EDITOR:

There is a principle in physics that says “nature abhors a vacuum” meaning something will eventually fill the empty space. A vacated niched in nature will be filled by a new biome (move the wolves and coyotes out and the rabbits and deer move in). Clean your dining room table (or any flat surface) and it will quickly become cluttered.

In the private business sector, the concept of “doing more with less” has led to leaner corporations with employees being significantly more efficient and effective creating greater profits for the organization and their share holders.

In publicly traded organizations, and in the government, the stock holders (taxpayers) own the company. To maximize their return on investment (buying stocks or paying taxes) they expect efficiency and effectiveness to permeate their operation. This provides the best possibility for success.

Upper management commonly hires outside consultants for an objective assessment of the workings of the organization. They report, and based on their findings management may implement change. In business this may be expressed as maximizing work flow by eliminating bureaucratic roadblocks, refining product offerings, stiffening quality control and eliminating redundancy in processes by reducing staff. This approach has been used to great effect since the “managerial revolution” of the 1980s, and has not been abandoned. This is why business – despite government interference – has prospered and expanded. The growth of the stock market over the past 40years is a prime indicator. Over that same period of time the Department of Education has failed so badly a recent indicator shows 70% of 8th graders test below grade level in reading and the same amount in math while having the highest cost/student in the developed world.

Some taxpayer funded departments (USAID) have already been purged and savings being calculated. The poorly allocated funds can now be reassigned to accomplish some of the directly (needy persons) supportive goals. Removing the funds created a vacuum, and we can allocate the savings to truly humanitarian programs better suited to fill that vacuum. With some of these existing, ridiculous programs the purging is simple and should not affect the truly needy. Some, like the VA should be approached with the greatest caution to ensure monies are being redirected to maximum effectiveness. My experience with doctors and dentists at the VA showed true frustration with time-wasted bureaucracy as regards upgraded devises and the turnover of employees. This truly requires “business-like” improvements and regular progress evaluations so lacking in the past. These business-like processes can be applied to varying degrees to all departments and programs under scrutiny, with effective/efficient replacements installed.

Elon Musk is a consultant. He investigates, evaluates and proposes opportunities to increase efficiency and effectiveness by removing waste, fraud and abuse of customer-owned (and taxpayer) assets to replace redundant or non-performing staff. He reports to the president who dictates the final course of action.

He has fired no one, that’s not his mission. Elected? No, and neither were Dr. Fauci or John Kerry.

Michael A Glass

Nahma