DOGE’s War on Waste: A Libertarian Dream or Government Overreach?

From $10 Billion in Social Security Savings to Controversial Data Grabs, DOGE’s Mission to Slash Government Waste Has Libertarians Cheering—and Questioning.

So, it’s almost 2 1/2 months in with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) effort to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse within the U.S. government, and I thought we’d take a look at what they are up to. DOGE, by the way, is simply the renaming of former President Obama’s Digital Services Agency. You will remember that Obama wanted to do the same thing as DOGE; see the video below to see how Obama wanted to ferret out waste, fraud, and abuse similar to what DOGE is doing. Strangely, now that Republicans are in office, this is now bad. Obama even signed the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act: Cutting Waste and Fraud in Government

From my perspective, here’s a summary of the 10 important updates from the DOGE website. We should all appreciate a lean government that respects individual freedom, and DOGE’s efforts largely align with that perspective—though not without some eyebrow-raising moments. Let’s take a look:

1. Uncovering $10 Billion in Social Security Savings
   DOGE has dug up a staggering $10 billion in potential savings within the Social Security Administration. This revelation exposes the kind of bureaucratic inefficiency I have long railed against, proving that government programs often hemorrhage cash through poor oversight. A win for accountability!

2. Termination of 121 Contracts Worth $350 Million
   In a bold move, DOGE axed 121 unnecessary government contracts, saving taxpayers $350 million. This is the kind of decisive cut to wasteful spending that gets a libertarian’s heart racing—less money funneled into bloated programs means more left in the hands of the people.

3. Cleanup of Social Security Records
   DOGE has marked nearly 10 million Social Security records as deceased, cracking down on fraud and inefficiency. Cleaning up this mess ensures taxpayer dollars aren’t squandered on phantom beneficiaries—a practical step toward a government that actually works.

4. Access to Federal Payroll Systems
   DOGE now has payroll data for 276,000 federal employees. While this raises some red flags about privacy, it also shows a push to audit and streamline the federal workforce. Efficiency’s great, but let’s hope they’re not trading one problem for another.

5. Proposal for DOGE Dividend Checks
   Here’s a gem: DOGE wants to send dividend checks to taxpayers, funded by the savings they’ve clawed back from government waste. I’d prefer them to put that $5k per citizen to help pay down the country’s debt, so long as they promise to get their spending down and stop adding to the debt with more deficits. Congress still needs to greenlight it, though—a pipe dream, I know.

6. Identifying VA Contract Waste
   DOGE sniffed out a ridiculous $380,000 monthly contract at the Department of Veterans Affairs for minor website tweaks—and killed it. This kind of nickel-and-dime nonsense bloats budgets, and DOGE’s intervention is a small but satisfying victory for fiscal sanity.

7. Musk’s Planned Departure and DOGE’s Future
   Elon Musk plans to exit DOGE by May’s end, handing the reins to Cabinet secretaries to keep the efficiency train rolling through July 2026. I hope he gets back to his businesses. Will DOGE stay true to its waste-cutting mission, or will it morph into another government promotion of hype, like Obama’s Digital Services Agency?

8. Mass Layoffs at Health Agencies
   DOGE’s cuts have triggered big layoffs at health agencies, a move that’s music to libertarian ears. Trimming overstaffed bureaucracies reduces government’s footprint—though it’s worth asking whether the axe fell in the right places.

9. Attempt to Take Over Non-Federal Building
   DOGE tried to seize control of a building not even owned by the feds, which stirred some controversy. From my point of view, this is overreach—the government should be shrinking, not grabbing stuff it doesn’t own. Still, it’s a notable update on their aggressive resource play.

10. Access to Sensitive Data and Security Concerns
    DOGE staffers now have access to sensitive government data systems, sparking worries about privacy and security. We all champion individual rights, so this is a double-edged sword—efficiency’s good, but not if it means Big Brother gets a bigger magnifying glass.

These updates paint DOGE as a force for slashing government fat and championing taxpayer value, which libertarians can cheer for. The $10 billion Social Security find, contract cuts, and dividend check idea are standout wins. But moves like the building grab and data access remind us to stay vigilant—efficiency shouldn’t come at the cost of liberty. DOGE is on the right track, but it’s not flawless.