Guess Elon Musk doesn’t remember Econ 101

Eliminating expertise: Protestors demonstrate holding signs referring to DOGE in Los Angeles, California. Many of DOGE cutbacks are slashing away at government’s core function: providing public goods. — Getty Images via AFP

IN 1854, Abraham Lincoln, who would not be elected president for another six years, mused about the purpose of the government he would one day save.

He concluded that “the legitimate object of government, is to do for a community of people, whatever they need to have done, but can not do, at all, or can not, so well do for themselves – in their separate and individual capacities.”