"Reform of government agencies may be necessary and could require a painful adjustment... but that pain should be justified by a thoughtful and transparent approach."
The Department of Health and Human Services has abruptly canceled more than $12 billion in federal grants to states that were being used for tracking infectious diseases, mental health services, addiction treatment and other urgent health issues. The health grants in question were authorized and appropriated by Congress.
For example, in Lubbock, Texas, public health officials have received orders to stop work supported by grants that helped fund the response to the widening measles outbreak there, according to Katherine Wells, the city’s director of public health.
There is no defending that Trump and company are taking a chainsaw to “waste, fraud, and abuse.”
A comment has been removed for engaging in a personal attack on the writer of this editorial. That violates the comments policy. Here we do not engage in negative stereotyping based on national or state origin, or for profession. This is the last warning to the commenter.
Where was everyone (including federal employees/politicians) when major corporations like IBM, GM, Ford, Chrysler, Twitter/X, et al... When those corporations layed off (fired) thousands of employees at once - IBM being close to home in the Hudson Valley many thousands of employees were devastated. Private business? Oh well. Government employees? Hand wringing and put the brakes on. Stop it. Just as big corporations became bloated so has government. Big business trims the fat to stay solvent and profitable. Government is severely bloated and costing taxpayers billions. Stop the nonsense. This is long overdue.
This doesn't make any sense. We don't pay taxes to the corporations you mention, so we can't make the same demands of them that we do our government. But also, many people are not happy about the business practices of many of the listed companies, so you're just wrong in your assertion (maybe YOU didn't care!). For instance, these companies have often outsourced their labor, firing American workers and replacing them with cheaper labor abroad. You think people here are ok with that? Do you think the US government should be outsourcing too? An unelected megalomaniac is currently dismantling our government for his own gain, hasn't produced a single shred of evidence that he's reduced fraud or abuse, and people like you think he's doing us a service. Get real.
To apply Rob Abbot's guest editorial to our communities:
In October 2024, CD 17 Representative Mike Lawler announced -- to much fanfare -- that he "secured" $33m for his district. But he voted for a budget that cut that funding. Now, projects that depended on the $33m, like renovating the Peekskill Police Station and adding more officers, have been suspended. Just another incidence of Lawler's claims failing to correspond with reality -- to the detriment of his constituents.
Reform of government agencies IS necessary and WILL require a painful adjustment by the civil servants in those agencies. As a US Army retiree and then as a DOD contractor I can speak first hand to the inefficiency & bloat that large budgets create. "Spend it or lose it" is the long established norm. No matter the method of downsizing agencies, howls of protest will eminate from the special interests who stand to lose.
I don’t think anyone doubts that there is waste and redundancy in the federal government. But going at federal agencies with a “chainsaw “ is not the way to address this. Lawler described the work of DOGE as a “forensic audit “. Nothing could be further from the truth. The haphazard gutting of the federal work force is devastating to those who suddenly lost their jobs, and will endanger the health and safety of all Americans. And for what? So billionaires can receive more tax cuts?
Everone seems to agree that there is waste and redundancy in the federal government. Many on the left decry the current approach to fixing the problem but have had years to address it with no results. The Federal government is an out of control mess created by politicians whose main focus is the next election and the entrenched special interest are fighting tooth & nail to maintain the status quo. Who is watching out for the majority of Americans who are hardworking taxpaying folks (not government employees) trying to live life, provide for families and enjoy the American dream as we have come to know it? It seems that to some, Federal employees are a special protected class. Not so, time to clean house! The country is going BROKE!
The Department of Health and Human Services has abruptly canceled more than $12 billion in federal grants to states that were being used for tracking infectious diseases, mental health services, addiction treatment and other urgent health issues. The health grants in question were authorized and appropriated by Congress.
For example, in Lubbock, Texas, public health officials have received orders to stop work supported by grants that helped fund the response to the widening measles outbreak there, according to Katherine Wells, the city’s director of public health.
There is no defending that Trump and company are taking a chainsaw to “waste, fraud, and abuse.”
A comment has been removed for engaging in a personal attack on the writer of this editorial. That violates the comments policy. Here we do not engage in negative stereotyping based on national or state origin, or for profession. This is the last warning to the commenter.
Where was everyone (including federal employees/politicians) when major corporations like IBM, GM, Ford, Chrysler, Twitter/X, et al... When those corporations layed off (fired) thousands of employees at once - IBM being close to home in the Hudson Valley many thousands of employees were devastated. Private business? Oh well. Government employees? Hand wringing and put the brakes on. Stop it. Just as big corporations became bloated so has government. Big business trims the fat to stay solvent and profitable. Government is severely bloated and costing taxpayers billions. Stop the nonsense. This is long overdue.
Chris Jensen - Hyde Park NY
This doesn't make any sense. We don't pay taxes to the corporations you mention, so we can't make the same demands of them that we do our government. But also, many people are not happy about the business practices of many of the listed companies, so you're just wrong in your assertion (maybe YOU didn't care!). For instance, these companies have often outsourced their labor, firing American workers and replacing them with cheaper labor abroad. You think people here are ok with that? Do you think the US government should be outsourcing too? An unelected megalomaniac is currently dismantling our government for his own gain, hasn't produced a single shred of evidence that he's reduced fraud or abuse, and people like you think he's doing us a service. Get real.
To apply Rob Abbot's guest editorial to our communities:
In October 2024, CD 17 Representative Mike Lawler announced -- to much fanfare -- that he "secured" $33m for his district. But he voted for a budget that cut that funding. Now, projects that depended on the $33m, like renovating the Peekskill Police Station and adding more officers, have been suspended. Just another incidence of Lawler's claims failing to correspond with reality -- to the detriment of his constituents.
Reform of government agencies IS necessary and WILL require a painful adjustment by the civil servants in those agencies. As a US Army retiree and then as a DOD contractor I can speak first hand to the inefficiency & bloat that large budgets create. "Spend it or lose it" is the long established norm. No matter the method of downsizing agencies, howls of protest will eminate from the special interests who stand to lose.
Friend, I could stand to lose some weight. But I'm not going to do it by cutting off my leg.
I don’t think anyone doubts that there is waste and redundancy in the federal government. But going at federal agencies with a “chainsaw “ is not the way to address this. Lawler described the work of DOGE as a “forensic audit “. Nothing could be further from the truth. The haphazard gutting of the federal work force is devastating to those who suddenly lost their jobs, and will endanger the health and safety of all Americans. And for what? So billionaires can receive more tax cuts?
Everone seems to agree that there is waste and redundancy in the federal government. Many on the left decry the current approach to fixing the problem but have had years to address it with no results. The Federal government is an out of control mess created by politicians whose main focus is the next election and the entrenched special interest are fighting tooth & nail to maintain the status quo. Who is watching out for the majority of Americans who are hardworking taxpaying folks (not government employees) trying to live life, provide for families and enjoy the American dream as we have come to know it? It seems that to some, Federal employees are a special protected class. Not so, time to clean house! The country is going BROKE!
Is calling someone "An unelected megalomaniac" against the Chronicle rules?
Normally not if it is a public figure.