Approximately 40% of annulled DOGE transactions represent funds that have already been expended.
The Department of Government Efficiency's "Wall of Receipts" has been a topic of controversy. As reported by the Associated Press, an astonishing 40% of federal contracts won't save America a single penny. This revelation came on the same day that the Government Accountability Office (GAO), a 103-year-old institution with a deep understanding of Washington's workings, released its own report highlighting potential budget cuts and savings.
Compared to the seasoned GAO, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is a relative newcomer, more focused on memes and social media hype than actual spending reductions. Their performance, as evident in the results, leaves much to be desired.
Elon Musk, a prominent figure in DOGE, promised transparency and significant savings from his extra-governmental cost-saving enterprise. He unveiled a list of 1,125 contracts terminated by DOGE, boasting about the money saved. However, the AP discovered that 417 of these contracts will not result in any savings whatsoever. It's possible that Musk and his team simply misunderstood the terms of the contracts or, perhaps, misrepresented the facts.
The Wall of Receipts, DOGE's constantly updating list of canceled contracts, provides a simple breakdown of the terminated contracts, their total value, and the savings achieved. It even links to the contracts' pages in the Federal Procurement Data System, an extensive online database of government contracts.
Unfortunately, the list is not as impressive as it seems. It includes subscriptions to news services like Bloomberg and Politico, which were already paid for, sometimes years ago. There are also payments for software licenses and training that have already been purchased or completed. For instance, USAID paid Winzip $20,472.38 for software licenses in 2024, only to end up on DOGE's list. Similarly, the Department of Agriculture spent $23,520 on a Politico subscription the same year.
Another contract on DOGE's chopping block is a USAID media project that spent $227,392 on YouTube videos about big cats and conservation. While this may seem an extravagant amount, it's important to remember that the end goal is not only to inform but also to engage the public in conservation efforts.
The GAO, with its extensive research and recommendations, has a solid track record of helping the U.S. government save money. They publish an annual "High-Risk" list of areas prone to waste, fraud, and abuse. This year's report, spanning 303 pages, highlights 38 such areas. Over time, the GAO's recommendations have led to substantial savings, amounting to $84 billion over the last two years.
However, the biggest spending problems identified by GAO are the Pentagon's trillion-dollar budget, increased disasters due to climate change, tax arrears due to the IRS, mismanaged real estate holdings, payment fraud, and out-of-control spending at the Pentagon.
The Pentagon's excessive spending is at the top of GAO's list, and while the Trump administration and DOGE have promised cuts, the proposed savings are relatively minor compared to the Pentagon's total spending. Furthermore, several of the Pentagon's most expensive programs are exempt from these cuts.
In conclusion, while DOGE's Wall of Receipts may spark interest and generate headlines, its actual impact on federal spending is questionable. Meanwhile, the proven recommendations and track record of the GAO continue to offer viable solutions for significant budget savings.
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) aims to make use of future technology and 'tech' innovations in their quest for savings. Elon Musk, a key figure in DOGE, has expressed optimism about the potential for 'savings' through his initiatives. Despite Musk's claims, the Associated Press report raised concerns about 417 contracts that won't yield any savings. The upcoming fiscal year's budget report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) will likely provide insights into potential areas of 'procurement' reform. After compressing a large report using Winzip, a user discovered that 69% of the file size was still uncompressed, highlighting the need for more efficient 'compression' methods in tech.
