Derek Thompson

Unless we course correct again and immediately replenish our global health grants, there's no getting around the fact that a lot of poor people around the world are just going to suffer and die in order to save the typical American taxpayer about $5 a year. The U.S. pays for insecticide sprays in Uganda, for pregnancy services in Zambia, for health clinics in the poorest parts of the world.

Unless we course correct again and immediately replenish our global health grants, there's no getting around the fact that a lot of poor people around the world are just going to suffer and die in order to save the typical American taxpayer about $5 a year. The U.S. pays for insecticide sprays in Uganda, for pregnancy services in Zambia, for health clinics in the poorest parts of the world.

Unless we course correct again and immediately replenish our global health grants, there's no getting around the fact that a lot of poor people around the world are just going to suffer and die in order to save the typical American taxpayer about $5 a year. The U.S. pays for insecticide sprays in Uganda, for pregnancy services in Zambia, for health clinics in the poorest parts of the world.

Most notably, the president's emergency plan for AIDS relief, a.k.a. PEPFAR, has already saved an estimated 25 million lives and prevented more than 5 million babies from being born with HIV. It's not yet clear if PEPFAR will be spared, like the VA doctors, for example, or left to wither away like so much the Department of Education.

Most notably, the president's emergency plan for AIDS relief, a.k.a. PEPFAR, has already saved an estimated 25 million lives and prevented more than 5 million babies from being born with HIV. It's not yet clear if PEPFAR will be spared, like the VA doctors, for example, or left to wither away like so much the Department of Education.

Most notably, the president's emergency plan for AIDS relief, a.k.a. PEPFAR, has already saved an estimated 25 million lives and prevented more than 5 million babies from being born with HIV. It's not yet clear if PEPFAR will be spared, like the VA doctors, for example, or left to wither away like so much the Department of Education.

This blitzkrieg has astonished even the most famous critics of USAID programs. William Easterly, an economist, has written that American aid does often prop up dictators and go to waste. But in an interview with New Yorker, he called Trump's USAID demolition plan, quote, horrific.

This blitzkrieg has astonished even the most famous critics of USAID programs. William Easterly, an economist, has written that American aid does often prop up dictators and go to waste. But in an interview with New Yorker, he called Trump's USAID demolition plan, quote, horrific.

This blitzkrieg has astonished even the most famous critics of USAID programs. William Easterly, an economist, has written that American aid does often prop up dictators and go to waste. But in an interview with New Yorker, he called Trump's USAID demolition plan, quote, horrific.

Elon Musk has hinted that Doge will simply reverse any measures that go too far amid rising criticism. This sounds good in theory, right? Move fast, cut the stuff that looks bad, add back the stuff if you miss it. But in practice, you cannot just cut 10,000 programs at once and reinstall them on a one-by-one basis depending on whether the volume of criticism passes some imaginary threshold.

Elon Musk has hinted that Doge will simply reverse any measures that go too far amid rising criticism. This sounds good in theory, right? Move fast, cut the stuff that looks bad, add back the stuff if you miss it. But in practice, you cannot just cut 10,000 programs at once and reinstall them on a one-by-one basis depending on whether the volume of criticism passes some imaginary threshold.

Elon Musk has hinted that Doge will simply reverse any measures that go too far amid rising criticism. This sounds good in theory, right? Move fast, cut the stuff that looks bad, add back the stuff if you miss it. But in practice, you cannot just cut 10,000 programs at once and reinstall them on a one-by-one basis depending on whether the volume of criticism passes some imaginary threshold.

Whatever you think of the failures of Biden and the failures of progressive governance, which are legion, fuck around and find out is not a suitable replacement. But fuck around and find out does appear to be our current methodology of government.

Whatever you think of the failures of Biden and the failures of progressive governance, which are legion, fuck around and find out is not a suitable replacement. But fuck around and find out does appear to be our current methodology of government.

Whatever you think of the failures of Biden and the failures of progressive governance, which are legion, fuck around and find out is not a suitable replacement. But fuck around and find out does appear to be our current methodology of government.

Once again, an actual department of government efficiency, one that operated within the bounds of the law, one that sought to carefully understand what government does before seeking to identify waste and fraud, would be a wonderful thing to have. So what would it look like? Where would we start?

Once again, an actual department of government efficiency, one that operated within the bounds of the law, one that sought to carefully understand what government does before seeking to identify waste and fraud, would be a wonderful thing to have. So what would it look like? Where would we start?

Once again, an actual department of government efficiency, one that operated within the bounds of the law, one that sought to carefully understand what government does before seeking to identify waste and fraud, would be a wonderful thing to have. So what would it look like? Where would we start?

In the biggest picture, the federal government has three dominant jobs, healthcare, social security, and defense. Those three areas account for between 60 and 75% of total federal spending every year. And according to the US Government Accountability Office, it's healthcare spending in particular that is growing the fastest and where the size of waste and fraud is likely the greatest.

In the biggest picture, the federal government has three dominant jobs, healthcare, social security, and defense. Those three areas account for between 60 and 75% of total federal spending every year. And according to the US Government Accountability Office, it's healthcare spending in particular that is growing the fastest and where the size of waste and fraud is likely the greatest.