Republicans are successfully lobbying DOGE to remove cuts from Red Areas, Democrats are ignored

[Demovictory9]

Last edited Fri Mar 28, 2025, 07:32 AM - Edit history (1)

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/28/us/politics/congress-republicans-doge.html

Forgoing Oversight, Republicans Resort to Personal Appeals to Head Off DOGE Cuts
As President Trump and Elon Musk slash deeper into federal programs and the work force, G.O.P. lawmakers are leveraging their connections to try to insulate themselves and their voters.

Representative Tom Cole, Republican of Oklahoma, learned that his district might lose a Social Security Administration field office and the National Weather Center’s primary storm prediction hub the same way many other Americans did: through a public webpage the Department of Government Efficiency calls its “wall of receipts.”

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Within days, a DOGE staff member had reassured Mr. Cole that the three buildings had been removed from the lease cancellation list. Mr. Cole took to social media to boast of his success, proclaiming that he was “so proud” to have advocated for his constituents and protected facilities that provide them with “vital and valuable services.”

Republicans who control Congress have made little official effort to challenge or scrutinize the actions of President Trump and Elon Musk as they move forward with a swift and aggressive bid to slash government, trampling on the legislative branch’s spending authority in the process. But when it comes to cuts that affect their districts and states, some have stepped up their attempts to push back privately, even as they publicly cheer the broader drive to overhaul what they call a “bloated” bureaucracy.

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That, in turn, has exposed a partisan imbalance. Republicans — who have been invited to meet privately with Mr. Musk, have received his cellphone number and maintain close relationships within the administration — can more easily influence which government employees and programs are spared from Mr. Trump’s ax. Democrats have resorted to holding “shadow hearings,” sending strongly worded letters that largely go unanswered and blasting the administration in news releases.

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Asked about the partisan disconnect, a White House spokesman did not deny that the administration was largely ignoring Democrats’ appeals while catering to those of Republicans, suggesting that it was a consequence of Democrats’ “fundamentally unserious” approach of seeking court orders to challenge Mr. Trump’s and DOGE’s spending cuts.

[Lovie777]

1. Figured that was happening although overall the red districts................

still won't get enough money to survive because GQP are just too greedy.

Although many GQPs live in cities and in towns that are purple to blue, therefore GQP are punishing them as well.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

2. There used to be a united country south of Canada. Where did it go?

[RockCreek]

3. Good reason for the targeted blue states

to stop subsidizing the red ones through the federal government.
(Don't ask me how, I just know that I don't want my tax dollars going to an even more lopsided support of the "crazy" states).

[tinymontgomery]

5. I'm in a red state and I wish blue states could figure out how to stop sending your money here

The people in this state need to start relizing just how much they suck up from the blue states.

[JohnSJ]

4. Then why are blue states part of the union? If blue states are being treated worse than

red states, we are no longer the UNITED states.

[yardwork]

6. I figured this would happen.

[newdeal2]

7. If it's allowed to stand

There better be major payback in 2028. Shut every dollar going to red states.

[RockCreek]

11. that is way too long to wait

[Meowmee]

8. No surprise

In the county next to ours D are blocking a budget vote until an agreement is made to also fund D areas which they are not funding while they fund the R areas. The head there is R. One of the D is going to run against him.

[dalton99a]

9. Pro tip: Elon likes hookers and blow

[Ms. Toad]

10. So what needs to happen, then,

Is for individual state delegations to quietly get together and agree internally for one or more Republican members from the state to make the outreach to president Musk.

And we need h to watch the wall of receipts and organize calls to our Republican reps/senators demanding offices in our states not be closed.

[Passages]

12. The Art Of The Steal

[uponit7771]

13. They're governing like there are no elections or swing areas in America

[Emile]

14. What is Schumer's response, send strong worded letters?