California Democrat Representative Ro Khanna recently discussed government spending and efficiency with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, highlighting potential areas for bipartisan cooperation. In an interview on ABC's "This Week," Khanna expressed optimism about working with Musk to address wasteful spending, even though it's typically a Republican focus.
Khanna referenced Musk's successful collaboration with the Obama administration and then-Defense Secretary Ash Carter, which allowed SpaceX to compete with established aerospace companies like Boeing and Lockheed, resulting in cost savings for American taxpayers through the use of reusable rockets. He suggested applying a similar approach to other government contracts to reduce expenses.
Khanna argued that SpaceX's success, partially due to government funding, demonstrates the potential for public-private partnerships. He believes that adopting this model in other areas, particularly defense, could lead to significant bipartisan collaboration and cost reductions.
Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy currently co-chair the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a private initiative focused on streamlining government operations and reducing spending. They have been meeting with members of Congress to discuss their proposals. The DOGE Caucus recently gained bipartisan support with the addition of Florida Democrat Representative Jared Moskowitz, who advocates for removing the U.S. Secret Service from the Department of Homeland Security as a way to enhance efficiency.
Moskowitz emphasized the importance of non-partisan efforts to improve government function and reduce wasteful spending, citing the Department of Homeland Security as an example of an agency that has become overly large and could benefit from restructuring.
