# DOGE; the department of Government Efficiency **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** elon-musk\ **Created:** [November 13, 2024, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227 "2024-11-13T23:28:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 19
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2025, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/361 "2025-02-23T17:04:58Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > If he’s found fraud, waste, and abuse, great. There’s a lot of waste, fraud, abuse, and corruption in the federal government. But I question the way it is being addressed. Firing all “probationary employees” is certainly not the way to go about it. For those that don’t know, a probationary employee is _not_ someone who has been deemed a “poor performer.” It simply means the person is a new-hire or has been promoted to a different position. An argument could even be made that probationary employees tend to work harder vs. the longer-term employees. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2025, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/362 "2025-02-23T17:30:21Z")
Aiui, he’s been making a lot of chops that’re advantageous to his business interests. Wtf is the oversight? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2025, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/363 "2025-02-23T17:38:02Z")
Those in charge of oversight are among the ones whose jobs were eliminated. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2025, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/364 "2025-02-23T17:42:18Z")
Congress would step up their oversight game if they cared about the separation of power. They should be offended if things they funded _for a reason_ are cut just because of this nazi. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2025, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/365 "2025-02-23T17:45:55Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > There’s a lot of waste, fraud, abuse, and corruption in the federal government. I think that an appealing but somewhat problematic sentiment. -How much is “a lot”? -In terms of percentage, or $? -Is it spread evenly throughout the government, or concentrated in some areas (like the military?)? -Can fraud, abuse, and corruption defined objectively and agreed upon by everyone? -How costly is is to try to eliminate what portion of such fraud/abuse/corruption? -How does the incidence of all 3 - fraud, abuse, and corruption - compare to that found in non-governmental organizations and institutions? -How much fraud is caused by the government, as opposed to non-governmental actors? -Wouldn’t the best way to cut down on all manner of fraud, abuse, and corruption be to hire MORE inspectors? And that is just quickly off the top of my head. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2025, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/366 "2025-02-23T18:13:41Z")
Elon Musk posted on Twitter that federal employees need to explain what they did last week. _Many_ agencies have pushed back on this. But even if everyone responds as requested, who exactly is going to read and review all of those responses? That’s millions of replies. > Consistent with President @realDonaldTrump’s instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week. > > Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2025, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/367 "2025-02-23T18:51:15Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > @realDonaldTrump’ Did the message really contain a reference to non-governmental social media site? Consistent with DoD internet security training, that e-mail should be reported as spam and deleted. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2025, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/368 "2025-02-23T18:56:22Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Elon Musk posted on Twitter that federal employees need to explain what they did last week. _Many_ agencies have pushed back on this. But even if everyone responds as requested, who exactly is going to read and review all of those responses? No one. Whether or not anyone replies is irrelevant. It’s just to impress Trumpists. Later, when they lay off a bunch of people, they’ll say it’s because they didn’t answer the email, or did not answer it adequately. That will be a lie, of course, but Trumpists love this stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2025, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/369 "2025-02-23T19:07:04Z")
Artificial intelligence, of course. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2025, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/370 "2025-02-23T19:22:17Z")
One of the innumerable asinine aspects to “Defend your life: what, exactly, did you _do_ last week” is systems theory. Explaining to me what the [**lower control arm**](https://www.moogparts.com/parts-matter/guide-to-control-arms.html) on my car does is worse than worthless without understanding the totality of my front suspension. Maybe I _don’t need_ both kidneys, but I’d like there to be a damned good reason before I consent to having one removed. These people are evil AF. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2025, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/371 "2025-02-23T23:07:43Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > -How much is “a lot”? Well, there’s this guy: > [@](#): > > During his tenure as chief executive, the company [defrauded](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defraud) Medicare, Medicaid, and other federal programs. The [U.S. Department of Justice](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Department_of_Justice) won 14 felony convictions against the company, which was fined $1.7 billion in what was at the time the largest healthcare fraud settlement in U.S. history. > > [The company] admitted systematically overcharging the government by claiming marketing costs as reimbursable, by striking illegal deals with home care agencies, and by filing false data about use of hospital space. It also admitted to fraudulently billing Medicare and other health programs by inflating the seriousness of diagnoses and to giving doctors partnerships in company hospitals as a kickback for the doctors referring patients to [it]. It filed false cost reports, fraudulently billed Medicare for home health care workers, and paid kickbacks in the sale of home health agencies and to doctors to refer patients. In addition, it gave doctors “loans” never intending to be repaid, free rent, free office furniture, and free drugs from hospital pharmacies. The CEO in question? Senator [Rick Scott](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Scott), Senior Senator [R] from Florida. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2025, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/372 "2025-02-23T23:38:56Z")
