How Can the Government Save Money?

[Recyclersteve]

We’ve got the new DOGE (Dept. of Govt. Efficiency) and I hope and pray that they are super successful.

That said, what are some things you can think of that can be done to save money?

I’ve got two items to start with:

1) I saw on the news where the Christmas tree for the White House is being driven all the way from Alaska. Couldn’t they have gotten a very nice tree from western North Carolina, West Virginia or Pennsylvania?

2) We got an incredible amount of mail urging us to vote for various candidates. I propose that these mailings be eliminated. Almost everyone already knows who they will vote for. If they don’t, they typically have access to the internet either at home or their local library.

[shinnosuke]

End all foreign wars, close the foreign bases, and bring the troops home.

[Corsair]

1) I saw on the news where the Christmas tree for the White House is being driven all the way from Alaska. Couldn’t they have gotten a very nice tree from western North Carolina, West Virginia or Pennsylvania?

They did get a very nice tree from North Carolina:

https://www.usatoday.com/picture-gallery/news/nation/2024/11/25/white-house-christmas-tree-from-north-carolina-farm-in-washingtondc/76458274007/


You must be thinking of our extraordinarily inept Congress, who did in fact receive a tree from Alaska:

https://www.uscapitolchristmastree.com/

[Recyclersteve]

1) I saw on the news where the Christmas tree for the White House is being driven all the way from Alaska. Couldn’t they have gotten a very nice tree from western North Carolina, West Virginia or Pennsylvania?

They did get a very nice tree from North Carolina:

https://www.usatoday.com/picture-gallery/news/nation/2024/11/25/white-house-christmas-tree-from-north-carolina-farm-in-washingtondc/76458274007/


You must be thinking of our extraordinarily inept Congress, who did in fact receive a tree from Alaska:

https://www.uscapitolchristmastree.com/

You are correct. Sorry about that!

[Silver4face]

"How can the government save Money?"

Very simple: stop producing the penny!!!! Also, change the alloy on the nickel!!!!! Seems like most of us here are smarter than the average bear - OR GOVERNMENT!!!

[Lemon Thrower]

If the US Treasury printed the notes instead of borrowing money from the Fed, we would not have to pay interest to the Fed. Of course, that sort of thinking will get one memorialized on the half dollar.

[silverflake]

Make members of congress pay for their own medical insurance and health care like the rest of us shlubs.

[sparechange]

Allow Elon to refuse taking subsidies for Tesla and SpaceX.

[thecrazyone]

They know what can be done to save, they just don't give a sh!t.

How about revealing all of the black projects where funds go?

[MaxGravy]

Allow Elon to refuse taking subsidies for Tesla and SpaceX.

Tesla doesn't get subsidies. Electric car buyers get subsidies to buy Teslas, but Elon has already said that all of the subsidies need to be stopped.

SpaceX doesn't get subsidies. They win government contracts and provide services for far cheaper than any other contractor, especially Boeing.

Don't believe the hype.

[sparechange]

I saw it on the internet, it must be true.

[sparechange]

In all seriousness, my definition of subsidies is most likely different than others. The government doesn't seem to pick winners and losers very well--too many "closed roomed " deals made which typically don't benefit the masses. We must do better than "business as usual" and not fall for the "hype".

[MaxGravy]

In all seriousness, my definition of subsidies is most likely different than others. The government doesn't seem to pick winners and losers very well--too many "closed roomed " deals made which typically don't benefit the masses. We must do better than "business as usual" and not fall for the "hype".

Very true my friend. In today's world you need to question everything.

[TXSTARFIRE]

If electric car buyers are getting a subsidy then Tesla is indirectly being subsidized. If electric car buyers did not get a subsidy then Tesla would sell less cars. End the subsidy for electric car buyers.

[MaxGravy]

Elon Musk: "We (Tesla) don't need the $7,500 EV tax credit; Do we need support for gas stations? We don't. There's no need for support for charging networks; I'm literally saying get rid of all subsidies, but also for oil and gas."

[NHsorter]

SpaceX has saved NASA and DOD piles of money. It's truly insane. They could easily charge more. "Old Space" raked the taxpayers over the coals for decades and SpaceX is now deep into the process of ending that grift. They have reduced the cost of access to space by massive amounts and are well on their way to making it unimaginably cheap. This might all sound like I'm exaggerating, but truly, SpaceX is one of the best things to ever happen to humanity. Stay tuned.

They are not in it to make money. They are doing it to make life multiplanetary for the benefit of all. Its front and center in everyone's job description there, even baristas and janitors. Investors are told flat out that they are going all-in on Mars even if it means going bankrupt trying. They mean what they say. Go spend a couple days in Brownsville/Boca Chica. It inspiring.

[Lemon Thrower]

DOGE is not about cutting expenses. Its a cover for cutting the dep stt.

[MaxGravy]

(snip)

SpaceX is one of the best things to ever happen to humanity. Stay tuned....

Absolutely!

I follow everything Spacex every day, and I'm totally in awe and very grateful to be alive to witness the amazing wonders they're accomplishing. They are literally rewriting the books on rocket science, manufacturing, programming, engineering, space flight, the rocket equation, AI....

[knibloe]

If electric car buyers are getting a subsidy then Tesla is indirectly being subsidized. If electric car buyers did not get a subsidy then Tesla would sell less cars. End the subsidy for electric car buyers.

Or would Tesla sell more cars, because the rest of the companies would not have been forced to join the EV market?

[knibloe]

DOGE is not about cutting expenses. Its a cover for cutting the dep stt.

I'm more than good with that.

[galenrog]

DOGE is not about cutting expenses. Its a cover for cutting the dep stt.

Agreed.

[68Camaro]

(snip)

SpaceX is one of the best things to ever happen to humanity. Stay tuned....

Absolutely!

I follow everything Spacex every day, and I'm totally in awe and very grateful to be alive to witness the amazing wonders they're accomplishing. They are literally rewriting the books on rocket science, manufacturing, programming, engineering, space flight, the rocket equation, AI....

Rewriting the books? Hardly. The are subject to the same rules of physics, but their engineers have in many cases been released from handcuffs put on the traditional aerospace contractors by government regulators and overseers. They hired their crew from the same pool of engineers, and that's where their initial senior staff came from, only they emphasized in numbers young graduates who both had no experience or fear. They also implemented a culture where it was okay to fail. That was both good and bad. I attended more than a few industry information exchanges where cocky young SpaceX engineers arrived thinking they knew it all and were going to show the "old" people how it got done, only to realize that they didn't know what they didn't know, leaving a bit chagrined with information that they didn't have before, helped out by the "old" people who were willing to share. SpaceX worked their butts off and burned out more than a few of them on their way to their successes.

Kudos to them as a team for their successes, but it's not because they had some magic formula. But they did empower their staff and got out of their way, and also were better negotiators at getting the government out of their hair. Those things have been the real difference. Any other company in any other industry can do the same thing if they choose.

[TXSTARFIRE]

DOGE is not about cutting expenses. Its a cover for cutting the dep stt.

Win-Win.