Class is in session!
Victor Davis Hanson, the conservative scholar and historian, has put together a lesson for Democrats and members of the media who are outraged and confused about what Elon Musk is doing with DOGE and how it fits into our current politics and government.
Of course, if Democrats or members of the media actually listen to what Hanson has to say, they might be angry to find out that the precedent for all of this has been set multiple times over the years, but particularly by their old pal Joe Biden.
As usual, Hanson is eloquent in his delivery.
Partial transcript via the Daily Signal on Twitter/X:
“He’s more legitimate—or he has more statutory legitimacy—than earlier presidential advisors, like Harry Hopkins, who moved into the White House under the FDR administration, or Bernard Baruch, who basically ran two world wars, in terms of domestic production, under Woodrow Wilson and FDR. So, let’s just dispel the idea that he’s doing anything unusual. …
“As far as the executive orders that created the DOGE program and eliminated USAID—that was perfectly legal in itself—USAID was created by John F. Kennedy in 1961 by an executive order. There was a statutory direction for the president to disperse foreign aid into a comprehensive body, but it didn’t say USAID—he could do whatever he wanted. …
“And so, Donald Trump has decided to end an autonomous USAID and fold it into the State Department for disaster relief or poverty relief or famine relief. …
“All Donald Trump is doing is saying, ‘I don’t believe the impoundment act is legal. We’ll see what the Supreme Court says—but I’m just following the precedent that Joe Biden did.’ But now, the shoe’s on the other foot.”
Watch the whole video below:
.@VDHanson: Sorry, Liberals. DOGE Is 100% Legal. Here’s Why.
Is the Left taking the bait? While many in the legacy media continue to berate Elon Musk for his role in defunding bloated federal programs and agencies, Donald Trump remains largely unscathed. Is this part of a larger… pic.twitter.com/Mah9CV5PET
— The Daily Signal (@DailySignal) February 10, 2025
That is a perfect explanation of what’s happening and why it is completely legal. The left would be wise to listen to Hanson on this. They look quite foolish at the moment.
