DOGE: A Necessary Evil?

 

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If any private enterprise were run like the government, they’d be bankrupt. Why would this be any different in the government sector? For over 100 years, Americans have complained about government waste, the misuse of taxpayer-funded programs, and the appropriation of money to shady pet political projects. From stories of $600 toilet seats to bridges to nowhere, the idea that tax money is being wasted has long been a part of the public narrative. President Donald Trump and tech titan Elon Musk have decided to tackle this daunting challenge by auditing government spending at its most granular levels. What they’re discovering is a nightmare scenario—an endemic, systemic, and profound abuse covering the globe in the NGO world, military-industrial complex, and more. Considering that the national debt is already an eye-popping $36 trillion, this audit isn’t just overdue — it’s a mad dash to prevent what could be a catastrophic financial crisis with the debt potentially inflating to $80-100 trillion in just 7-10 years.

So, while the partnership between Trump and Musk may look like an odd couple at first glance, make no mistake: a more dangerous, disruptive duo would be hard to find. Trump, a billionaire real estate mogul turned political firebrand, campaigned for years on promises to cut government waste, vowing to “drain the swamp” of corruption and inefficiency. Musk, for his part, is the chief architect of SpaceX and Tesla, a man who has spent his career upending dowdy sectors with revolutionary concepts and hyperactive management. Together, they’re streaming the dog days of federal spending, led by a skeptical streak of bureaucracy averse to change, fueled by the desire to expose abuse. This isn’t a paint-by-numbers beatdown. Their audit is a first step at peeling back layers of government expenditure that have long been hidden from public scrutiny, exposing how taxpayer money is being spent and wasted.

NGOs have a mythological status as noble do-gooders, entrusted with delivering life-saving humanitarian relief or furthering social justice objectives on taxpayers' dime. The audit uncovers an inconvenient truth — most money never makes it to its intended use. In one particularly egregious case, an NGO explicitly funded to deliver clean water in developing countries had actually spent more than 70% of its budget on “administrative costs” like luxury conferences and first-class flights for executives at the NGO, which meant that the clean-water projects were stalled. Stories like this are not the exception; they are the rule of a system where oversight is nonexistent and accountability is an afterthought. Then there’s the defense sector, that gargantuan military-industrial complex—that’s been a welcomed punching bag for aspiring reformers since President Dwight Eisenhower cautioned against its influence in 1961. The audit has highlighted some jaw-dropping waste such as the F-35 fighter jet program, which has skyrocketed over $1.7 trillion in cost while producing a series of such delays and overall malfunctions. Still, defense contractors keep reaping and misappropriating billions, sometimes for projects that never come to fruition. One audit finding, a $500 million “ghost project” for “advanced reconnaissance technology,” yielded nothing except a paper trail that led to offshore accounts and shell companies. It’s a chagrining example and a good reminder that the Pentagon’s budget is not only huge but shot through with leaks.

The waste doesn’t stop there. The audit has flagged billions in "miscellaneous" spending, vague line items like "consulting services" or "research grants" that evade proper scrutiny. In one absurd case, $10 million was granted to study "the social habits of urban squirrels." While such research might amuse academics, it’s hard to defend when bridges are crumbling and veterans are waiting for care. These examples paint a picture of a government that’s lost sight of its priorities.

The stakes couldn’t be higher. The U.S. national debt stands at $36 trillion, a figure that’s doubled in the past decade and shows no signs of slowing. If current spending habits persist, experts warn it could hit $80-100 trillion by the early 2030s. That’s not just a number; it’s a crisis in waiting. Interest payments on the debt are already outpacing military spending, siphoning off funds that could go to schools, roads, or healthcare. Left unchecked, these payments could eventually devour the federal budget entirely, leaving little for anything else. The fallout would be devastating. A debt crisis could spark hyperinflation, erode savings, and force brutal cuts to essential programs. America’s global economic dominance could falter, handing an advantage to rivals like China. For the average American, it’s a future of higher taxes, fewer services, and a weaker nation.

This is why Trump and Musk’s audit isn’t just a good idea; it’s an urgent necessity and should have been done decades ago. They’re spotlighting the rot within government spending, from NGO mismanagement to the military-industrial complex’s excesses. But exposing the problem is only half the battle. The real test lies in forcing reforms: tightening oversight, punishing fraud, and breaking the grip of special interests perpetuating this waste. Some will argue that slashing spending could hurt vital programs. Fair enough, but this audit isn’t about indiscriminate cuts. It’s about ensuring every dollar serves a purpose, not padding contractors' profits or funding squirrel studies. A more innovative, more accountable government could deliver better outcomes for less. The clock is ticking. With the debt on track to double in less than a decade, delay isn’t an option. If we don’t act now, the $36 trillion burden we carry today will become an $80-100 trillion albatross around the necks of our children and grandchildren. Trump and Musk have started digging into this mess. It’s up to lawmakers and all of us to demand the changes needed to stop the bleeding. Be an informed consumer; go to the DOGE website and decide for yourself what is best for America. And, next time you go to the store to buy food for your family, consider where we as a society will be in the next 10 years. Because if we don’t fix this now, the price of inaction will be a future we can’t afford.