The May 20 analysis piece, “Agencies operating hydro dams in Columbia Basin lose hundreds of employees” illustrates another example of “cost cuts” that will cost taxpayers far more than they save.

Arbitrarily firing specialized employees (or incentivizing them to leave) and then going to the expense of hiring and training replacements wastes money. Firing Internal Revenue Service employees, when an estimated $600 billion per year in tax revenue goes uncollected, isn’t a savings.

Thousands of federal workers are currently being paid not to work while lawsuits related to their terminations move through the courts. That’s not a savings.

Cutting off food and health care trades short-term savings for long-term costs. Malnutrition in children causes delayed mental development and can permanently impair mental capacity. Delaying access to health care means ultimately paying more in emergency rooms or paying to treat preventable diseases.

A “free” luxury jet that will cost taxpayers hundreds of millions to retrofit to replace Air Force One doesn’t save taxpayer dollars.

Will savings that result from defunding wildfire mitigation, defunding NOAA weather forecasting, compromising our power grid through workforce reductions, eliminating environmental regulations on toxic chemicals, etc. outweigh the costs of a single catastrophe? 

If you heard the heart-wrenching story at this year’s FisherPoets gathering, about how the Exxon Valdez oil spill ruined a fishing town in Alaska, you know the harm outweighs any savings.

This is political theatrics, not eliminating waste. None of this happens without Republicans in Congress ceding their power, neglecting their oversight duty and granting their support.

CAROL MERWIN

Astoria