Posted on 02/20/2025 8:12:09 AM PST by RandFan
Sen. Rand Paul (R–Ky.) is no newcomer to pointing out silly ways that the federal government wastes taxpayer dollars—like the time the National Institutes of Health spent over $300,000 to study whether quails got more frisky after being fed cocaine, which has been a staple of his speeches for years.
So he's pretty thrilled to see the executive branch focused on cutting wasteful spending.
"We've been pointing this out for a decade, but now we finally have an administration that's interested in it—they are canceling contracts, locking doors, firing people. There really is this disrupting force, and that's good," Paul told Reason in an interview on Wednesday.
"If we want to have real savings, they're going to have to send this back to Congress, and Congress is going to have to approve of spending less money," Paul said.
During a weekly meeting of Republican senators earlier on Wednesday, Paul encouraged Vice President J.D. Vance to have the Trump administration draw up a rescission package: a special type of bill that formally withdraws spending Congress had previously authorized. That would allow Congress to make the DOGE spending cuts stick. Even better, a rescission bill can pass the Senate with a simple majority, and Paul believes there would be enough support (even though a similar maneuver failed during the first Trump administration).
"I'd love to see a $500 billion rescission package," Paul said. "The Republicans right now in the Senate are actually agitating to increase spending. I'd much rather be voting on a bill to reduce spending than increase spending."
(Excerpt) Read more at reason.com ...
Send DOGE to the Congress!!
I commented a while back that everything DOGE uncovers should be funneled right back to Congress for legislation to make changes in the budget. It’s kind of the government compromised way to do zero based budgeting...If an agency has wasted $10 billion bucks, then their budget is automatically reduced by 10 billion. Then additional cuts can be made on top of that but it would put Dems in the position of having to stand up and defend allocating tax dollars that have already proven to have been wasted...they’d get killed.
Quails on cocaine?
Bet the eggs would sell like hotcakes.
Rand Paul is smart - and Constitutional
He knows Congress must ultimately act. Trump will not be around forever. Democrats will counter-attack.
Codify DOGE efforts into permanent law.
I agree and it can be done with a majority in the Senate
This should now be a priority.
Well - except that it now takes 60 votes to get anything passed in the Senate...
Not this. It takes a simple Majority in the Senate to make DOGE a reality in law
I didn’t realize this either so now it’s important/
I totally agree with this concept.
Anyone who has ever worked in or around the government knows these agencies get a budget...if they don’t spend it the next time it gets cut to their actual. So the result is they ‘over spend’ to keep their perceived budget in any Continuing Resolution.
So if they have an extra $2 million floating...they will find a way to spend it whether they need to or not. Waste. Simple waste of tax payers dollars.
“The Republicans right now in the Senate are actually agitating to increase spending”.
AN ABSOLUTE NO. Any Senator proposing a spending increase needs to be primaried and attacked relentlessly.
I want to know what our government spending should really be. Not a single penny of increase until we the people know how our money is being spent.
Mitch isn’t running. Kentucky needs to fill his seat smartly.
Don't think that's going to work out very well - they'll find some excuse.
Does he support getting rid of baseline budgeting.. ?
Put your money where your mouth is, Sen. Paul.
Any department that misused funds should have that amount permanently cut from their budget, and the supervisors who approved those expenses fired.
bigbob says:
“everything DOGE uncovers should be funneled back for budget legislation changes.”
<><>If DOGE finds an agency wasted $10B, their budget is automatically reduced by $10B.
<><>additional cuts can be made on top of that when needed
<><>it would put Dems in a politically untenable position
<><>defending allocating tax dollars DOGE proved to have been wasted...
<><>they’d get killed.
HOW much could this all be IMPROVED FOR THE FUTURE IF THE PRESIDENT HAD “LINE ITEM VETO ?”
I support conducting forensic investigative financial audits of every single person in Congress and the Senate.
Why that amount ? 500 billion is the minimum Musk wa initially hoping for. The expectations now are closer to 2 trillion.
Democrats have all ready vowed to filibuster everything. Reconciliation is the only way around that Democrat obstructionism.
Why that amount ? 500 billion is the minimum Musk wa initially hoping for. The expectations now are closer to 2 trillion...
Senator Rand knows it will be a hard sell to the whores of congress who love to spend money. Maybe by asking for the least he can get some on board.
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