Republicans Would Rather Get Rid of This Agency Than Upset Trump. That’s a Terrible Idea.

Government agencies exist because they perform tasks that markets, states, or local governments cannot always handle effectively on their own. Whether the agency in question oversees public health, consumer protection, emergency management, environmental regulation, financial stability, or national security, its responsibilities affect millions of Americans every day.

Eliminating an agency without a credible plan to replace its functions does not eliminate the underlying problems it addresses. It simply shifts those problems elsewhere—or allows them to grow unchecked.

Supporters of abolition often argue that government has become too large and too bureaucratic. There is certainly room for debate about how agencies operate, how efficiently they spend taxpayer money, and whether reforms are necessary. Oversight and accountability are essential components of democratic government.

But reform is not the same thing as destruction.