The long overdue downsizing of the bloated federal bureaucracy is drawing an angry reaction from leftists who are decrying the work of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and President Donald J. Trump, who is delivering on his promise to shrink government.
One who has been triggered is Fox News’ Jessica Tarlov, the loopy co-host of “The Five” who took exception with remarks by contributor Ben Domenech, who praised the Elon Musk-led department and its work in saving money by helping to peel some of the leeches off the backs of American taxpayers.
On Monday’s edition of “Special Report,” sparks flew between the two during a discussion on the potential for the government to shut down, with Tarlov suggesting that Democrats should pull the pin on the grenade and fall on it to stick it to Trump and Musk.
“So, there’s no reason the Democrats should bail out the Republicans,” she proclaimed. “We’ve been hearing since the election that this is the largest mandate in American history; prove it.”
(Video Credit: Fox News)
Domenech then gleefully suggested that if the Democrats don’t cooperate, it will only allow DOGE to cut more wasteful spending, jobs, and programs.
“I can’t wait to see what DOGE will do when the government is shut down,” he responded. “If the government shuts down, I’m out of things that you can do, where the traps just open up where they can just cut even further than they already are, you’ll find out, and it’s gonna be a lot of fun.”
Domenech’s remarks struck a nerve with the liberal host.
“How many people are enough for you to get fired?” Tarlov squealed. “What’s your goal? How many tens of thousands do you want just fired?”
“Can we start with half?” Domenech answered. “Is that like a reasonable number?”
“Is that really what you think of public service?” Tarlov shot back.
“I think that you are making a monumentally stupid decision in terms of whipping in this direction,” he responded. “And I think that Chuck Schumer is quite correctly trying to prevent Hakeem Jeffries from making a huge mistake that would only benefit those of us who think that the government is full of pork to be cut and that bureaucrats absolutely should be sent packing.”
Tarlov’s team is engaging in a high-stakes game of chicken with their fanaticism to inflict an early blow on Trump and Musk, tempting them to shut down the federal government, something that they have previously opposed. But as Domenech pointed out, their power play could boomerang bigly by further empowering DOGE to gut the agencies that have grown wildly out of control and are detached from the needs of taxpayers.
Some Democrats are terrified that a shutdown will only allow Musk to take a chainsaw to the bureaucracy.
Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) says that he’s concerned about “Musk, who is shutting down parts of the government already.”
“Who knows what he’s going to want to open back up?” Kelly asked, according to The Hill.
“That is a huge risk,” he added. “Maybe they decide that entire government agencies don’t need to exist anymore.”
“We need a short-term CR. The Republicans are already shutting down government,” said Sen. Elizabeth “Pocahontas” Warren. “We need a short-term CR so that we can get our funding back on” track.
Senate Dems may be cautious but could have difficulty reining in their more emotional colleagues in the House, who are being egged on by the cheerleaders in the media.
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