# 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:** 8
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2024, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/141 "2024-11-25T05:43:02Z")
Isn’t it awesome that the richest man in the world with one of the biggest media platforms can just terrorize people in the name of the government? That should work out great. > [@](#): > > Elon Musk is so excited to start his new gig ruining the federal government that he’s getting an early start by goading his millions of followers to cyberbully government employees. [Elon Musk Is Now Cyberbullying Government Employees | The New Republic](https://newrepublic.com/post/188773/elon-musk-x-government-employees-call-out) ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2024, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/142 "2024-11-25T06:21:49Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I’m actually amazed that the bromance between Trump and Musk has lasted this long. Take it for what it is worth because the source is Meidas Touch, which is a dedicated anti-Trump shit-talk channel but here’s their take on this situation as of today: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/PH36lQA85GM/maxresdefault.jpg "Trump and Elon QUICKLY ERUPT in MASSIVE BLOWOUT") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PH36lQA85GM) (TLDR version: eight minutes of a commentator reading various news articles about Musk moving into Mar a Lago and making himself unwelcome by being… himself.) ---
**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:** [November 25, 2024, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/143 "2024-11-25T16:55:52Z")
If they ever try to summon someone to testify, that person should be sick every time. Taking seriously Perjury Traitor Goone and those others is asking a bit much. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2024, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/144 "2024-11-25T17:58:47Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > If they ever try to summon someone to testify, that person should be sick every time. Now here’s a legitimate question. DOGE doesn’t actually exist as an arm of the US government, at least not yet. How exactly would they compel anyone to testify? Without some kind of enabling legislation, they’d won’t have any subpoena power. So you don’t even have to pretend to be sick. Just publicly declare, “Just being Trump ass-kissers doesn’t grant you any legal authority.” ---
**Author:** ![Ash\_trav511](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/edb3f5/32.png) [@Ash\_trav511](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ash_trav511)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2024, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/145 "2024-11-25T18:30:21Z")
> And here comes Ro Khanna who says there are democrats who may potentially cooperate with Musk ---
**Author:** ![SwissMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@SwissMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwissMan)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2024, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/146 "2024-11-25T19:13:32Z")
> [@Ash\_trav511](#): > > And here comes Ro Khanna who says there are democrats who may potentially cooperate with Musk If Elmo, Vivek and the rest of the DOGE dimwits actually find legitimate situations where the government is being bilked or can do something more efficiently, and can present **clear and concise evidence supporting their assertions** , it is perfectly reasonable to at least listen. Given that Elmo has said that paying interest on our national debt is wasteful, I’m not holding out much hope that this thing is going to generate anything reasonable. ---
**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:** [November 25, 2024, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/147 "2024-11-25T19:23:35Z")
I agree that it’s wasteful to pay interest on national debt but the way to address that is to _reduce the national debt_. One way to do so is to increase revenues even if that means some people and companies need to pay more taxes. ---
**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:** [November 25, 2024, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/148 "2024-11-25T21:06:46Z")
I wouldn’t feel bad about yelling “go back to Africa!” to that particular African. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2024, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/149 "2024-11-25T22:45:55Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > One way to do so is to increase revenues even if that means some people and companies need to pay more taxes. Another way is to spend less. I’m _amazed_ by the pushback that I’m seeing in this thread. Do you all _really_ think that our government is already amazing efficient? Note: I’m not suggesting that DOGE will make a difference, but, c’mon, there’s nothing that we can become efficient at or cut? ---
**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:** [November 25, 2024, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/150 "2024-11-25T22:51:18Z")
There’s pushback because we’ve been here before and seen that, somehow, every time there’s a suggestion on how to cut ‘’‘’‘waste, fraud, and abuse’‘’‘’ it involves cutting programs for the poor. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2024, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/151 "2024-11-25T23:31:04Z")
Truth. Also, there has never been any large organization, public or private, that hasn’t had plenty of waste, fraud, and abuse larded into it. Though the fraud and abuse usually isn’t this gobsmacking: > **[Macy’s found a single employee hid up to $154 million worth of expenses | CNN...](https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/25/business/macys-accounting-expenses-earnings/index.html)** > > Macy’s announced Monday that a single employee was responsible for so many accounting irregularities that the company was forced to delay its quarterly earnings report, which the retailer had planned to release Tuesday. ---
