安東尼·斯卡拉穆奇對馬斯克-拉馬斯瓦米的 DOGE 成功表示懷疑——“我知道華盛頓是如何運作的。”
前白宮通訊主管安東尼·斯卡拉穆奇(Anthony Scaramucci)在接受記者伊麗莎白·瓦爾加斯(Elizabeth Vargas)採訪時，就埃隆·馬斯克(Elon Musk)和維韋克·拉馬斯瓦米(Vivek Ramaswamy)提出的每年減少政府支出2萬億美元的提議分享了他的見解。他懷疑馬斯克和拉馬斯瓦米能否利用他們提出的政策成功減少預算。
前白宮通訊主管安東尼·斯卡拉穆奇dent接受新聞記者伊麗莎白·巴爾加斯採訪時稱馬斯克和拉馬斯瓦米是“非常聰明、有能力的企業家”。然而，他表示，儘管他不想做空他們，但由於華盛頓保護分配預算的立法，他們的預算削減政策可能會失敗。
。 @Scaramucci對馬斯克-拉馬斯瓦米的 DOGE 成功表示懷疑：“我知道華盛頓是如何運作的，我也知道它在削減事物的過程中有多慢。” pic.twitter.com/wEMAvU9Brn
—雅虎財經 (@YahooFinance) 2024 年 12 月 12 日
In his interview, Scaramucci acknowledged the importance of cutting government waste but emphasized the complexities involved. He pointed out that while the U.S. population has grown significantly since the 1980s, the number of federal employees has remained largely unchanged since the Reagan era.
He highlighted previous attempts to address government inefficiencies, such as the Reagan-era Grace Commission and the Simpson-Bowles plan during the Obama administration. Despite their ambitious recommendations, these reports were largely dismissed by lawmakers, illustrating the difficulties of implementing fiscal reform.
Scaramucci: Government is not like a for-profit business
Scaramucci warned against treating the government like a for-profit business, arguing that its primary purpose is to serve the public. “The government is there to protect people, smooth out economic cycles, and provide a safety net,” he said.
Moreover, he noted that no company has remained in the Dow Jones Industrial Average for a century, while the U.S. government has persisted for over 250 years due to its unique role and nonprofit orientation.
The former White House communications director also criticized proposals to slash essential programs, such as veterans’ medical care, calling such cuts “politically unpalatable and cruel.” Scaramucci stressed the importance of safeguarding programs that provide fairness and equal opportunities for Americans.
Drawing on historical examples, the American financier advocated for a return to “pay-as-you-go” legislation, initially introduced under President George H.W. Bush. This approach required Congress to balance new spending with corresponding budget cuts or tax increases. He credited this policy with helping achieve a budget surplus during the Clinton administration.
By reinstating similar fiscal guardrails, Scaramucci suggested it could take a decade to bring the deficit to sustainable levels without dismantling critical government structures.
Scaramucci proposed gradual measures to curb spending. He suggested limiting the organic growth of departmental budgets, typically 3-5% annually, to achieve “zero growth” in certain areas. Over time, he argued, as GDP and tax revenues increase, this strategy would help reduce deficits.
The feasibility of Musk’s plan
While Musk’s call for $2 trillion in cuts resonates with fiscal conservatives, Scaramucci highlighted its practical challenges. Major budget areas like Social Security, Medicare, and military spending remain politically untouchable, with both Musk and former President Donald Trump avoiding cuts in these areas.
Public opinion also favors maintaining or increasing military funding, further complicating the equation.
Billionaire entrepreneur Musk and Republican Vivek Ramaswamy are set to helm the Department of Government Efficiency (D.O.G.E.) under the upcoming Trump administration.
The initiative aims to tackle the persistent issue of federal overspending by auditing the executive branch and offering solutions to curb wasteful expenditures. Observers have noted parallels between their proposed efforts and Argentina’s recent fiscal reforms, which have brought the nation’s budget deficit to effectively zero for the first time in over a century.
Argentina's Milei eliminates deficit, hailed as model for Musk's 'DOGE' https://t.co/M279vP1AIZ
— FOX Business (@FoxBusiness) December 12, 2024
Argentina, under President Javier Milei, achieved a historic budgetary turnaround in 2024. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) reported that the country’s deficit, once a defining feature of its economy, has been eliminated.
Adapting Argentina’s approach to the U.S.
Musk and Ramaswamy are reportedly drawing inspiration from Argentina’s policies as they develop their strategy for the United States. The D.O.G.E. program, while not an official government agency, will function as an advisory body providing detailed recommendations to President-elect Donald Trump. These recommendations are expected to focus on reducing waste and improving efficiency in federal operations.
The program’s scope includes a comprehensive audit of the U.S. executive branch, identifying redundant programs and bureaucratic inefficiencies. Despite its ambitious goals, D.O.G.E. does not possess direct enforcement powers. The Trump administration will ultimately decide which of the organization’s proposals to implement.
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