Former Huron County Democratic Chair Responds to Pro-DOGE Editorial

Efficiency in government can actually be achieved if our elected officials choose to do their jobs.  Gerrymandering needs to be abolished for us to get truly representative legislators but that’s a story for another time.  I wish to challenge Star Parker’s observation that renewing the 2017 tax cuts will benefit our economy and that the current DOGE actions are warranted.

CEO pay has soared 1,085% since 1978 compared with a 24% rise in typical workers’ pay (https://www.epi.org/?s=ceo+pay).  Legislators need to consider this fact when considering the budget and the impact the stated intent to cut social services to fund this tax cut will mean to their constituents – you and me.  According to the Census Bureau 19% of Huron County residents are over age 65 and eligible for Medicare and Social Security.  Private company employees contribute Social Security and Medicare through payroll deductions.  These are earned benefits and are not entitlements.  Cutting these benefits will cheat us out of our hard-earned money.

Mr. Parker references our Constitution in his remarks.  Apparently he skipped over the part that says to “promote the general welfare”.  It is the purpose of government to protect our nation, defend our democracy, and to endlessly promote the welfare of each and every one of us (www.dems101.org/the-creed).

I argue that efficiencies can be found with careful review of existing practices, but the current and planned destruction of our institutional knowledge of how government functions is not only dangerous, it is bad business practice. The Apple example cited in Mr. Parker’s article demonstrates clearly the effects of this type of action.  People with no experience or knowledge of the business brought it to the brink of bankruptcy.  DOGE operatives with no experience or knowledge of how government functions are doing to our government what the management company did to Apple.  The question is whether our legislators will have the courage to protect and preserve our democratic Republic.  Call them and ask if they will undertake this challenge to serve country over party.

BTW, Parker’s Center for Urban Renewal and Education has a 0/4 star rating from Charity Navigator. Karen Prelipp, Norwalk