Libertarian economist Milton Friedman handed away in 2006, which is a disgrace as a result of he would possible be thrilled about what is occurring in america proper now with Elon Musk and DOGE underneath President Trump.
In 1999, Friedman gave an interview to Peter Robinson of the Hoover Establishment by which he was requested which authorities departments he would lower and which of them he would preserve. It’s primarily a preview of the work that Musk and DOGE are doing proper now.
It’s wonderful to see it now within the context of what’s taking place.
This Every day Mail report from final fall describes the interview:
Friedman mentioned he would do away with the departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Inside, Training, Labor, Transportation and Veteran Affairs.
He additionally beneficial axing the division of Housing and City Growth, which he mentioned ‘has executed an unlimited quantity of hurt’ and has ‘destroyed elements of cities underneath the rubric of eliminating slums.’
Friedman the Division of Vitality also needs to be abolished – ‘besides when it ties in with the army.’
When it comes to the Nationwide Institute of Well being, Friedman mentioned ‘There may be room for some public well being actions to forestall contagion,’ however he would abolish the company, which he claimed ‘was largely a analysis company.’
‘That’s a query of whether or not the federal government needs to be concerned in financing analysis, and that’s a really sophisticated challenge and it’s not a simple reply,’ Friedman added.
Friedman was one of the influential economists of the twentieth century.
He headed the Chicago Faculty of Economics, a bunch of financial thinkers related to the work of the school on the College of Chicago.
Elon Musk shared the video on Twitter/X right now. Watch the entire thing, that is wonderful.
Sensible phrases
pic.twitter.com/kuSuFSNEWh— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 5, 2025
On a aspect word, right here’s a enjoyable piece of trivia. Peter Robinson, who’s interviewing Friedman within the video, was a speechwriter for Ronald Reagan and wrote the well-known line, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”