Florida’s knockoff of Donald Trump’s inefficient Department of Government Efficiency appears to be following the playbook of its namesake, using dodgy math and antidemocratic principles to target liberals on nakedly political grounds.
The original DOGE, led by Elon Musk, greatly overstated the savings it alleged to have generated by gutting federal agencies, cutting services many Americans rely on and firing employees. In fact, evidence shared by Democratic lawmakers suggests many of DOGE’s cuts actually cost Americans money.
Florida’s DOGE seems to be headed in a similar direction. The initiative is being led by state Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia, who’s currently campaigning to win a full term in the role. To kick off the month, Ingoglia and Gov. Ron DeSantis dropped a list of purportedly wasteful programs and items purchased by cities and counties in Florida (mostly ones led by liberals) that includes familiar Republican targets, like diversity programs. But much like the original DOGE’s list, Florida’s version takes it as a given that Pride festivals and arts grants constitute waste, fraud or abuse.
Late last week, the Tallahassee Democrat reported “there are few specifics behind Ingoglia’s sizzling claims,” adding that, “instead, the CFO is using simple math — too simple, critics say — to show how spending in these mostly Democratic-leaning communities outstrips growth.”
The outlet reached the same conclusion that leaders in targeted regions have reached: that Ingoglia’s claims — particularly his claim to have identified $1 billion in waste — are bogus. Many of the items flagged by Ingoglia are designed to appeal to a Republican voting base easily antagonized by DEI and other cultural flashpoints. The items cited don’t add up anywhere near the amount Ingoglia claims is wasted. The news outlet said “the CFO’s office has failed to respond to repeated requests” for details on his claims. MSNBC’s request for comment via the agency’s website was not received. In the meantime, Florida’s version of DOGE appears to be afflicted with the same blind spots and illiberal assumptions as its federal forebear.
Ja’han Jones is an MS NOW opinion blogger. He previously wrote The ReidOut Blog.
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