This is a really interesting appointment. Will Musk be able to reduce the blob?
If you think this is just political revenge rather than good governance think about this. Yes I know it's the UK.
Back in the 1970's the DTI was responsible for power, railways, mines, steelworks, British Airways, the Post Office, Car manufactures etc etc. In other words the DTI had control over a huge swathe of the economy.
Today nearly all of that is privatised or gone and yet the DTI is still just as big if not bigger, why?
Most governments promise to cut back waste but really tinker around the edges e.g. lets cut staff by 5% (whilst also creating new bureaucratic jobs elsewhere).
Musk will ask the basic question, do we even need this department at all?
Another example from the UK. There are over 80 Quangos for the Arts? Think about that 80? I can see the need for 1 each for Broadcasting, Music, Theatre, Museums / galleries etc. but 80?
Another example. Our tax system gets more complicated year on year. HMRC has to employ more and more people to manage this. However if the government of the day simplified our tax system by closing all the loopholes and tax breaks then tax reporting and collecting would be a lot simpler and require less staff.
It will be interesting to see if Musk will identify significant savings, and if he can fight the blob to implement them. What will America look like afterwards? Will these cuts be seen as ill judged or will the taxpayer say hooray.
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