balot. I’m just angry.
So did I but unfortunately we lost. That’s democracy in action. The country we live in (the collective we) asked for this.
In like a 3rd party way or an actual way?
Thanks for voting. You’re justified in being angry. There’s a lot to be angry about. Right now we need to focus on blocking every action of this government. We need to shine a light on candidates doing the right thing and bring them up to positions of leadership.
Suggestions?
Pick an issue, or a few, you care about. Find the local or regional group that is already fighting for that issue. Join their newsletter. When they have events or meetings near you, go. Meet people and network. Someday you will find a way you can help in a way that fits your skill set, say yes.
It really is that easy to get involved, and these organizations need volunteers way more than they need money. People make the world move forward, not money, not votes. I mean voting and giving helps too, but giving your time is often way more important with activism.
This is an unusual question, but do you know any way I can get more involved if I’m not awake when people meet and organize?
I have a severe circadian rhythm disorder and as a result am not awake during the day. All I’ve been able to come up with in terms of contributing is writing cards to potential voters (I got a couple in the mail when I updated my voter registration), and maybe calling potential voters on the other side of the country who are in a different timezone.
I feel really powerless to contribute, but I don’t wanna sit back and do nothing, disability or not :( if you can’t think of anything, that’s okay, I will keep looking for way to be involved
Voting is a small part of political change, it needs to be done but that’s not where the work is. Getting involved in your community and pushing for changes is far more productive, activism of all types.
I would start by getting on mailing lists for things you care about and email for local city council meeting minutes. You might be surprised by some of the meeting times of local orgs. Some events are evening, but you can still learn about what is needed if you are staying engaged with local things. I can’t tell you what will work, but I reiterate I would start by getting on mailing lists for things you care about and take opportunities when they come.
Edit: and don’t be so hard on yourself, you can only do what you can do. Take your wins when they come and focus on those.
I’ll see what I can do… Appreciate the input.
One more thing I might suggest is to start attending some of your town/city council meetings. You can also ask the clerk to put you on their mailing list for meeting minutes. Some have a sign up on their website. Just getting a feel for what your locality is dealing with can help you to understand what the local issues are. Local politics are often more accessible to change.
Right there with you
Collectively protest the most American way possible. Stop buying anything but the essentials. Don’t cut out life enjoyment, but make sure it’s for as few dollars as possible. This fucks with the supply chains and their precious stocks.
I already do that cause I’m broke as shit 😅 most of what I let myself buy is stuff that makes it a little easier to manage my sleep disorder
This next two years of “FO” realizations for the FA crowd will bring me no pleasure. Unfortunately we’re past the point of return now in participative democracy due to a menially literate population that has had the capacity for rational and forethought drowned out for 3+ generations.
Time, yet again history, to teach people lessons the same, hard way. 😔
The problem is that it appears as though there are tens of millions of Americans who are literally unable to FO. Or they FO, but are entirely unable (or perhaps unwilling at this point) to connect it to all the FA they’ve been doing.
Specifically about veterans’ healthcare: Veterans surveyed supported Trump 61% to 37% Harris with 2% undecided. And it’s not like the plan to screw up VA benefits was hidden, it was there in Project 2025.
Days after the election, I was talking to coworkers who literally said that was just propaganda and he’s not actually going to do it. Because he said that.
Turns out all people needed was a little bit of plausible deniability…
I’m a 100% disabled veteran. Two years ago I made the very stupid decision to change my gender identity with the VA, and my therapist just informed me on Friday that I can’t change it back because it’s part of a diagnosis. I’m really worried that either of those things, or the fact that I’m getting a degree through chapter 31 will end in a reduction or revocation of my benefits. In addition, I’m going through the process of getting diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder. I’m really expensive for the VA right now.
Fun fact: ALS is more common in the veteran population
I’m also a trans veteran deeply worried about losing benefits. It’s such a horrid situation
I hope you can stay safe through this. My state is pretty good to veterans, but I don’t think it would pick up the slack if federal funding is slashed.
I’m in Texas. I’m trying to leave
Goddammit, fuck this country. Good luck to you.
Guys, c’mon. There’s only so much face a guy has to feed the leopards.
Optics of cutting the programs aside, it’s criminal that beneficial programs like these don’t get re-authorized.
Elon musk being like “all that money we’re spending on vets could be going into my pockets.”
The status quo is just a lot more visible, now.
I expected NASA to get screwed by DOGE. What I didn’t expect was that it’s at the behest of Ramaswamy instead of Elmo. 2024 is defying expectations yet again.
NASA gives SpaceX fat government paychecks. He doesn’t want anything to happen to them.
I dunno I disagree. I think he’d like nothing more than if NASA just completely disappeared. I’ve thought that since the second they started talking about him guiding fiduciary spending. Once NASA is out of the picture, it’s all SpaceX all the time. Trump is already most of the way there anyway. “His rocket company is the only reason we can now send American astronauts into space.”
This is part of the plan I suspect.
Yep he doesn’t want NASA to steal his thunder with the first manned moon landing since the Apollo program. NASA’s Orion is competing directly with SpaceX
I don’t think he actually cares much about achieving anything spaceflight related. The guy has been hyping up his companies by holding big events for technologies ready in “X years” and consistently failing to deliver on either deadlines, tangible progress, quality, or sometimes all three of those.
I’m under the impression that E-con Musk sees a golden opportunity to use his undeserved status as a competent inventor and businessman as an opportunity to redirect government funds into his own pocket.
He cares about it insomuch as it gives him the attention he craves.
Are you guys for real?? They will literally just cut out the middleman and give all the work to SpaceX instead. Jesus Christ people, read a history book about fascism.
Man, so many people are in for a rude awakening come January, when they realize that their understanding of the previous world order is completely obsolete.
Not necessarily. He wouldn’t want anything to happen to the funding that ends up going to himself. He would likely be thrilled if their funding for designing and building their own rockets dried up, though.
It’s right in line with the purpose of DOGE and an easy sell to anybody that doesn’t immediately see the conflict of interest: “Why are we spending $100 million annually to play catch-up with the private sector? Reallocate $80 million to get rockets that work today and save the taxpayers $20 million while doing it.”
Gotta save that money for corporate welfare
