4 ms·

By GAO, lol. The only reason they'd do the reports is because DOGE isn't there to respond. Because it was in DOGE's design to not become just an instrument of f

by maxlin 2mo ago

By GAO, lol. The only reason they'd do the reports is because DOGE isn't there to respond. Because it was in DOGE's design to not become just an instrument of furthering the problem it was designed to combat, unlike GAO! The spirit of DOGE lives on though. The basics of just having to at least have a reason what an expense is for did wonders, and DOGE did save a ton, even if it'd benefited from more freedom. Another time.

orwin 2mo ago
Wasn't GAO the leading us org in that big simplification/trim of the Clinton admin? I know for budget hawks of my country (my uncles and whoever informed them for full transparency) it was the only good thing Clinton did and we should have done the same (the US budget was balanced for the first time since Reagan or something, without reducing social aid). I think that's the best way to find out btw. Did the US budget increase in the last two years. If yes, Doge failed.
- maxlin 2mo ago
  Your logic is flawed. If a fire department extinguishes ten fires fire after a fire bombing attack that burnt down half the town, they did not "fail". And further, talking down those that help where you did nothing of the sort yourself is contemptible. About your example. That is Trumpian logic. Ask for the whole of Greenland and set the goalposts. Then let them "negotiate down" to just some bases. God knows the "trim" was still unbelievably bloated from a non-relative standpoint.
  - orwin 2mo ago
    I think you have to be more explicit because I don't understand fully what you mean. Which fire department? Are you talking about doge? In your allegory, it more like: a firebomb caused 20 fires, and after a few nights, the fire department all quit, called it a 'success', flooded an area untouched by fire, and now the area have 25 fires and a flood. Also they paid themselves a bonus because of a job well done. Which trim? Are you talking about the US balanced budget? Why is that setting goalposts? I mean, I personally don't care about a balanced budget, but budget hawks do, and doing it without reducing social aid seems like a good goalpost to have, no? Should we move them? If so, where?
    - maxlin 2mo ago
      Nah, DOGE shut down plenty of fires, while being harassed by the arsonist's union. This was known from the start; if you try to attack something corrupt, especially when a lot of the corruption is "grey" of course you'll have tons and tons of people angry, because you're shutting down their grift. The kind of spending, especially just before Trump got to power I heard from NGO's, is so disgusting I rather forget what I saw. If you don't understand my second point I can't help you.

by maxlin 2mo ago

orwin 2mo ago

Wasn't GAO the leading us org in that big simplification/trim of the Clinton admin? I know for budget hawks of my country (my uncles and whoever informed them for full transparency) it was the only good thing Clinton did and we should have done the same (the US budget was balanced for the first time since Reagan or something, without reducing social aid). I think that's the best way to find out btw. Did the US budget increase in the last two years. If yes, Doge failed.

maxlin 2mo ago
Your logic is flawed. If a fire department extinguishes ten fires fire after a fire bombing attack that burnt down half the town, they did not "fail". And further, talking down those that help where you did nothing of the sort yourself is contemptible. About your example. That is Trumpian logic. Ask for the whole of Greenland and set the goalposts. Then let them "negotiate down" to just some bases. God knows the "trim" was still unbelievably bloated from a non-relative standpoint.
- orwin 2mo ago
  I think you have to be more explicit because I don't understand fully what you mean. Which fire department? Are you talking about doge? In your allegory, it more like: a firebomb caused 20 fires, and after a few nights, the fire department all quit, called it a 'success', flooded an area untouched by fire, and now the area have 25 fires and a flood. Also they paid themselves a bonus because of a job well done. Which trim? Are you talking about the US balanced budget? Why is that setting goalposts? I mean, I personally don't care about a balanced budget, but budget hawks do, and doing it without reducing social aid seems like a good goalpost to have, no? Should we move them? If so, where?
  - maxlin 2mo ago
    Nah, DOGE shut down plenty of fires, while being harassed by the arsonist's union. This was known from the start; if you try to attack something corrupt, especially when a lot of the corruption is "grey" of course you'll have tons and tons of people angry, because you're shutting down their grift. The kind of spending, especially just before Trump got to power I heard from NGO's, is so disgusting I rather forget what I saw. If you don't understand my second point I can't help you.