Musk to Lead New “Dept. Of Government Efficiency”
[guest post by Dana]
I really don’t even know what to say about this, so have at it:
Elon Musk will lead a newly created “Department of Government Efficiency” that will spearhead efforts to shrink the federal government, President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday.
Musk will work with fellow Trump acolyte Vivek Ramaswamy to run DOGE — a winking reference to a joke cryptocurrency – and conclude their work by July 4, 2026, Trump said in a written statement announcing an effort that had been previewed during his campaign.
“They will work together to liberate our Economy, and make the U.S. Government accountable to ‘WE THE PEOPLE,’” the president-elect said.
(Must be Elon Musk’s reward for spending $100 million to get Trump elected.)
—Dana
Hello.
Dana (dc4fcd) — 11/12/2024 @ 6:21 pmSpeaking of presidential appointees, Trump just picked Pete Hegseth run the Department of Defense.
I commend his service and he seems smart enough (given where he graduated), but Hegseth has managerial experience over (1) his National Guard unit and (2) his make-up artist, and now he’ll preside over a military with 2.86 million personnel, the biggest and most lethal military in human history.
I think Trump has been watching too much Fox & Friends.
Paul Montagu (509661) — 11/12/2024 @ 6:41 pmI am glad you agree Hegseth has managerial experience, given he was a Major in combat, therefore he did actually lead many people and large amounts of money, and apparently was a CEO of some minor charity, as well as a graduate of some government grad program at Harvard (for what it’s worth).
Remember, the Secretary of Defense is supposed to be a civilian, not a flag officer. Biden totally screwed this one up by picking General Austin. That appointment was inappropriate and should not have been confirmed by the Senate.
Picking a guardsman or reservist who has success in the private sector isn’t unusual or inappropriate.
I haven’t watched cable news in a decade and don’t know who Hegseth is. But I have to say, as a nevertrumper, I’m kinda pleased with the higher quality of the incoming administration’s picks. I am going to hope they are successful.
Dana remarks that Elon’s going to be cutting the government. That seems like a good fit for his experience. I am going to root for his success too.
Dustin (4b502c) — 11/12/2024 @ 7:20 pmHe wasn’t, he was a captain as his highest rank when in a combat zone, and wasn’t a company leader, he was an instructor for the partner counter insurgency training center.
He’s a tv personality.
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 11/12/2024 @ 7:40 pmThe “Department of Government Efficiency” has 2 bosses.
Davethulhu (741a5f) — 11/12/2024 @ 7:43 pmDave- yes, but the two bosses are the only employees and they are volunteers – of a sort. (both are smart enough to leverage the heck out of volunteering)
There’s two so Vivek can blitz the folks bugging SpaceX and Musk can handle the others while maintaining at least an appearance of neutrality
Musk is still operating twitter with somewhere between 50%-80% fewer employees than Jack Dorsey had. He made everyone who stayed come back to work.
And Twitter still runs pretty smooth. So he has experience spotting bloat and applying, surviving major surgery
I’m more or less OK with current 3 Million non USPS and military federal employees, (100 citizens to 1 employee ratio). I’d be OK with cuts- it’ll creep back- I think the efficiencies that are to be found in the spending cuts draw most of my attention. I’m sure Rand Paul has a long naughty list
steveg (4d28b3) — 11/12/2024 @ 8:39 pm> I really don’t even know what to say about this
He will do for America what he did for Twitter.
aphrael (be1cf4) — 11/12/2024 @ 8:58 pmI haven’t been too displeased with Trump’s picks so far.
Paul Montagu (509661) — 11/12/2024 @ 9:02 pmI’ve already mentioned Homan, and I’m skeptical about Hegseth (but we’ll see, he’s not a dumb guy), but I’m not a Ratcliffe fan, who’s like Nunes, a hyperpartisan shill. I kinda like that Mike Huckabee is being dispatched to the Middle East.
Elections, consequences. It could be worse.
“Musk is still operating twitter with somewhere between 50%-80% fewer employees than Jack Dorsey had. He made everyone who stayed come back to work.”
Musk is theoretically CEO of 4 different companies, and a father of 11 children, but he spends most of his time posting on Twitter and playing Diablo.
Davethulhu (741a5f) — 11/12/2024 @ 9:04 pmI genuinely thought he had 13.
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 11/12/2024 @ 9:19 pmHey, it’s Mr. “Thank me for my service” saying someone’s military service isn’t good enough. LOL.
I’m honestly surprised they aren’t much worse. So far, a lot of pretty good choices, of qualified, sincere people. Way too soon to tell, but looks like a real improvement over the first administration.
As for Hegseth, remember when Obama’s secretary of defense never served at all? It’s a civilian position. The only pick that was not appropriate was General Austin, who basically went AWOL and presided over a military that is in really bad shape right now. Watching the extreme left flip out that this guy is unqualified only shows their lack of credibility.
