If that's what it turns out to be, that no matter what happens politically, the government absolutely cannot do anything to bring its spending under control, then the US is effectively a failed state, and in that case, DOGE's role is a diagnostician.

But I seriously doubt that's the case. What's more likely is that it is perfectly possible to bring spending under control, and that the people who are complaining are doing so because they've had their lips taken off the teat.

So there are a few bigger levers the US can use to reduce spending.

1. Raise taxes to pre-2017 TCJA levels and eliminate deficit spending. Pay down the debt. A much, much bigger chunk of our spending is debt interest (17%) than anything DOGE is targeting.

2. More aggressive Medicare/Medicaid service and drug price negotiation. This is 39% of the budget, and even a few percent here would have a bigger impact than anything DOGE is disrupting.

DOGE is a performative gimmick. It's hugely disruptive, mostly just to "own the libs."

The biggest and easiest lever the GOP has to bring spending under control is to let the 10-year TCJA tax rates expire without renewal. Do you think they will do that?