Dept. of Government Efficiency - Elon/Vivek leading DOGE

[fatpiggy]

I GUARANTEE you that if you ask Musk if he wants more money he unequivocally does.

You are so blinded by the tree you fail to see the forest. My statement stands.

He has stated he wants more money in order to fund his dream of extending civilization to Mars.

He has also stated that he wants to do it honestly. He has also done everything in his past, honestly. I have no reason to distrust him. Does he exaggerate? Yes. Does he make mistakes, yes. Is he Human? I don't know.

What i do know, is that he has good intentions. That he is an avid capitalist. That he is smart as hell.

So, if he gets more money and is in charge of allocating that capital, I am absolutely 100% OK with that. He earned that money by making products that the masses want.

He is not hoarding his money. He is making products that makes the lives of billions of humans better. He is allocating capital in a way better than any other human can. We should be praising him.

 

[WapPride]

Gasp! Grok has gone woke!

 

[scotchtiger]

I'm sorry, I thought we were trying to Make America Great Again? Is that not a call to return to times past? The period in US history when the middle class was strongest, the period when the income needed to buy a family size home was 2-3x your salary vs 5+x your salary, and when the American Dream of upward mobility was at its easiest, just so happened to be during a time when the top .1% was taxed at a higher rate. Now, correlation != causation, but the wealth disparity between the masses and the top .1% just so happened to skyrocket at the same time that tax burden was lowered. As the wealth disparity grows, the masses get more restless and you end up with riots/strikes/violence/etc.

Is it fair? Eh, probably not, but i don't really care about the feelings of people who have a higher net worth than the GDPs of some countries.

Absurd concept. For a SC resident:

91% federal income tax
1.45% Medicare tax (plus employer tax)
0.9% Medicare surcharge tax
6% state income tax

Total = 99.35% tax rate

So you get less than a penny for every incremental dollar you earn. And if you factor in the employer side tax or are self-employed, you will somehow pay more in taxes than you earn.

Completely absurd. 37% is fine for a top rate. Maybe add 40% for income over $5M if you want to squeeze more from the top.

 

[CUTiger1977]

 

[WapPride]

Absurd concept. For a SC resident:

91% federal income tax
1.45% Medicare tax (plus employer tax)
0.9% Medicare surcharge tax
6% state income tax

Total = 99.35% tax rate

So you get less than a penny for every incremental dollar you earn. And if you factor in the employer side tax or are self-employed, you will somehow pay more in taxes than you earn.

Completely absurd. 37% is fine for a top rate. Maybe add 40% for income over $5M if you want to squeeze more from the top.

My guy, you and I both know that’s not how our progressive tax system works. In 1950, every dollar over $200k ($2.5m in today’s dollars) was taxed at 91%. Hence the 42% effective rate in the article you didn’t read

 

[scotchtiger]

My guy, you and I both know that’s not how our progressive tax system works. In 1950, every dollar over $200k ($2.5m in today’s dollars) was taxed at 91%. Hence the 42% effective rate in the article you didn’t read

Did you not notice the word “incremental” in my post? That addresses the marginal tax rate issue you raise. I was accurate.

 

[WapPride]

Did you not notice the word “incremental” in my post? That addresses the marginal tax rate issue you raise. I was accurate.

lol actually i didn't oops

 

[Clemsonu90]

He has stated he wants more money in order to fund his dream of extending civilization to Mars.

He has also stated that he wants to do it honestly. He has also done everything in his past, honestly. I have no reason to distrust him. Does he exaggerate? Yes. Does he make mistakes, yes. Is he Human? I don't know.

What i do know, is that he has good intentions. That he is an avid capitalist. That he is smart as hell.

So, if he gets more money and is in charge of allocating that capital, I am absolutely 100% OK with that. He earned that money by making products that the masses want.

He is not hoarding his money. He is making products that makes the lives of billions of humans better. He is allocating capital in a way better than any other human can. We should be praising him.

Ok so you agree with my original statement. Good to know.

 

[TigerPrice03]

It’s an absurd concept that someone should keep so little of a dollar they earn. Completely absurd.

If you want to go back in time, let’s just go back to before there were income taxes at all.

Absolutely right. It is nothing but theft that the government get to hold a gun to your head and take anything that a person earns without their say. We should absolutely do away with the IRS and go back to when there was no income tax. I am fine with a federal sales tax and we could discuss what that should look like, but whatever it is at least I get to decide how much of my money I pay in taxes.

 

[TigerGrowls]

 

[dpic73]

 

[dpic73]

Listen to the rage. Trump wants to destroy California.

