Jonathan Kraut | Reflecting on the Big, Blunderful Bill

Jonathan Kraut
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On the day of his second inauguration, President Donald Trump signed an executive order creating the Department of Government Efficiency, “DOGE.” 

Instead of carefully determining where fraud existed or evaluating how to cut waste, this agency, not authorized by Congress as a “department,” started hacking away without sufficient investigation or regard for consequence. 

Having worked on numerous financial fraud cases as an investigator for 30 years, I know one must evaluate the effectiveness of any expenditures, track the legitimacy of every dollar spent, and then carefully identify excesses and prosecute those who misuse funds for personal gain, while ensuring the core services envisioned remain intact. 

DOGE showed little effort to identify fraud, evaluate effectiveness, or ensure core services were maintained. There was just wholesale demolition to reduce expense with little consequence or consideration.   

Government employees were fired without cause for misconduct. CBS reports that talent needed to help protect our interests at the CIA, National Security Agency and cybersecurity departments was eliminated.  

Elon Musk, appointed to lead DOGE, encouraged his retinue of 20-somethings to chop congressionally mandated activities. 

FAA staffers, about 200 FEMA employees, intelligence gathering professionals, about 600 National Weather Service forecasters, and contracts with U.S. farmers to send surplus crops to the starving overseas, were all axed in a matter of days. 

According to the official DOGE website, these cuts over time would save $180 billion; that debt to each taxpayer would eventually be reduced by $1,180.  

Independent analysts, as reported by CBS News, calculated that DOGE, over 10 years, will in reality have reduced government expenditures by about $135 billion — a debt reduction of about $88.50 per taxpayer per year for those 10 years. 

All this chaos for $88.50 a year? 

But now that the Big Blunderful Bill passed through Congress, DOGE’s cuts no longer seem to matter.  

The aimless dismantling of federal agencies was political cover for providing tax cuts to the rich. To help balance overspending, the bill also diminishes some benefits for the poor. 

Notice now that the rich have gotten their tax breaks, new DOGE cuts seem to have disappeared.  

The state of California’s analysis of the bill states, “Starting in 2029, those making $30,000 a year or less would see a tax increase, while the top 0.1% would get a $309,000 tax cut, on average.” 

Trump’s plan, even before DOGE, was an idiotic concept. 

When Trump was asked how he would reduce the national debt, he responded, “The biggest thing is growth. Well, I think we can grow our way out of it. For example, we have more liquid gold under our feet … I use the term. We have more oil. We have more oil, more wealth than anyone else. When I started, we were No. 3; now we are No. 1.” 

Explain how pumping oil by oil producers diminishes national spending or increases tax revenues. 

More gas production means lower gasoline prices for consumers, but this doesn’t reduce federal spending. The Big Blunderful Bill minimizes taxes for large corporations, including for oil companies, which diminishes federal funding.  

Trump’s plan seems simply to create deficit reduction through the exploitation of limited natural resources? 

The Hill reports, “The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated the bill would add $3.4 trillion to the country’s debt burden over the next decade. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimated $4.1 trillion, and the conservative Cato Institute projected $6 trillion.” 

Either way, this bill adds significantly to the national debt. Even if DOGE cuts $180 billion, this is a pittance when compared to the burden this bill places on the shoulders of everyday Americans. 

DOGE cuts, despite the chaos and gutting of vital services, fall 99.947% short of paying for the Big Blunderful Bill. 

A disenchanted Elon Musk on CBS Sunday Morning aired on June 1 stated, “I was like, disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, not decrease it, and undermines what the DOGE team is doing.” 

Forecasts are that Trump’s Big Blunderful Bill just passed by Congress may remove over 10 million recipients from health care benefits and cuts over $1 trillion in Medicare funding. 

It balloons the national debt, carves out huge tax breaks to the wealthiest and the largest corporations, increases taxes on the middle class, and guts federal agencies assigned to keep us safer. 

My view is that Trump and Republican legislators are simply paying back the billionaires who supported their election campaigns via our national debt. 

Jonathan Kraut directs a private investigations agency, is the CEO of a private security firm, is the CFO of an accredited acting conservatory, former college professor and dean, is a published author, and a Democratic Party activist. His column reflects his own views and not necessarily those of The Signal or of other organizations. 

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