Dustin (4b502c) — 11/12/2024 @ 9:22 pmI think I’d rather have someone cooler than Musk or Ratsaswarmy doing this, but the idea is right. The government’s sprawl is so vast that “efficiency” isn’t really the right word. And while I’d rather see people like Gates or Buffet doing this, they probably would just whittle around the edges when amputation is called for.
Even in catchall departments like Ed or Commerce, there are some truffles (you really don’t want to kill Pell grants or the USPTO), but God knows that there are lots of obsolete programs just trundling on, and single needs being met by 30 different agencies.
Be interesting to see what they come up with, and also if Trump can actually delegate.
Also interesting to see if this can be done with bipartisanship, since the filibuster isn’t going anywhere.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 11/12/2024 @ 9:41 pmHe will do for America what he did for Twitter.
Or maybe what he did for NASA. And Twitter is still alive.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 11/12/2024 @ 9:42 pmhe spends most of his time posting on Twitter and playing Diablo.
I say send a copy of Diablo to the other 1,000 bigtime CEOS.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 11/12/2024 @ 9:44 pmWhat I find surprising is that Trump seems to be hiring some Russia hawks. Coupled with him telling Putin not to escalate, and mentioning that the US and NATO have troops over there, I am mildly encouraged regarding Ukraine. Trump would do himself a world of good by standing up to Putin in a Sistah Souljah moment.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 11/12/2024 @ 9:48 pm@4
And?
He’s eminently qualified.
Besides… Democrats don’t get to complain after the clown-show in the last administration.
whembly (477db6) — 11/13/2024 @ 6:15 amThe only thing that irritates me with this, is this D.O.G.E. would have zero power.
All they’re going to do, is highlight stuff and make recommedations.
The problem is, is that it’s CONGRESS who passed those spending bills. I don’t think POTUS has the ability to NOT spend the money, unless there’s some creative laws to re-direct the spending to something else.
whembly (477db6) — 11/13/2024 @ 6:22 amPete the television presenter wasn’t picked for his axe-throwing skilz.
Paul Montagu (9a361b) — 11/13/2024 @ 6:27 amReminds me of the Department of Administrative Affairs in “Yes Minister”.
Jim Miller (37f477) — 11/13/2024 @ 6:49 amREversing the banning of him on Twitter (and then persuading him to use it again) was probably more important to Trump.
And DOGE is not all of it.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/13/us/politics/musk-trump-transition-mar-a-lago.html
Sammy Finkelman (c2c77e) — 11/13/2024 @ 7:24 amGeorge Will is unimpressed by Musk’s promise:
Which is worse for the nation, that Musk believes that is possible politically, or that he doesn’t? For me, the first.
Jim Miller (37f477) — 11/13/2024 @ 7:43 amKevin M, who needs bipartisanship? Trump can just bring back sequestration, and what would anyone do about it?
aphrael (be1cf4) — 11/13/2024 @ 7:50 amAustin wasn’t the only former flag officer named Secretary of Defense. Trump’s first Secretary of Defense (James Mattis) required a congressional waiver since he was named SecDef after less than ten years of retirement, as he retired in 2013 and was nominated by Trump in 2017. Austin retired from the military in 2016, so he also required a congressional waiver.
The precedent was set by President Truman and Congress when George C. Marshall was appointed in 1950 and was allowed to continue to serve as a five-star general.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 11/13/2024 @ 9:06 amUnless it is created by Congress, the “Department of Government Efficiency” is a fake government department with no legal authority to do anything. It will probably also be subject to the Federal government’s open meeting laws, such as the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the Ethics in Government Act, the Government in Sunshine Act, and the Freedom of Information Act.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 11/13/2024 @ 9:25 amSequestration was part of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (FRA; Public Law 118-5) and Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (P.L. 99-177); it’s not something that the President has any control over.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 11/13/2024 @ 9:29 amI know valuing relevant experience is a bad thing for presidential nominees among some here, but what qualifications beyond military service (and being a Trump loyalist/Fox News host) does Hegseth have with the defense sector? No government procurement experience, no foreign policy experience, no experience with government budgeting, etc. He’s basically a culture warrior and to purge the military of “disloyal” flag officers.
His confirmation hearing will be must see TV.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 11/13/2024 @ 9:52 amCorrect, I also wouldn’t hire him to run program management for my software company.
I also wouldn’t think that I would have the background to be SecDef, although more than Hegseth.
Just because you were in the military doesn’t make you qualified to run the military. It’s a nice to have, if your actual career makes you qualified.
TV personality. No.
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 11/13/2024 @ 10:13 amSen. John Thune has been elected Senate Majority Leader.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 11/13/2024 @ 10:32 amOn the first ballot, Thune got 23 votes, Cornyn got 15 and Scott received 13. There were two write-in votes. Thune was elected on a 29-24 vote.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 11/13/2024 @ 10:36 amBTW, the whole Leon and Vivek running a made up department is just fopping off the annoying people on a toy to get them out of their hair.
