Readers respond to Question of the Week:

Are DOGE, Musk on right track?

Musk and his minions

Musk and his minions accessing multiple agencies with no internal guidance is a formula for disaster. As a longtime manager of small businesses, I take issue with their apparent methods. Typically you would call in (pre-Trump) department heads to review how operations are conducted and where monies are allocated. There should be examinations of the work loads and past history of tasks and expenditures. Shutting down complete departments will cripple the operations that they are expected to complete. Logic would dictate a slow and introspective approach rather than a slash and burn disruption. Would you shave your head just because you don’t like your haircut?

— Monty Shook, Calabasas

Musk’s the bad guy now

It’s going to be interesting to see if the Democrats can convince their constituents that the DOGE is a bad idea. Right now the elected Democrats and the narrating and enabling media are shooting the messenger. Elon Musk, who eliminated 80% of the workforce at Twitter/X and is one of the most successful business owners in the world is now a bad guy. Who in their right mind doesn’t want to eliminate the waste and fraud taking place with American tax dollars? The people who are spending this money, that’s who. Write or call your congressman and senators and tell them to get busy passing laws that will support this action!

— Keith Davis, Hawthorne

Dems a-wailing

The purpose of DOGE was to open the books of the various bloated agencies of our government, find the fraud and abuse and make things right. Americans voted for Trump overwhelmingly because he ran on that. He’s simply doing what he promised. Cue the wailing. Isn’t it great for the American people to see Democrats, apparently the party in favor of maintaining the bloat and fraud, holding daily wailing rallies? What, they have no real work to do? Duly noted. Elon wasn’t elected? Correct. Neither were these bureaucrats in these agencies. Touche. Expect the wailing also from our overseas allies and enemies. That blank check to Ukraine is now being viewed as an IOU to America by Trump. Stop the wailing and get back to work. We’ve got a country to save.

— Roger Olsen, Burbank