> [@Zakalwe](#): > > The CEO in question? Senator [Rick Scott](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Scott), Senior Senator [R] from Florida. Yeah - was just reading about him in Gladwell’s new book. Only the best! 🙄 But even in his case, I’m not sure how much of the fraud was committed by government employees. ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2025, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/373 "2025-02-24T01:43:17Z")
> [@John\_Bredin](#): > > You might have hit on the one or two sympathetic federal agencies i think shit will hit the fan, when people reckon that stuff that miraculously always worked, is no longer working … even from not-too-well-liked-agencies, like IRS … sorry, but we cannot calculate your tax return in the same timeframe as always, b/c we are now only 50% of the staff. Call back in october… → that kind of shit … or not getting a car related certificate for 6 months and insurances not accepting a claim / repair b/c of this. IOW: lots of leopards will be roaming 'murica in the future … and I hope to read a lot of those human-interest stories of **“_I voted for trump 3 times and now I cannot sell my car or house or get my inheritance b/c he fired all the people who do x, y and z_”.** ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/374 "2025-02-25T19:09:38Z")
Well, in the spirit of efficiency, DOGE has involuntarily downsized itself! 21 tech staffers quit, saying they cannot in good conscience continue helping with this bullshit. > **[Musk's DOGE team hit by resignation of 21 technology staffers | CBC News](https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/us-doge-resignations-1.7467848)** > > More than 20 civil service employees resigned Tuesday from billionaire Trump adviser Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, saying they were refusing to use their technical expertise to "dismantle critical public services." ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/375 "2025-02-25T19:43:45Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Well, in the spirit of efficiency, DOGE has involuntarily downsized itself! 21 tech staffers quit, saying they cannot in good conscience continue helping with this bullshit. A genuine change of heart or rats leaving a sinking ship? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/376 "2025-02-25T19:57:08Z")
> [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](#): > > What government programs do you want to cut? How about we cut the billions we give drug companies and energy companies for starters. We get very little in return for our tax dollars from either of those entities. It makes more sense than depriving people of their livelihoods without any notice while still pumping millions into the coffers of the richest fucking corporations on the planet. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/377 "2025-02-25T20:04:12Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > How about we cut the billions we give drug companies and energy companies for starters. Channeling my inner Doge, Great, we’ll start with Medicaid and the Home Energy Assistance Program. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/378 "2025-02-25T20:05:25Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > > [@wolfpup](#): > > > > Well, in the spirit of efficiency, DOGE has involuntarily downsized itself! 21 tech staffers quit, saying they cannot in good conscience continue helping with this bullshit. > > A genuine change of heart or rats leaving a sinking ship? How about neither? These 21 people were [technology staffers at the United States Digital Service](https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-administration-news-02-25-25#cm7kiesmn00003b6qcvgyr4mb), which was modified into becoming the Department of Government Efficiency. In other words, they were existing government employees, not true believers or “rats”, as you so eloquently put it. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/379 "2025-02-25T20:49:35Z")
> [@DavidNRockies](#): > > Explaining to me what the [**lower control arm**](https://www.moogparts.com/parts-matter/guide-to-control-arms.html) on my car does is worse than worthless without understanding the totality of my front suspension. Yup. I’m going to retire in a little under a year. I’m writing code that will help people find out where the hell things are. And that’s just a corner of my world. 32 years of it. Most of this info is gonna be where other people have put stuff (that’s not a good explanation, but it works) Sure, we all know how to search for this stuff, but to update what would be in effect a spread sheet full of services and directories would take days. This should be done weekly. My code IF I can get it to work, will save countless hours of frustration. Run the code, anytime you want, and bingo, nice new sparkly spread sheet created in 10 seconds that has all the latest information. Explain THAT to these morons. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2025, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/380 "2025-02-25T23:45:39Z")
Jon Stewart at his best. A bit over 20min, but … IMHO … time well spent: > **[Jon Stewart Reworks Trump & Elon’s Sweeping DOGE Budget Cuts | The Daily...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utl2uLh1wVI%2F)** > > Jon Stewart dives into Trump's new Department of Government Efficiency, a.k.a. DOGE, and how the Elon Musk-led project masks its allegiance to corporate over... **NB: there’s a very brief scene where Stewart has cut his hand. It’s at about 20m15s if you’re squeamish.** [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227.md?page=18) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227.md?page=20)