I wish you were a part of DOGE.
I saw the early impact of CBA ‘74 in the Corps of Engineers. All money had to be spent every year or the funding would be reduced the next year. Next year there may be a flood or damage to equipment and no money to fund repairs. If the money was all spent you got more money the next year even if you didn’t need it. There was a never ending cycle of feast and famine and creative means trying to be useful and not waste money to spend “excess” funds.
The AF does this. They fly a lot at the end of the FY to burn up money so their budget will not be cut. They buy new furniture or art work for the halls while putting the old stuff in storage or surplus for sale at dirt cheap prices. Meanwhile, airplanes are grounded for lack of maintenance budget because there is not enough in that category and they can’t practically get more.
The CBA ‘74 is made for waste and inefficiency. No business could run this way. Everybody that cares knows CBA is a disaster and some have tried to change it for ages but only a willing Congress, Senate and President can do it. We have not even had a budget in 26 years so how can we possibly change budget law so many like for the slush it creates?
I have written on this subject extensively and many times in these pages. Nobody seems to be interested in the subject. It is exceedingly complicated though and attention spans are mostly limited to sound bytes.
Part of DOGE? I just would not fit in for starters, I have been to DC and am too plodding and methodical, and for seconds there is too little left of my life for such frustration. I’ve had enough thankless jobs for one lifetime. I am grateful Trump can and will do the job but I would not want it even if offered.