**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:** [November 25, 2024, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/152 "2024-11-25T23:47:28Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > > > One way to do so is to increase revenues even if that means some people and companies need to pay more taxes. > > Another way is to spend less. I’m _amazed_ by the pushback that I’m seeing in this thread. Do you all _really_ think that our government is already amazing efficient? Note: I’m not suggesting that DOGE will make a difference, but, c’mon, there’s nothing that we can become efficient at or cut? I’ll believe it when Musk and his group take a good, hard look at the Defense budget. I think there’s a lot to save there in the really expensive weapons programs. Usually, though, the Defense budget is untouchable and if you set that aside, and Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, there’s not much left. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2024, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/153 "2024-11-26T00:07:20Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > Another way is to spend less. I’m _amazed_ by the pushback that I’m seeing in this thread. Do you all _really_ think that our government is already amazing efficient? Note: I’m not suggesting that DOGE will make a difference, but, c’mon, there’s nothing that we can become efficient at or cut? Elon Musk could lend a couple hundred million dollars to the U.S. Treasury interest free, and encourage other to do the same. That would be a start. Delay purchase of new aircraft for Air Force One, or get something smaller than a 747. It might mean a little less prestige when Trump visits other countries, but it’s worth it, right? He might even get a better deal from Airbus than from Boeing. Hire more inspectors for the IRS. I hear that each one brings in more money than it costs to employ them. I offer those ideas for free. Is Elon Musk donating his time to serve in this department? ---
**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:** [November 26, 2024, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/154 "2024-11-26T00:12:25Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Hire more inspectors for the IRS. I hear that each one brings in more money than it costs to employ them. If only I could remember what the Republican response was the last time that was tried. But why go after folks not paying their fair share to the government when we can cut the nasty poors SNAP benefit? I mean it’s not like they’ve spent the last four years bitching about the price of food that the poors are expected to get with their whole $300 a month. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2024, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/155 "2024-11-26T00:14:39Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > But why go after folks not paying their fair share to the government when we can cut the nasty poors SNAP benefit? I mean it’s not like they’ve spent the last four years bitching about the price of food that the poors are expected to get with their whole $300 a month. I don’t think people realize that food stamps are essentially a subsidy on the price of groceries for everyone. At the beginning of the month, EBT accounts for over half of our sales at the store I work at. Take that away and you’d have people longing for the days of $4 gallons of milk. ---
**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:** [November 26, 2024, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/156 "2024-11-26T00:19:34Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > Another way is to spend less. I’m _amazed_ by the pushback that I’m seeing in this thread. Do you all _really_ think that our government is already amazing efficient? Note: I’m not suggesting that DOGE will make a difference, but, c’mon, there’s nothing that we can become efficient at or cut? I have as much confidence in Trump and anyone he tasks as I would a cuthroat band of pirates. I’m not opposed to the idea of efficiency I just don’t believe for one second Trump or his cronies are interested in efficiency. They’re a bunch of kleptocrats who plan on gutting and plundering as much as they can. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2024, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/157 "2024-11-26T00:23:16Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > > [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > > > If they ever try to summon someone to testify, that person should be sick every time. > > Now here’s a legitimate question. DOGE doesn’t actually exist as an arm of the US government, at least not yet. How exactly would they compel anyone to testify? Without some kind of enabling legislation, they’d won’t have any subpoena power. > > So you don’t even have to pretend to be sick. Just publicly declare, “Just being Trump ass-kissers doesn’t grant you any legal authority.” Only Congress can set up another government department. Viv and Lon won’t even be on the payroll. They will at best be unpaid presidential consultants. What they can do is funnel “requests” to committees like Ways and Means who do have subpoena powers. It depends on how much Congress wants to dance when Trump snaps his fingers. > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I’ll believe it when Musk and his group take a good, hard look at the Defense budget. I think there’s a lot to save there in the really expensive weapons programs. Pretty soon they will run into the reality of who actually controls the budget and what districts those weapons are built. And they are spread out so none are just blue or red. > [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Hire more inspectors for the IRS. I hear that each one brings in more money than it costs to employ them. Then they will be fighting against their own propaganda. When the IRS budget was raised recently the right made their followers believe agents were being trained to kick in the door to their hovels. ---
**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:** [November 26, 2024, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/158 "2024-11-26T00:53:39Z")
Who the f, inside or outside government, is going to take ol’ Space Lasers seriously? I can’t wait to hear how government waste is hurting the American fee-ammily, and how impordant it is to get it under control. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2024, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/159 "2024-11-26T00:53:54Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > …the right made their followers believe agents were being trained to kick in the door to their hovels. Okay, but are they doing it _efficiently_? ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2024, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227/160 "2024-11-26T01:01:56Z")
I frequently want to ask the people who want to, “run government like a business,” if they have ever heard the term accounts receivable. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doge-the-department-of-government-efficiency/1010227.md?page=9)