Elon Musk revised his projected federal budget cuts from $2 trillion to $1 trillion, admitting the initial figure was an optimistic “best-case outcome.” This revised estimate, while still substantial, represents a significant downward revision from his previous claim. The $1 trillion goal, according to Musk, offers a “good shot” at achieving significant savings, though achieving this would likely require cuts to mandatory spending programs. Despite the lowered projection, Musk remains confident in contributing to a positive fiscal outcome for the Trump administration.
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Proposed $2 trillion federal budget cuts, advocated by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, threaten significant reductions to Social Security. This initiative contrasts sharply with the 79% of Americans opposing Social Security benefit cuts. While Musk and Ramaswamy’s influence is limited, their recommendations pressure Congress, despite President Trump’s repeated promises to protect Social Security. Ultimately, the power to enact budget changes remains with Congress, not the self-appointed “Department of Government Efficiency.”
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Senator Mike Rounds’s “Returning Education to Our States Act” proposes eliminating the Department of Education, redistributing its $238 billion budget to other federal agencies. This action, supported by President-elect Trump, aims to return control of education to states and local communities, arguing the current department is overly bureaucratic and ineffective. While the bill faces an uphill battle in the Senate due to Democratic opposition, similar attempts to abolish the department have been made by Republicans since its inception in 1979. The bill’s passage is considered unlikely in the current congressional session.
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Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, leading a new “Department of Government Efficiency,” aim to slash $500 billion from the federal budget by leveraging recent Supreme Court rulings in *West Virginia v. EPA* and *Loper Bright*. These rulings, they argue, allow for the overturning of thousands of federal regulations and potential mass firings of federal workers, despite legal challenges. Their plan targets funding for international organizations, public broadcasting, and Planned Parenthood, relying on executive action and the courts’ interpretation of Congressional authority. Legal experts, however, warn of the potential for this approach to weaponize the courts against critical federal regulations and programs.
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Vivek Ramaswamy, alongside Elon Musk, plans significant cuts to the US federal government, potentially eliminating entire agencies. Their aim includes “deleting” the Department of Education, redirecting its $80 billion budget to parents, and implementing mass deregulation. Ramaswamy emphasizes the need for swift action and expects substantial reductions in federal workforce and contractor spending. This initiative is part of a broader strategy for deep government restructuring.
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Vivek Ramaswamy, head of the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), proposes defunding over 1,200 federal programs totaling $516 billion annually due to expired congressional authorization. These programs include crucial funding for veterans’ healthcare, NASA, and early childhood education. Ramaswamy, supported by Elon Musk, aims to eliminate wasteful spending and restructure federal agencies, despite significant public backlash over the potential cuts to essential services. DOGE seeks highly skilled individuals for this challenging, unpaid endeavor.
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John Q. Hosedrinker