Citizens Against Government Waste to John Curley: ‘You could save billions without effecting benefits’

There’s concern that dramatic cuts and other cost-saving measures under President Donald Trump would hurt federal benefits.

But Tom Schatz, president of Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW), says, “You could save tens of billions of dollars for Medicare, Medicaid, and Supplemental Security without affecting benefits.”

Appearing on “The John Curley Show” on KIRO Newsradio, Schatz said, “In fact, you would help people who are getting benefits because you wouldn’t be wasting money to deliver benefits to those that aren’t eligible.”

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Progress has been made regarding government waste

Schatz reflected on the progress made since the Grace Commission under President Ronald Reagan in 1984. The commission, which involved 161 corporate executives and 2,000 volunteers, aimed to identify and eliminate wasteful government spending, projecting savings of $424 billion. He applauds the Trump administration’s efforts to continue looking for wasteful spending.

“For example, 10 years ago, we suggested eliminating the penny because it costs three to four cents to make a penny. What’s the point?”

Schatz acknowledges the difficulty of addressing entitlement reform and the national debt, which has reached $36 trillion. He emphasizes the need for logical, common-sense solutions, such as raising the retirement age and consolidating redundant programs.

“It’s a big Ponzi scheme. Everybody knows it, and eventually, those payments are not going to be made,” Schatz said, referring to Social Security.

Listen to the entire interview below.

Listen to John Curley on “The John Curley Show” weekday afternoons from 3-7 p.m. on KIRO Newsradio. Subscribe to the podcast here.