Ronald Reagan Tried to Shrink Government Spending

DOGE isn&#x27;t the first attempt to reduce &#x27;waste&#x27; in government (&quot;Private Sector Survey on Cost Control&quot;):<p>* <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Grace_Commission" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Grace_Commission</a><p>* <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.reaganlibrary.gov&#x2F;archives&#x2F;topic-guide&#x2F;presidents-private-sector-survey-cost-control-grace-commission" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.reaganlibrary.gov&#x2F;archives&#x2F;topic-guide&#x2F;president...</a><p>* <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.gao.gov&#x2F;products&#x2F;123531" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.gao.gov&#x2F;products&#x2F;123531</a><p>* <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.pgpf.org&#x2F;programs-and-projects&#x2F;convening-experts&#x2F;expert-views&#x2F;fiscal-commission&#x2F;fiscal-commissions-promises-and-disappointments&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.pgpf.org&#x2F;programs-and-projects&#x2F;convening-experts...</a>

... and instead he tripled the deficit.<p>Of all the various delusions people have about the debt, the idea of Reagan as the great government cutter is perhaps the most deranged.