Vivek Ramaswamy compared Mike Johnson's sweeping, 1,500-page spending bill to "showering cocaine on an addict" in a lengthy X post on Wednesday.
As one-half of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), President-elect Donald Trump's forthcoming advisory group, alongside Elon Musk, Ramaswamy stated the $380 billion package, which includes renewing the Farm bill for $130 billion, disaster relief for $100 billion and a stimulus for farmers for $10 billion, will only hurt people "the people it purports to help."
"Debt-fueled spending sprees may 'feel good' today, but it's like showering cocaine on an addict: it's not compassion, it's cruelty," Ramaswamy wrote.
I wanted to read the full 1,500+ page bill & speak with key leaders before forming an opinion. Having done that, here's my view: it's full of excessive spending, special interest giveaways & pork barrel politics. If Congress wants to get serious about government efficiency, they…
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) December 18, 2024
"Farmers will see more land sold to foreign buyers when taxes inevitably rise to meet our obligations. Our children will be saddled with crippling debt. Interest payments will be the largest item in our national budget," he continued.
Ramaswamy also accused Congress of manufacturing urgency to avoid serious public debate about measures included in the bill.
Other controversial charges, according to Ramaswamy, include a pay raise for a new football stadium in D.C. and pay raises for Congress and Senate members as well as making them eligible for federal employee health benefits.
Before asserting "the bill should fail," Ramaswamy thanked Capitol Hill "for DOGE's warm reception.
"Nearly everyone agrees we need a smaller and more streamlined federal government, but actions speak louder than words. This is an early test," he concluded.
The bill is meant to keep the lights on through March 14, 2025. By then, Republicans will control both the House and Senate, and Congress hopes it can propose and exhaustive spending package, CBS News reported.
If Congress does not approve the bill by Friday, the government will shutdown, right ahead of policymakers' holiday break.
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