For decades, Republicans and Democrats have talked the talk about cutting waste, fraud, and abuse from our government. President Trump is the first to really do something about it. And, just like that, cutting waste went from something even Democrats claimed to want to being a constitutional crisis. It doesn’t have to be this way.
Remember when Barack Obama and Joe Biden promised to slash government waste back in 2011? A recently resurfaced video shows Obama channeling his inner DOGE, promising to eliminate "pointless waste and stupid spending," and enlisting then-Vice President Biden with the task because, as Obama said, “Nobody messes with Joe.”
“Everyone knows that getting rid of the deficit will require some tough decisions, and that includes cutting back on billions of dollars in programs that a lot of people care about,” Obama says in the video. “But what should be easy is getting rid of the pointless waste and stupid spending that doesn’t benefit anybody.”
“We need to step up our game,” Obama continued. “We need to go after every dime. We need to make government work for you.”
Elon Musk couldn't help but notice the striking similarity to the Department of Government Efficiency’s current mission. When Elon Musk shared that 2011 video of Barack Obama discussing government waste, he hit the nail on the head: "Obama sounds exactly like DOGE!!"
Obama sounds exactly like @DOGE!! https://t.co/k92s04pJdY
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 14, 2025
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The key difference is that while Democrats cheered Obama's promises, they're outraged over Trump's actual results. It’s like suddenly Democrats have developed amnesia about their previous enthusiasm for trimming government fat. It's amazing how quickly principles evaporate when Trump's name is attached to the same goals.
The waste Obama targeted wasn't exactly subtle. His administration highlighted ridiculous expenditures like maintaining an online fan page for a forest rangers' folk music group. Yes, you read that correctly—your tax dollars at work, folks! Both Obama's initiative and Trump's DOGE identified unused government buildings and excessive leases as prime targets for cost-cutting. The difference? Trump's team is actually canceling leases, while Obama's produced more promises than results.
This pattern of promising government efficiency isn't new. Bill Clinton and Al Gore launched their "Reinventing Government" initiative through the National Partnership for Reinventing Government. The core objectives have remained remarkably consistent across administrations: reduce inefficiency, improve fiscal responsibility, and modernize federal agencies.
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The historical continuity is clear—Clinton, Obama, and Trump all recognized the need to tackle government bloat. The key difference? Trump's administration is moving beyond rhetoric to actual implementation and results, and that's what's really driving the left crazy. They loved the idea of cutting waste when it was just a talking point, but actual fiscal responsibility? That's apparently a bridge too far. Why? Because the Democrats and their allies all depend on that government waste.
But, the jig is up, and it's time for Democrats to rediscover their former enthusiasm for government efficiency. If they truly believed in their previous positions, they'd be first in line to support DOGE's efforts. In a perfect world, they would be partners in the quest to cut waste.
