DOGE is playing us

Pay attention folks — we are all being “played”. The Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE is performing a very destructive act to take our attention away from bankrupting the United States. While we’re enthralled and dismayed, entertained and disgusted, Elon Musk and DOGE are randomly taking our government away. Musk arguing that DOGE is saving us trillions or a trillion or maybe a billion or um, I’m not sure maybe a million (who knows exactly with his constantly changing numbers, maybe nothing?) we are losing dedicated and loyal Federal employees and along with their departures, years and years of experience, knowledge and understanding in performing service to our nation, meaning “us.”

Prepare for federal services to be curtailed, delayed, or eliminated. Musk’s actions are arbitrary and capricious and mostly, unnecessary. Please know this. Our federal government consists of (or consisted of) approximately 3 million employed in military and civilian positions. Our Federal Government provides us our national defense, security and safety in all forms and fashions, and postal service (per the Constitution) for all Americans, rich or poor, urban or remote. Under 3 million or 0.8% of our total 335 million Americans serve us as our federal government.

Within a small budget of $6 trillion, 90% of these funds cover “must pay” items including high interest on our debt, the military, border and nuclear security, food and medical safety, etc. leaving 10% of discretionary funds for Musk and DOGE to cut with his chainsaw basically translating to the elimination of Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare. As he’s using a chainsaw, this also cuts through all elements of our government arbitrarily. These cuts are already occurring throughout the government with no rhyme or reason, eliminating critical services: planes are crashing, people are getting sick and dying, etc. Prepare yourselves — we are all in for a very rough time ahead.

Steve Krajnik, Colonel, USAF (Ret)

Shelby Twp.

Donald Trump the traitor

It appears Donald Trump has thrown his support to Vladimir Putin, which makes him a traitor aside from that the dose behavior of removing thousands of government workers under the guise that they were saving money when in fact they are removing all the guardrails that would keep trump in line , then they propose that judges can not have any power over turning around what trump wants to do, these actions are killing people as well as unemploying thousands and where do they now get money from and what happens when they cannot shop for goods or groceries, will they be able to pay rent or mortgage? will there be a large spike in homelessness. Donald Trump is destroying America just to be king and he has claimed kingship.

I am very concerned my congressperson supports musk and trump but what will she tell the farmers in the fall when they cannot sell their grain to USAID?

Lisa McClain does not represent me she only represents Trump and is also responsible for the deaths of those who will not get food around the world as well as those who cannot afford to live because of lack of employment, I cannot assume that all those fired by Musk can find employment.

John A. Pettinato

Memphis