I never thought I would write an article for Sohrab Ahmari, as we disagree on a lot and I’ve regrettably insulted him a few times, but he reached out after my recent piece on Musk and asked if I would like to write something for UnHerd.
That he doesn’t want to “acknowledge [you] as his peer,” is exactly the kind of “looking down you nose at those uneducated deplorables,” that has turned so many people angry at cultural elites, academia, and the left in general. Fuck John Ganz sideways with an IBM Selectric Typewriter.
There’s a good way to go about government downsizing and a stupid way. Unfortunately, the Trump administration’s effort headed by Elon Musk is using the second approach.
First, it’s okay to eliminate obviously unnecessary positions like those used to promote DEI. No harm, no foul, but after that is accomplished attempting to micromanage complex government programs is a fool’s game.
Each government agency should by now have scores of Trump appointees in charge of agency management down to the regional office level outside of Washington DC. The way to proceed with minimal disruption is to give each of these appointees a set budget reduction target (say 10% or 15%) and let those individuals working with the senior civil service employees they now manage determine how to meet the new targets with the least disruption to services provided to the American people. DOGE simply does not have the ability to do this job and the stupid mistakes they are making will completely and permanently tarnish their ability to reduce government spending. This NYT article highlights the kind of stupidity Musk is engaged in:
With a little googling, I now know who Catturd is while NPR got to meet the infamous Richard. I even read Cattuds Wikipedia page. That’s how useless I feel right now.
Sincerely curious; did you prep for the first question before the interview? Presumably it took you somewhat by surprise. You handled it pretty comfortably (some of this could be explained by the long windup of the interviewer reading you the quote, giving you time to prep).
Really good stuff. Your original Musk piece has deservedly become a kind of phenomenon! I disagree with some of your current views but appreciate your reasonableness about questioning about your past.
It's a tough world out there for anti-woke, slightly racist, pro-market resistance liberals.
Everyone should watch the beginning of this interview. And I mean everyone.
It's a 5 minute masterclass in how to speak sincerely and acknowledge our past mistakes.
PS: Watch starting at minute 17, the first part is boring 😴
Agreed, 100%. Fabulously done.
That he doesn’t want to “acknowledge [you] as his peer,” is exactly the kind of “looking down you nose at those uneducated deplorables,” that has turned so many people angry at cultural elites, academia, and the left in general. Fuck John Ganz sideways with an IBM Selectric Typewriter.
There’s a good way to go about government downsizing and a stupid way. Unfortunately, the Trump administration’s effort headed by Elon Musk is using the second approach.
First, it’s okay to eliminate obviously unnecessary positions like those used to promote DEI. No harm, no foul, but after that is accomplished attempting to micromanage complex government programs is a fool’s game.
Each government agency should by now have scores of Trump appointees in charge of agency management down to the regional office level outside of Washington DC. The way to proceed with minimal disruption is to give each of these appointees a set budget reduction target (say 10% or 15%) and let those individuals working with the senior civil service employees they now manage determine how to meet the new targets with the least disruption to services provided to the American people. DOGE simply does not have the ability to do this job and the stupid mistakes they are making will completely and permanently tarnish their ability to reduce government spending. This NYT article highlights the kind of stupidity Musk is engaged in:
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/21/travel/national-park-service-firings.html?unlocked_article_code=1.zU4.auCr.xN44vnAIiMzg&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
Thanks.
With a little googling, I now know who Catturd is while NPR got to meet the infamous Richard. I even read Cattuds Wikipedia page. That’s how useless I feel right now.
I only ever heard about Catturd while reading Richard, and don't see how he's gotten so much attention.
Edit needed: “I’ve become so disgusted with the man and his dominance of the public square that differences between me and Sohrab.” (“Sohrab and me”)
Sincerely curious; did you prep for the first question before the interview? Presumably it took you somewhat by surprise. You handled it pretty comfortably (some of this could be explained by the long windup of the interviewer reading you the quote, giving you time to prep).
No I didn’t know the questions.
Really good stuff. Your original Musk piece has deservedly become a kind of phenomenon! I disagree with some of your current views but appreciate your reasonableness about questioning about your past.