James Talarico

I think what was so frustrating for me watching what happened with Doge at the beginning of last year is that it wasn't a serious attempt to try to find efficiencies in our government.

It wasn't a serious attempt at reform.

Those are things we actually need,

But instead they decided to go after budget dust, like USAID, a program that doesn't cost us that much, but literally saves the lives of so many children across the world and helps us cultivate our alliances, it builds soft power.

And so to go after that kind of program, rather than looking at the largest expenditures in our budget, to me suggested that it was more about politics than it was about reform and efficiency.

I mean, you talked about our military spending.

You've talked about entitlements.

Those are the two biggest parts of our budget.

Thank you.

Okay.

And I absolutely think if you're going to look at efficiency, if you're going to look at reform, then you should focus on the biggest line items, not going after kids in Africa who desperately need enough food.

Sorry, Josh.

Exactly.

Yeah, well, this is personal for me.

I was 28 years old when I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.

I was actually in my very first campaign for the state house.

I was a Democrat running in a Trump district that no one thought was winnable.

And so I decided to do something a little crazy.

I decided to walk the entire length of my district all in one day, all on foot, all in the Texas heat.

And I held three town halls along the walk.