 

[Catch50]

We will be rewarded by having long term interest rates come down.

If that $5000 can stimulate the economy so that it produces returns in excess of $5000 that would be great. We could use the excess to pay down the debt too.

There is an economic science we should follow to figure that out. I favor what the science says, whatever that may be

They will get nowhere close to "savings" of $1 trillion. Even $1 trillion would not balance the budget nor eat into the debt. Therefore, no reduction in interest rates.

 

[TheValley91]

See my post above for where we may find common ground.

We will not find common ground on my family paying even more in federal income taxes. The $400k+ I paid last year is more than enough. To suggest otherwise is absurd in my view.

Didn’t read your previous post but surely you see that the current corporate tax rate isnt how we should be moving forward.

You should be more upset with that than the person who might pay little in taxes but also can’t afford to buy a home.

 

[TigerRagRob]

👆Things like this is why you're radicalized. You only dwell in the trash.

or maybe its because i deal with a lying pos like you everyday...

 

[TigerGrowls]

The US Marshals Service has deputized members of Elon Musk’s private security detail, giving them certain rights and protections of federal law enforcement agents.

Musk is not eligible to have a US Secret Service detail – meaning members of his personal security detail were limited in what they could do in Washington, DC.

Now that members have been deputized, they have more rights and could be authorized to carry weapons on federal grounds.

 

[TigerGrowls]

 

[TigerGrowls]

Alexander Hamilton was an aide-de-camp for General George Washington at 20.

At 24, he commanded the attack that won the Battle of Yorktown and secured American independence.

At 29, he wrote the final report of the Annapolis Convention, which put out the call for a new Constitutional Convention for America.

At 30, he was the only man from New York to sign the Constitution, and wrote the Federalist Papers.

So tell me, why exactly can't Elon Musk recruit genius 20-somethings to help fix America's broken government?

 

[scotchtiger]

Didn’t read your previous post but surely you see that the current corporate tax rate isnt how we should be moving forward.

You should be more upset with that than the person who might pay little in taxes but also can’t afford to buy a home.

I addressed the corporate tax rate issue in my post you didn’t read. Though I’m not so sure the actual rate is the problem, but rather the lack of guardrails when the rate reduction was implemented (ie a lot went to stock buybacks).

In general, we should anchor around this. Government should be limited in scope. People should be self-sufficient. People should keep the vast majority of what they earn. These are basic concepts that 100% of Americans should agree on.

 

[TheValley91]

I addressed the corporate tax rate issue in my post you didn’t read. Though I’m not so sure the actual rate is the problem, but rather the lack of guardrails when the rate reduction was implemented (ie a lot went to stock buybacks).

In general, we should anchor around this. Government should be limited in scope. People should be self-sufficient. People should keep the vast majority of what they earn. These are basic concepts that 100% of Americans should agree on.

That’s a pretty broad generalization that lacks a lot of nuance. You are successful and that is great. You don’t need assistance from government in your life. Nor do I. It’s a blessed place to be.

We should all strive to be self sufficient for sure. But unfortunately life sometimes doesnt care about that and government is necessary to help balance society.

We just see it differently.

 

[scotchtiger]

That’s a pretty broad generalization that lacks a lot of nuance. You are successful and that is great. You don’t need assistance from government in your life. Nor do I. It’s a blessed place to be.

We should all strive to be self sufficient for sure. But unfortunately life sometimes doesnt care about that and government is necessary to help balance society.

We just see it differently.

I’ve been clear that I support assistance for children, mentally and physically handicapped, single moms, etc. But able-bodied, working age adults shouldn’t need anything from the government other than broader things like infrastructure, some regulation, national defense, etc.

 

[fatpiggy]

They will get nowhere close to "savings" of $1 trillion. Even $1 trillion would not balance the budget nor eat into the debt. Therefore, no reduction in interest rates.

So your take is we should do nothing?

I don't think that will win an election or fix our problems.

 

[dpic73]

So your take is we should do nothing?

I don't think that will win an election or fix our problems.

Compared to what he's doing, doing nothing would have been a more sound financial decision.

 

[dpic73]

Scott Curtis served in the military and had a leadership role in a critical agency. He says he still was kicked “to the curb” by Trump and Musk.​

"A TOP-RANKING REGIONAL FEMA OFFICIAL who took Elon Musk’s resignation deal was fired thirteen days later by the Trump administration, raising questions about the integrity of the program that the White House put together to off-ramp tens of thousands of federal employees.

