Our representative in the U.S. Congress, Glenn Thompson, is chair of the House Agriculture Committee. The committee oversees the U.S. Forest Service and the Allegheny National Forest. As chair of a major congressional committee, he holds a powerful position.

The Era asked him specifically last week about credible reports that DOGE had terminated staff of the ANF. Mr. Thompson did not answer the question. Instead, he replied only that he looks forward to working with President Donald Trump and his agent Elon Musk “to identify wasteful spending.”

If so, then why, Mr. Thompson, wouldn’t you answer The Era’s question whether people were terminated at the ANF? The answer is either “yes” or “no.”

And if “yes,” how many?

And do you know whether, or how much, revenue sharing from timber sales could be reduced to our local municipalities and school districts if timber sales are canceled because of ANF staff terminations?

And what do you know about any Trump/Musk plans for the ANF going forward?

And what do you know about the Trump/Musk plans for Medicare and Medicaid? And Social Security? And Bradford’s two federally qualified health centers? And Head Start? And Pell Grants? And FCI McKean? And the Corps of Engineers? And the University of Pittsburgh, Penn State, the Northern Pennsylvania Regional College? And public-school systems? And WPSU radio and television?

And what about the effects of Trump/Musk plans for our local human services — The Guidance Center, Futures, The Children’s Home, Drug and Alcohol Abuse Services?

Please, sir, just tell us the facts.

Meanwhile, is there anyone who opposes getting rid of government waste?

Most likely, no one. But as a realistic matter, waste exists in any organization — governmental or not. Some have more waste than others, but all have some waste.

So, when elected officials say they support eliminating waste, as Thompson did, so far so good.

But it begs two questions: Who decides what is “waste?” And how is the word “waste” defined?

Trump and Musk have decided they are the ones to decide what programs, expenditures and staff are wasteful. That would certainly be a surprise to those who wrote our Constitution. It has long been the understanding that the Founders placed with the Congress the power to decide how money would be raised to pay for government programs and how that money would be spent.

In effect, however, Trump and Musk are saying Congress cannot be trusted to make those decisions. Congress, in their apparent view, is inefficient, outdated and insufficiently wise. Surprisingly, some members of Congress appear to agree.

Eventually the Supreme Court will decide whether the Constitution gives the president such sweeping authority. In the meantime, executive orders, Musk’s instructions and suspended funding can do real and long-lasting harm. And if the court rules against Trump, and Trump chooses to ignore the court’s decision, then still more harm will come, but to the very structure of our democracy.

It also has to be asked, however, how is “waste” defined?

Let’s assume the answer is that “waste” is any spending that does not put America first. But that is not really an answer.

What does it mean to “put America first?” And is it only Trump and Musk who get to decide that?

Does it put America first, for example, if we try to deter the worldwide spread of nuclear weapons? Thompson told the Era that it is “waste” to give Nepal $19 million for what he called “renewable energy development.” But that program is designed to help develop peaceful nuclear energy in a way that prevents creating weapons-grade nuclear material.

Is that a “waste?” Might it be in America’s interest to try to limit who has the raw material to develop nuclear weapons?

And who in America is “put first” by cutting research into Alzheimer’s disease or cancer, for example? Are those programs “waste?” Likely not to families who are or will be affected.

Again, it is no answer to defend cutting programs by saying it will reduce waste. No one disagrees with the goal of reducing waste.

The issue is answering what exactly is “waste,” and who gets to decide?

(John M. Cleland, retired McKean County Court president judge, lives in Kane.)