While watching President Trump’s recent address to the nation, I was reminded of past State of the Union speeches, where both parties would rise, applaud, and welcome the President into the hallowed halls of Congress. I also recalled many instances when politicians crossed the aisle to work together, side by side. It was, to say the least, disappointing to witness elected officials (to include our own) engage in childish, attention-seeking petulant behavior. While one may not respect the President, the office itself deserves our highest regard.
How did we reach this point? While I can’t speak for everyone, it’s a question worthy of reflection. In his 1994 book The Death of Common Sense, Philip K. Howard explores how regulations have become so complex and far-reaching that they now impact nearly every aspect of business and citizens’ lives. Howard highlights the rigidity of these regulations, which make it nearly impossible to account for individual circumstances or outliers. He also provides examples of how bureaucratic overreach has led to our bloated, expensive, and ineffective government.
After learning about how bureaucrats – rather than elected officials – have chosen to spend taxpayer money, I can’t help but wonder: what has stopped us from heeding the wise warnings shared in this book?
Our elected officials, along with the bureaucrats involved in decision-making, are expected to possess critical thinking skills and a fundamental understanding of financial principles to make sound fiscal decisions. Spending over $500K on experiments to make mice transgender is deeply troubling and quite frankly bizarre. While some of the billions spent may be the result of flawed data from outdated and obsolete software, these examples highlight the urgent need for an overhaul of the non-elected bureaucrats in charge of fiscal decisions. We also need to reassess the roles and responsibilities of their subordinate staff.
While Democrats continue to mock and dismiss the findings from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) now is the time for a complete overhaul of our out-of-control bureaucracy. It is staggering how easily taxpayer dollars are funneled into inappropriate programs that provide no direct benefit to U.S. taxpayers. Additionally, initiatives with convoluted methods for tracking overhead costs, lacking proper oversight, and creating confusing financial trails, only exacerbate the problem. How can it be considered good governance to suggest conducting an audit after the money has already been spent? Why not take the necessary proactive steps and exercise due diligence upfront to ensure taxpayer money is spent wisely? The question remains: Who controls the checkbook?
It is an absolute clown show and disgrace to observe our elected leaders protest, beat drums, and sing silly songs in opposition to what most American taxpayers voted for last November. The Democratic Party has lost its way and is losing its followers. Pausing the efforts of DOGE only underscores that our taxpayer money is being spent in ways never intended.
As Thomas Payne noted “Society in every state is a blessing, but government even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one,” let’s make that “necessary evil” work for us and not vice versa.
