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Former Gov. Rick Perry had a lengthy career in public office, spanning more than three decades, but unfortunately for the Texas Republican, he’s often remembered for forgetting part of his own agenda.
Nearly 12 years ago, on a presidential primary debate stage, Perry argued that he believed three federal departments could be completely eliminated. His list included the Department of Education and the Commerce Department, but he couldn’t quite remember the third. “Sorry,” he said. “Oops.”
He later recalled that he also wanted to scrap the Department of Energy — which Donald Trump put him in charge of six years later.
Now, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is running for president, and as NBC News reported, he intends to eliminate the same three targets — and then keep going:
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Wednesday that if he is elected president he would seek to close four federal agencies as part of an effort to reduce the size of government. “We would do Education, we would do Commerce, we’d do Energy, and we would do IRS,” DeSantis said in an interview with Fox News’ Martha MacCallum when he was asked whether he favored closing any agencies.
“If Congress will work with me on doing that, we’ll be able to reduce the size and scope of government,” the Republican added. “If Congress won’t go that far, I’m going to use those agencies to push back against woke ideology and against the leftism that we see creeping into all institutions of American life.”
The obvious flaw with DeSantis’ pitch is that it’s post-policy nihilism that he cynically expects to impress voters. Kevin Drum summarized the problem this way: “Eliminating cabinet departments is the last refuge of idiots.”
If the far-right governor wants to cut federal spending, fine. He can identify the investments he intends to eliminate. If he wants to reduce the scope of federal power, fine. He can present an alternative vision and try to sell it to voters.
But to just mindlessly call for the elimination of four key federal agencies is lazy. The Department of Commerce includes, among other things, the National Weather Service and the Census Bureau. Does DeSantis intend to replace them? How? With what? The Energy Department helps oversee all federal nuclear programs. Is DeSantis under the impression that Americans would be better off if such work simply stopped?
The IRS is responsible for collecting federal revenue that funds our government. If it didn’t exist, that’d be great for criminals, but how would a DeSantis administration expect to function? Would he replace the IRS with something new? What? Why?
There’s little to suggest the Floridian has thought any of this through, or even cares about the details. It’s performative chest-thumping, intended to impress those who mistake bumper stickers for policy agendas.
But let’s not brush past the other part of the presidential candidate’s quote: If Congress balks at his strange plan, DeSantis said, he intends to “use” federal agencies to combat political ideologies he disagrees with.
Except, that’s bonkers. The idea that a sitting American president would go to the Department of Energy, for example, and direct it to “push back” against “woke ideology” and “leftism” is madness. Indeed, try to imagine what the reaction might be if a Democratic presidential candidate said he or she intended to use the Commerce Department to crush “the conservatism that we see creeping into all institutions of American life.”
Would congressional Republicans call for a preemptive, pre-election impeachment?
DeSantis' call to eliminate four key federal agencies is foolish. His plan to abuse those agencies is even worse.