Jeff Stein at the Washington Post tweeted:
Musk, Ramaswamy today gave us first “DOGE” roadmap; as I understand the key steps:
1) Put DOGE ppl at each U.S. agency, then use “advanced technology” (AI?) to have them identify “thousands” of regulations to cut across government
2) Give Trump a list of “thousands” of regs to cut across the government, & have him approve their elimination
3) Identify “the minimum number of employees” necessary to maintain each agency’s core function, which should be lower once 2 is complete. (NB: Musk oversaw ~80% reduction in X headcount)
4) Cut the federal employees – Musk/Ramaswamy call for for severance packages/ “incentives for early retirement,” but we have no details
5) Cut programs where where Congress’s specific spending authorization has lapsed (This category includes VA health care, NASA, antipoverty programs)
6) Approve a “temporary suspension of payments” amid “large-scale audits” (Details, specifics hugely unclear)
7) Assert POTUS authority to stop spending w/o Congressional approval by challenging 1974 budget law on impoundments All seems to be *w/o Congress*
If they actually try this, and I see no reason why they wouldn’t, everything will be challenged in the courts. At this point, I think the best we can hope for is to take up the Trump method and pick friendly venues and delay, delay, delay. Maybe the Democrats can actually win back some power in two years and put a stop to some of this.
After all, Trump may never have to run again but Republicans in congress do. The vast unpopularity of this garbage, assuming the media does its job and the Democrats get their voters to protest energetically against this, could create a 2010 level tsunami.