Scott Curtis, a retired Navy captain, had served as the chief of staff at FEMA Region 7, which encompasses Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, and Nebraska. Like most other federal workers, he received the infamous “Fork in the Road” email that Musk’s DOGE operation sent out through the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on January 28, offering him the chance to resign from his post while retaining “all pay and benefits regardless of your daily workload” and an exemption from “in-person work requirements” through the end of September. Recipients were given until February 6 to accept the offer.

Despite some skepticism, Curtis concluded that as a 55-year-old, retired military officer with a pension—and experience as an engineer with a specialization in aircraft carrier nuclear power systems—he had future prospects. So on the morning of February 4, two days before the deadline, he replied to the Fork in the Road email in the manner it prescribed, with a single word: “Resign.” The next day he received a terse reply from the hr@opm.gov account acknowledging receipt: “We received your email response. We will reply shortly.” (Curtis provided copies of both emails to The Bulwark.)

But OPM did not reply shortly. In fact, it didn’t reply to Curtis at all, including after the deferred resignation program was temporarily paused by a federal judge and when it was subsequently allowed to resume.

Instead, this past Monday, the acting deputy regional administrator called Curtis to inform him that his job was being terminated. Despite having served 32 years in the Navy, Curtis had only recently joined FEMA—starting in July 2024—meaning he was still in a ”probationary” employment phase, during which he was easier to fire. He went to his office to collect his personal effects but was turned away. As of this writing, his belongings still have not reached him."

He Took Musk’s Resignation Offer. He Was Fired Anyway.

Scott Curtis served in the military and had a leadership role in a critical agency. He says he still was kicked “to the curb” by Trump and Musk.

www.thebulwark.com

 

[CUTiger1977]

 

[dpic73]

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Yay! Let's celebrate good public servants indiscriminately losing their jobs! ‼️🎉🥳

 

[CUTiger1977]

 

[dpic73]

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Are you proud of this? They're literally firing every expert and that excites you? Take a long look in the mirror to see what you've become because this is a sick, twisted thing to celebrate.

 

[CUTiger1977]

 

[fatpiggy]

Compared to what he's doing, doing nothing would have been a more sound financial decision.

We don't take financial advice from democrats. They had the worst inflation in 50 years and then wanted to pass the massively inflationary BBB.

 

[TheValley91]

We don't take financial advice from democrats. They had the worst inflation in 50 years and then wanted to pass the massively inflationary BBB.

Ooooweee you think inflation was just a US thing huh.

Better brush up on your economics for your White Wall Street event.

 

[dpic73]

We don't take financial advice from democrats. They had the worst inflation in 50 years and then wanted to pass the massively inflationary BBB.

LOLOLOLOLOLOL

 

[TigerRagRob]

Yay! Let's celebrate good public servants indiscriminately losing their jobs! ‼️🎉🥳

If they were good they wouldnt lose their jobs if those jobs was needed to begin with...

 

[TigerRagRob]

We don't take financial advice from democrats. They had the worst inflation in 50 years and then wanted to pass the massively inflationary BBB.

Leftist bankrupt every country they takeover and the people are forced to eat their pets and cockroaches...

 

[dpic73]

If they were good they wouldnt lose their jobs if those jobs was needed to begin with...

LMAO, you obviously haven't been paying attention to their methods

 

[dpic73]

 

[PawsFan_]

Listen to the rage. Trump wants to destroy California.

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Hmmmmm

A project that was to cost 33 Billion and be completed by 2020 is now projected to cost $330 Billion. Yeah, that's not worth inspection is it.

Especially considering the fact AMERICAN DON'T RIDE TRAINS!

What a waste.

 

[PawsFan_]

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Because 9-11 caused unique new cancers to come about that impact all Americans?

More than quarter of this country was born post 9-11 and less than 1% of our population was in NYC during 9-11. So why are we worried about a $275k contract for a for an issue that's likely not an issue?

Mach nichts

 

[ANEW]

When you cut things with a chainsaw as fastyou can its not going to be without mistakes. It is unfortunate that it has to be done.

 

[dpic73]

Hmmmmm

A project that was to cost 33 Billion and be completed by 2020 is now projected to cost $330 Billion. Yeah, that's not worth inspection is it.

Especially considering the fact AMERICAN DON'T RIDE TRAINS!

What a waste.

Hmmmmm

I wasn't even referring to the cost, only the rage from constituents who mostly favor the completion of the project. You've also got some wild numbers there that I haven't seen anywhere else but keep in mind that the expenditures end up creating almost double that amount in economic activity so it's not for nothing. Additionally, they're already actively building 171 miles of it and 50 structures so it would be a waste to not get it completed. If it needs to be managed better, then get better managers but it needs to be completed because I assure you, they won't lack for passengers when it's done.