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 11/13/2024 @ 10:38 amThune was the least worst of the three, the least acquiescent and prostrating to Trump.
Compared to Tulsi at DNI, Hegseth is a reincarnated Robert Gates.
Paul Montagu (9a361b) — 11/13/2024 @ 10:50 am@26
Lemme ax you this…
Do you think the Pentagon is currenting running a “tight ship” and that there’s no real room for improvement?
whembly (477db6) — 11/13/2024 @ 11:08 amDo you think then that hiring a weekend talk show host to run it is the solution?
If you think the DoD is important, and needs some detailed improvement, do you think a meme hire is the best choice?
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 11/13/2024 @ 11:17 amColonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 11/13/2024 @ 11:17 am
whembly (477db6) — 11/13/2024 @ 11:25 amShush Sir Goebbels… the adults are talking.
Yes, Paul and I.
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 11/13/2024 @ 11:31 amAh, the Night of the Long Knives. Nope, no natcies here. Nope, not at all.
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 11/13/2024 @ 11:37 amHire a joke insider to run the department, purge the senior staff. Nothing going on in the world, this is all perfectly OK.
Elections have consequences, and Americans are going to get it good and hard. Vote stupid Hitler, for the LOLZ.
Huh, stupid Hitler is acting like a stupid Hitler, who could have known. Surely not the Bund.
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 11/13/2024 @ 11:44 amKey thing about stupid Hitler, he’s just so stupid.
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 11/13/2024 @ 11:58 am*yawn*
Keep on Godwinning the threads.
whembly (477db6) — 11/13/2024 @ 11:59 amwhembly to Rip Murdock:
Ukraine proves that weapons can cost a lot less. Yes, there’s room in the military budget for cost cutting on equipment – also maybe on officers. At the same time many soldiers are being injured by concussions or shaking
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/12/us/brain-trauma-cte-navy-speedboat.html
They should understand this by now. Minor injuries make the brain (and body) more vulnerable to more serious tearing injuries. It’s a little like baseball pitchers needing to rest their arms.
Sammy Finkelman (21c041) — 11/13/2024 @ 12:37 pmAttorney General Matt Goetz? OMG!
JoeH (390085) — 11/13/2024 @ 1:05 pm
<b
Lemme ax you this…
Do you think the Pentagon is currenting running a “tight ship” and that there’s no real room for improvement?
whembly (477db6) — 11/13/2024 @ 11:08 am
What makes you think Hegseth is the one who has the skills and experience to improve the Pentagon? I’m sure there are outsiders in Republican think tanks, Congress, etc. who have a deep understanding of the issues and could make the necessary changes to improve DoD procurement, budgeting, policymaking, etc.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 11/13/2024 @ 1:09 pmBeing named Attorney General is one way for Gaetz to avoid his long on-going House ethics investigation; and he does have experience with federal investigations too.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 11/13/2024 @ 1:12 pmTulsi Gabbard will be the first DNI who should have registered as a foreign agent of Russia.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 11/13/2024 @ 1:17 pmEven Republican Senators will find some of these nominees hard to swallow. Wait until Trump nominates RFKJr. as the head of the FDA or HHS.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 11/13/2024 @ 1:21 pmOur national intelligence level just dropped 50 points.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 11/13/2024 @ 1:29 pm50.5% to be specific. Were you not talking about that kind of intelligence?
Colonel Klink (ret) (96f56a) — 11/13/2024 @ 1:32 pm@42
What makes you think that he doesn’t?
whembly (477db6) — 11/13/2024 @ 2:14 pm@48 his lack of experience in defense, leading large organizations, leading government agencies or really any relevant area.
Time123 (05689c) — 11/13/2024 @ 2:21 pmI know Gaetz is a lawyer… but what did he practice?
whembly (477db6) — 11/13/2024 @ 2:21 pm@49
Look up Donald Rumsfeld’s first term, and get back to me.
whembly (477db6) — 11/13/2024 @ 2:22 pm@49 See:
whembly (477db6) — 11/13/2024 @ 2:26 pmhttps://www.nationalreview.com/corner/pete-hegseth-is-a-disruptive-choice-for-secretary-of-defense-thats-a-good-thing/
“Look up Donald Rumsfeld’s first term, and get back to me.”
Absolutely amazing post. An all timer.
Davethulhu (b39c18) — 11/13/2024 @ 2:39 pmNothing in Hegseth‘s career history suggests he has dealt with the problems in the Pentagon or having a working knowledge of defense issues, nor are there any speeches or writings laying out his views about military strategy.
Rumsfeld had at least served in government, as a congressman, US Ambassador to NATO, and chief of staff to President Ford before becoming SecDef.
Rip Murdock (a8f7fb) — 11/13/2024 @ 3:30 pmSo far it’s a cabinet of amateurs and bomb throwers.
Rip Murdock (a8f7fb) — 11/13/2024 @ 3:33 pm