Elon Musk exemplifies one approach to addressing government inefficiency by bringing an outsider with operational expertise to tackle waste, though the broader question of how to manage complex unproductive systems in a compressed timeframe remains unsolved.

The political feasibility and execution approach of fiscal austerity ('the how') can vary widely and is subject to significant uncertainty, but the target (3% of GDP deficit) must remain constant.

China will likely respond to US tariff increases (20% tariffs mentioned) by leveraging its advantages in manufacturing, chip production integration, and robotics, rather than through tariff retaliation.