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In a now-distant era, Newt Gingrich and some think tank types hyped expenditures for hundreds of dollars for a toilet seat or a hammer. Some congressmen got soundbites at hearings, but not much came of it. When Gingrich became Speaker, he was necessarily immersed in the process of deal-making and interest protection that ultimately made any substantial reform unlikely, if not impossible.
The federal beast has had no natural enemies and has grown ever larger pursuant to the controlling elements of its environment:
- Federal spending causes a lot of pleasure but deficits do not cause corresponding, corrective levels of pain.
- Overspending, waste and overt fraud can persist with impunity, so long as some legitimate and/or popular expenditures can be held hostage.
- For a long time, the scope and size of federal spending made detailed, comprehensive examination (much less targeted reduction) logistically impossible with available technology.
- The rapid growth of federally supported NGOs fostered the illusion of public/private grassroots participation in policymaking while actually serving as unaccountable extensions or allies of the agencies that fund them and as second career options for agency leadership.
- Congress no longer has the internal resources nor collective will to control the beast
- The beast will alternatively claim it represents the will of Congress, the mantle of Executive powers, or the authority of statute of administrative law, depending on who dares to challenge its expenditures.
Trump, Elon Musk, advanced technology and DOGE may have saved us from a painful reckoning with number one on that list, all while drastically altering 2, 3 and 4 against the interests of the beast.
With respect to number 5, barring some significant shift in voting patterns, Congress will continue to be almost helpless when it comes to substantive spending reforms or the formal implementation of DOGE findings and recommendations.
The shape-shifting beast now relies most heavily on number six to get cover from judges. Entities and individuals who never really had the authority to pass out money to political friends and allies will claim that no one has the legal right or authority to stop them. Invariably, they will find judges who will agree. Congress could fix that problem as well if it were a healthy institution functioning as it should.
Ultimately, the American people need to support efforts to defeat the beast, but that is still lacking. When St. George went at that dragon, he did not have the additional hassle of 49% of the locals rooting for the dragon and keying the barding armor on his mount.
Discussion (28)
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I thought the DOGE guys were supposed to be all grungy 20-somethings who mostly design gaming software. This is a very impressive array of grownups.
Elon Musk and DOGE team give behind the scenes look at their mission
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As long as
the assembled nitwitsCongress keeps passing 1500-page "continuing resolutions" that sprinkle billions upon NGOs that pop up like toadstools and that are run out of the backs of vans parked down by the river, I don't see how.To read this bio, please join Ricochet.
At least since the Progressive Era and the Progressive Amendments to the Constitution.
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First thing, repeal the Progressive Amendments. Give control of the Senate back to the state legislatures so that the states have representation.
Take away the sugar by getting rid of the income tax/direct taxation amendment. If we have to fund the Federal government through tariffs and fees, it will have a lot less money to pass around.
Limit House districts to no more than fifty thousand people, and expand the House of Representatives accordingly. That will give Congress plenty of manpower to get their work done. It will also make each rep that much less important individually.
Make government unions illegal. As FDR said, they are negotiating against the people.
Drop any governmental salaries to get them in line with the private sector.
Eliminate departments. George Washington got by with four.
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I like all these, but also add that Congress cannot pass laws for us that they exempt themselves from. Their health care and bennies packages are scandalous.
Government service should be fairly compensated, but never out of line with similar private sector arrangements. If it’s too cushy a job, you will attract the wrong people with the wrong motivations.
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