Government Efficiency Under Scrutiny
You might expect Elon Musk, given his vocal criticism of government waste, to appreciate the efforts of dedicated government staffers working to improve federal operations. However, as reported by Wired, Musk and his team at the Department of Government Efficiency have taken a drastically different approach. They have opted to abruptly fire these staffers and abandon their projects, supposedly to streamline government functions.

The Aftermath of Mass Firings
According to Wired, Musk’s aggressive cutting measures have resulted in the loss of approximately 200 technologists from the General Services Administration (GSA) and the United States Digital Service (USDS). This includes at least 90 employees from 18F, a digital services agency established during the Obama administration, who were notified of their termination via email on a Saturday morning. 18F has been instrumental in updating and improving various government systems.

Projects and Initiatives Disrupted
The terminated technologists were working on several critical projects. For instance, the team behind the IRS Direct File program, which allowed taxpayers to file their taxes directly with the government without incurring third-party costs, was let go. This decision may hinder the rollout of this service to a broader audience. Other affected projects include a system for efficient passport application processing at the State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs and an update to the National Weather Service’s (NWS) Weather.gov API to make it more stable and accessible for weather apps and services. Additionally, technologists working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on upgrading the Disease Surveillance system, which tracks pathogens and illness trends, have also been pushed out.

The Legacy of 18F
If Musk’s team had examined 18F’s track record, they would have found one of the most effective and efficient offices in the government. 18F has fundamentally changed how citizens interact with the federal government. Its achievements include building the IRS Direct File system, Login.gov, which provides unified access to multiple major government services, and fixing Healthcare.gov, making it a navigable platform for accessing healthcare options. 18F has also made numerous behind-the-scenes changes, standardizing and modernizing government IT. Its work has been instrumental in making the government more efficient.

A Critical Lens on the Department of Government Efficiency
Elon Musk has previously stated that "Any given law will do the opposite of its name." Applying this logic to his Department of Government Efficiency raises questions. If the department were truly efficient, would it need to assert its efficiency in its name? This is a point worth considering, given the actions taken by Musk and his team.