Debating Elon Musks DOGE cuts: Letters to the Editor Feb. 27, 2025

The Issue: Confusion and turbulence amid Elon Musk-led budget cuts to federal government.The key lesson to be learned from DOGE so far is this: When you put the wrong people in charge of taxpayers’ money, you get endless fraud and waste (“Serious about cuts,” Editorial, Feb.25).Our leaders in Congress and civil servants in the federal government, despite stating their desire to “serve,” really do the opposite.

They all seem to acquire wealth beyond what would be expected from their salaries, while taxpayers fall further behind.Now that their combination of incompetence and corruption is being exposed, they’re squealing like stuck pigs.They have been out of touch for so long that they can’t even see how foolish and corrupt they look trying to save the wasteful and fraudulent system.Barry McIntyreCalgary, CanadaWhat is going on between President Trump and Elon Musk?Trump says he’s bringing jobs back to the United States, while Musk seems determined to replace those jobs with artificial intelligence.

Musk is in the process of firing federal employees and contractors by the tens of thousands, while Trump’s Cabinet members are calling those employees and contractors back.Musk warns that there will be economic pain for Americans.Trump says not so much.

It’s a helluva way to run a country.Mike BarrettAshburn, Va.Some government workers are refusing orders from Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency to describe their job functions.Why? Probably because 80% of them don’t have job descriptions and don’t do anything in their positions.Why would someone refuse to disclose what they do at work? This isn’t private industry — taxpayers pay their salaries.

We should demand to know what they do.Peter SulzickiStratford, Conn.The DOGE entity is a fraud, a sham and most certainly illegal, as it has not been established as a department of government by Congress.I’m pretty sure our Constitution does not allow such an ad hoc entity, established by e...