Ron Paul criticises Musk-led government efficiency commission proposal

Ron Paul, former U.S. representative and presidential candidate, has expressed skepticism about the proposed Musk-led Government Efficiency Commission, D.O.G.E., recently put forward by Donald Trump.

In his program, "The Ron Paul Liberty Report," Paul described the idea of "government efficiency" as an oxymoron, regardless of who proposes it or at what level of authority it originates.

Paul, known for his consistent criticism of government spending and debt policies, argues that governments cannot operate efficiently like individuals or businesses.

He contends that government decisions are driven by political motivations rather than profit and loss, which fundamentally hinders their ability to be efficient.

"Governments are not individuals, and can’t rationally economise, because their decisions are politically based and cannot ever be 'efficient,'" Paul stated.

Paul also emphasised that governments possess unique powers that individuals and businesses do not, such as the ability to collect taxes, which he equated to taking money by force.

He remarked, "No individual or business has that ability. Unless, of course, they get the government to steal money on their behalf. But normal people and companies cannot just steal money and call it 'revenues.' So government can never be 'efficient.'"

While he dismissed the possibility of true government efficiency, Paul did suggest that the government could be made smaller and less intrusive for its citizens.

He pointed out that the current U.S. federal government is the largest in history, with 2.95 million employees as of the end of 2023, representing nearly 2% of all workers in the country.

He argued that reducing its size "shouldn't be very hard to do."