Head scratcher. Trump/Musk have painted the libs/media into defending government inefficiencies/fraud and general guardians of the stats quos. Another 80/20 issue that they’re on the losing side.
I don’t think “the libs/media” are “defending government inefficiencies” and I certainly don’t think they’re defending fraud. I don’t think anyone of any political persuasion thinks that outright fraud or blatant wasteful spending by government is okay.
What “the libs/media” are upset about it is that instead of a methodical, systematic audit and review of what government programs are necessary and which aren’t, what spending is “wasteful” and what isn’t, which federal personnel are necessary/critical for the efficient operation of government and which aren’t- what’s happening is one single person is essentially taking a blowtorch, chainsaw, and flamethrower to the entire federal government haphazardly. What “the libs/media” are concerned about is how taking a blowtorch to the federal government could and likely will have very dire consequences.
Look, it’s pretty well-documented that I can’t stand Donald Trump. It’s pretty well-documented that I think the entire Republican Party and its voters have gone completely off the rails. But just because I don’t like Trump doesn’t mean that I don’t want him to succeed in making America stronger, safer, and more prosperous for all Americans. I’m certainly cheering for him to do so and to defy my expectations, and for me to be completely wrong about him. I can easily dislike someone personally, disagree with them vehemently from a policy and ideological standpoint, completely hate their methods….and still want them to succeed in making our country better.
Like any sane, reasonable person, I don’t want there to be waste, fraud, or inefficiency in our government. What rational person would argue otherwise? In principle, I don’t inherently disagree with Trump or anyone who says that we should reduce or eliminate those things. I pay a lot in taxes. I want to get great value out of paying those taxes, and I don’t want those hard earned tax dollars that I pay to be used fraudulently or wastefully. But I also don’t want the entire federal government to have a chainsaw taken to it without a thorough, methodical approach- and what Musk/Trump are doing are anything but.
There are going to be real world consequences for what has already happpened and what will continue to happen as it pertains to how the federal government is getting decimated. The food that we eat and the water that we drink will become less safe; air travel will become less safe; our ability to respond to natural disasters will be impeded; and much more. Those things will affect Republicans and Democrats alike, which is I why I think that celebrating the demolition of the federal government is foolish at best and sinister at worst.