Staff Reports
The creation of the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, has quickly showcased just how deep the swamp of waste and fraud runs within the federal government. In a shocking reveal, this newcomer has flagged potential inefficiencies in federal spending that could range from a staggering $50 billion to an eye-popping $4.7 trillion. That’s right: within mere weeks, DOGE has managed to pull back the curtain on a mountain of financial mismanagement that seasoned bureaucrats have been all too happy to ignore.
Now, let’s take a look at the federal Inspector General (IG) community. With a budget of $3.1 billion for Fiscal Year 2023, these auditors and investigators have racked up a measly $93 billion in potential savings — $26.6 billion of which came from investigations. While savings are certainly welcome, these numbers can’t help but raise an eyebrow. If DOGE is unearthing such monumental lapses in a fraction of the time, what have these IGs been doing for decades? It seems like they may have been picking low-hanging fruit while the financial forest caught fire around them.
Op-Ed from CIA Vet: This Needs to Be DOGE's Next Target https://t.co/krdSG2PLHF
— Observing Time (@TimeObserving) March 2, 2025
The IGs have enjoyed a long-standing framework established back in 1978, designed to ensure accountability across federal agencies. With 74 statutory IGs and thousands of staff members dedicated to rooting out waste and fraud, it stands to reason that they should be the watchdogs of governmental efficiency. However, the dog has been barking in a different direction, and DOGE’s rapid identification of discrepancies might suggest the IG system is more like a sleepy watchdog in need of a good cup of coffee.
One of the most glaring oversights in the IG framework is its failure to prioritize whistleblower protections. The original 1978 Act doesn’t even mandate investigations into reprisals against whistleblowers, leaving them vulnerable and stifling the flow of critical information. This oversight is colossal because whistleblowers play an indispensable role in exposing fraud and waste. Without a safety net, they are far less likely to come forward, creating a perfect storm of missed opportunities for the IGs to address systemic inefficiencies.
Furthermore, the IG community seems to be concerned more with fluff than the real meat of accountability. Annual reports from the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency glorify financial recoveries while largely ignoring the crucial dynamics of reprisals. Instead of digging deeper into complex reprisal cases, IGs often opt for the simpler, more profitable cases, thereby ignoring the systemic issues that are often the root causes of inefficiencies. This approach might make it easier to fill their reports with good news, but it doesn’t do the job of cleaning up Washington’s financial mess.
A straightforward solution is on the table: DOGE should take the lead in auditing IG operations and reforming them. A mandate for reprisal investigations should be put in place, along with dedicated resources for these cases. SAR requirements must also be revised to give Congress a clearer picture of what’s happening in terms of whistleblower allegations and outcomes. Taxpayers deserve to want to know exactly how their money is being managed and whether their concerns are being taken seriously.
The swift success of DOGE lends credence to the idea that a fresh perspective is long overdue. If it can expose gaping holes in federal spending in a matter of weeks, surely it’s time holding those who’ve had decades to do the same accountable. In the battle for taxpayer dollars, the old guard could use a wake-up call from the new kid on the block. After all, the American public deserves nothing less than a government that works efficiently and transparently, without wasting precious taxpayer dollars.
