The Concept of Government Efficiency: An Oxymoron in the Age of Duality

The notion of government efficiency as hinted at by the idea of a government efficiency commission led by Elon Musk appears to be fundamentally flawed. This duality—an oxymoron equivalent to combining seemingly contradictory concepts such as military intelligence or low-calorie pig lard—raises several critical questions regarding the practicality and practical outcomes of such an initiative.

An Overview of Government Auditing and Oversight

Currently, the President of the United States has the authority to appoint a civilian auditor general who, by design, is not affiliated with any major political or interest group. Various branches of the federal government, including the U.S. army, navy, air force, marine corps, and NASA, have established internal auditing departments designed to combat internal corruption and inefficiency. These departments play a crucial role in ensuring that contractors do not engage in price gouging or fail to deliver on their contracts.

Experiences of an Aeronautical Engineer

During my tenure as an aeronautical engineer for the U.S. Navy from 1968 to 1984, one of my responsibilities included evaluating the technical and scientific aspects of various contractors bidding for Navy contracts. However, it is important to note that other departments within the Naval Air Development Center were responsible for analyzing cost, payment, and delivery options. Based on my experience and the vast majority of my interactions, a government-wide efficiency commission is akin to the double-speak described in George Orwell's seminal work, 1984.

Orwell's Prophetic Warnings

In 1984, Orwell portrayed a future where large democratic nations like the United States and Britain would be controlled by a secret autocratic regime. This regime would employ famous sayings such as "War is peace," "Freedom is slavery," "Ignorance is strength." Similarly, in Animal Farm, Orwell highlighted the inherent contradictions and the resultant decay of society, stating that "All men are enemies. All animals are comrades."

Efficiency in the Era of Hyperbole

In the context of modern American politics, one can glimpse a more contemporary version of Orwell's dystopia. In 2025, such statements might be rephrased to include "All liberals, immigrants, gays, and elite college-educated persons are semi-illiterate drones brainwashed by MAGA, Fox News, and friends, Twitter/X." The components of such a commission, led jointly by Elon Musk and another figure, might appear as a facade of efficiency on the surface, but the underlying reality could be quite different.

Consequences of Efficiency Commissions

The concept of efficiency, when applied to governance, particularly with figures like Musk and Ramaswamy at the helm, might be more akin to a scorched earth policy. One might anticipate significant fallout from such radical measures. The loss of crucial government services such as Social Security and Medicare, a rise in cancer rates, school funding cuts, deteriorating road infrastructure, delayed tax refunds, and the proliferation of environmentally hazardous projects could all be potential consequences of a superficially efficient but politically motivated restructuring.

As surveillance technologies and paramilitary units, like those rumored to be involved in the Gateway Pemex project, become more prominent, the public might become even more disillusioned with the notion of liberal dictatorship that such efficiency commissions may herald. It is important for citizens to critically assess such propositions and advocate for transparent, equitable, and sustainable governance.