There’s No Way To Justify Continued Funding For The Federal Government

Eddie Scarry reporting for The Federalist 

While we gleefully await the federal government’s bankruptcy at the end of the month, here’s my favorite Elon Musk quote: “What did you get done this week?”

Every Republican in Congress should have to answer that question to the American taxpayer (you and me) before even thinking about giving another cent to Ukraine, the Pentagon, the DOJ, Health and Human Services, and every other department that is, at best, useless, and at worst, packed with paper pushers overtly harassing the people who pay their outsized salaries (you and me).

The Musk quote came in a strikingly similar context. In a text chat, some overpaid Twitter executive lectured him about the “internal distraction” that Musk’s public comments about the company had made after he purchased a large portion of its shares. “Next time we speak, I’d like to provide you perspective on the level of internal distraction right now and how it [sic] hurting our ability to do work,” the executive said.

“What did you get done this week?” Musk replied.

What makes it so good is that there is no answer to the question. Just some Twitter nerd versed only in talking about “optimization” (meaningless) and “company culture” (zero productivity value) blankly staring in a freeze.

To be sure, plenty of Republicans in Congress would have a lot to say should they be asked to justify their existence or a vote to spend more money.

Funding Ukraine is about defending democracy!

Funding the Pentagon is about supporting the military!

Infrastructure!

Border security!

Name exactly one thing there that has worked to Americans’ advantage in the last three years.

Here’s a release from the Biden White House a year ago: “Biden-⁠Harris Administration Announces New Actions and Funding to Address the Overdose Epidemic and Support Recovery.” That valiant effort purportedly included $1.5 billion “for all States and Territories to Address Addiction and the Opioid Crisis.”

Now here’s NPR eight months later: “Drug deaths nationwide hit a new record in 2022. 109,680 people died as the fentanyl crisis continued to deepen, according to preliminary data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”

What’s the return on investment there? A dead American for every $14,000 in tax dollars spent?

White House: Let’s double that budget!

Biden is requesting just another $24 billion in aid to Ukraine, which, of course, Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell is crying happy tears to have approved as soon as yesterday.

We’re marching into the second year of footing the bill for this war, having committed many billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine. In that time, according to even The New York Times (Ukraine’s tried and true relayer of state propaganda), Russia has managed to occupy tens of thousands of square miles of Ukraine territory, while simultaneously ingratiating itself to critical U.S. adversaries China and North Korea.

Such maneuvers were previously known as “the beginnings of a world war.”

Members of Biden’s own party are dogging his open-border policies. Health and Human Services melted its own credibility on “science,” then recently flirted with recommending public masking again. The Justice Department is found out over and over again to be hostile toward the rule of law and the will of the people.

Which of the seven heads on this monstrosity is even bothering to smile at me? Why would I care if the federal government is funded when it does nothing for me? What’s worse, it functions in ways that make clear it deeply resents me.

Tell me, Republicans. What did you get done this week?