In their downsizing efforts, DOGE has focused heavily on terminating government employees (Kinnard, 2025). This represents one of many instances when DOGE's downsizing efforts do not address "big ticket" items. Government workers' salaries represent only 5% of the federal budget. In FY 2022, federal worker salaries and benefits totaled $271 billion, whereas in FY 2023 contractors for the federal government were paid $759 billion (Congressional Budget Office, 2024; GAO, 2024).
A Smart Idea: To meaningfully reduce the deficit, focus on the largest government expenditures. According to data complied by USA Facts (2024) the three largest categories of government expenditures are national defense and veterans, social security, and transfers to states. Focusing on government contractors would also represent a more appropriate target, with expenditures more than double the salaries and benefits for civil servants.
DOGE sent virtually every government worker a "fork in the road" email, encouraging each worker to resign from government service (Burleigh, 2025). Encouraging government-wide resignations, regardless of expertise and demand for services, has the potential to cripple government agencies and programs.
A Smart Idea: Carefully review each employee to determine the value they add to the agency or program they serve, evaluating their knowledge, skills, and abilities.
President Trump's Executive Order, Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity, purports to "promote individual initiative, excellence, and hard work." (Trump, 2025). Contrary to this order, DOGE seeks to terminate all probationary employees, regardless of their individual initiative, excellence, and hard work (Campbell, 2025).
A Smart Idea: Carefully review each probationary employee to determine the value they add to the agency or program they serve, evaluating their knowledge skills and abilities.
DOGE engages in deception and debasement when terminating employees. For example, the termination letter addressed to probationary employees contained the following language: “Unfortunately, the agency finds that you are not fit for continued employment because your ability, knowledge, and skills do not fit the Agency’s current needs, and your performance has not been adequate to justify your further employment in the Agency.” (AFGE, 2025). Malicious lies contained in this letter are bolded; the performance of probationary employees was not a factor in their termination.
A Smart Idea: Treat employees with respect and appropriately recognize their abilities, knowledge, and skills.
Elon Musk mocks individual federal employees on X and demonizes and criminalizes federal employees more broadly, referring to them as members of the bureaucracy, an "unconstitutional fourth branch of government" (Fox News, 2025). Attempting to reduce the public's faith in civil servants creates a situation where skilled professionals will not want to work for the federal government.
A Smart Idea: This is a simple one - do not demonize or criminalize civil servants.
DOGE suggests government workers are overpaid (FOX News, 2025). However, for educated workers – those with a bachelor’s degree and above - private sector salaries exceed federal government salaries. Since 2016, salary growth in the private sector has eclipsed salary growth for government workers.
A Smart Idea: Do not disseminate misinformation.
DOGE suggests civil servants should not be able to attain a high net worth (FOX News, 2025). Keep in mind, the wealthiest man in the world is the one objecting to these individuals attaining a high net worth. An individual's salary is only one contributor to their net worth. Here are a few other perfectly legal ways to build net worth: inheritance, side hustles, a spouse’s income, investments including a 401(k) or IRA, appreciation of real estate, i.e., your primary residence.
A Smart Idea: Don't punish civil servants for managing their personal finances effectively.
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