What's Up Doge?

It’s Week 10 (March 23–29, 2025), and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is posting on X about their efforts to streamline government spending. We’re breaking down their updates from this week, making them relatable and addressing the skeptic who’s wondering if this will backfire. DOGE’s been at this since January 18, 2025, and their Day 30 post set the tone with a clear mission: stop wasteful spending. Here’s the image I shared back then from my article on my new blog about DOGE.

That “call out waste” mindset carries through to Week 10. Let’s check out each post, day by day, with the actual posts embedded so you can see exactly what DOGE is saying.

March 24, 2025 – Day 65: Cleaning Up Social Security Records

For the past 3 weeks, Social Security has been executing a major cleanup of their records. Approximately 7 million numberholders, all listed age 120+, have now been marked as deceased. Another ~5 million to go. — DOGE

What’s Happening? Social Security is tidying up, marking 7 million people aged 120+ as deceased, with 5 million more to go. These are records of folks who’d be older than the oldest verified human ever (122 years), so they’re likely not still cashing checks. Relatable Take: Imagine you’re still sending Christmas cards to your great-great-grandpa who’d be 130 this year. You’re wasting stamps—and maybe money if those cards came with gift cards. DOGE is helping Social Security stop sending “cards” to people who aren’t around, saving funds for the living. Skeptic’s Concern: Skeptical Sam’s worried: “What if they accidentally mark me as dead? I need my Social Security to pay my rent!” Why It’s a Win: Don’t panic, Sam. They’re only targeting folks listed as 120 or older—way beyond life expectancy (79 for the average American). This isn’t a random sweep; it’s fixing obvious errors. That means more money for actual recipients, like you, without the system bleeding cash to ghosts.

*See special note re: Antonio Gracias and his help with DOGE at end of this article.

March 25, 2025 – Day 66: Trimming Fitness Consulting Costs

Fitness update, canceling a $32.1M consulting agreement for government-wide fitness center services. — DOGE

What’s Happening? DOGE canceled a $32.1 million contract for a consultant to manage fitness center services for federal workers. This isn’t closing gyms—just cutting the middleman who was charging millions to “advise” on them. Relatable Take: Think of your gym membership. You’re paying $50 a month to work out, but then you find out someone’s charging you an extra $32 million to tell you how to use the treadmill. DOGE’s saying, “We can figure out the treadmill ourselves,” and saving the cash. Skeptic’s Concern: Sam’s grumbling: “Won’t this make federal workers unhealthy? I don’t want stressed-out, out-of-shape clerks at the DMV!” Why It’s a Win: Relax, Sam—they’re not shutting down the gyms. This was a consulting deal, not the actual fitness centers. Workers can still hit the treadmill; they just won’t have an overpaid “expert” telling them how. That $32.1 million can go to something useful, like fixing the DMV’s computers so you’re not waiting an hour.

March 25, 2025 – Day 66: Deactivating Excess Credit Cards

Update on de-activating ~315,000 credit cards, crediting USDA for great work, with a link to further details. — DOGE

What’s Happening? DOGE deactivated 315,000 government credit cards, with the USDA leading the effort. This ties back to their Day 30 focus on curbing credit card waste, aiming to stop misuse and unnecessary spending. Relatable Take: Ever realize you’ve got 10 store credit cards—Target, Macy’s, even that gas station you went to once—and they’re all racking up fees? DOGE’s playing the responsible parent, taking those cards away so the government stops impulse-buying with your tax dollars. Skeptic’s Concern: Sam’s nervous: “What if they need those cards for emergencies—like buying supplies after a storm? This could mess up disaster response!” Why It’s a Win: Good thought, Sam, but this isn’t zero cards—it’s 315,000 fewer. The government had millions of these cards, and past audits showed tons of fraud—like $333 million in questionable charges a few years back. They’ll still have cards for real emergencies, just not one for every desk drawer. Less waste, more for actual needs.

March 26, 2025 – Day 67: Slashing Wasteful Contracts

Contract update! Yesterday, agencies terminated 113 wasteful contracts with a ceiling value of $4.7B and savings of $3.3B, including a $145K USDA consulting contract for ‘Peru climate change activities.’ Plus, the DOGE leaderboard has been updated. –DOGE

What’s Happening? DOGE cut 113 contracts worth $4.7 billion, saving $3.3 billion. One example: a $145,000 USDA contract to study climate change in Peru. They’re tracking it all on a public leaderboard. Relatable Take: Imagine your cable bill includes a $145 channel called “Peru Weather Updates” that you never watch. DOGE’s canceling that channel—and 112 others—saving $3.3 billion that could fix your potholes instead of funding a field trip to Lima. Skeptic’s Concern: Sam’s skeptical: “What if that Peru study was important for global climate stuff? And are they cutting things I need, like food safety?” Why It’s a Win: I get it, Sam, but $145,000 for Peru’s climate isn’t keeping your groceries safe. The USDA’s job is U.S. food security, not international science projects. These cuts are from fringe deals, not core services, and the leaderboard lets you see for yourself. That $3.3 billion can do more good here.

March 26, 2025 – Day 67: Prioritizing Domestic Labor Needs

Highlighting USDOL’s work, canceling $577M in grants for $237M savings, including specific international worker empowerment grants. — DOGE

What’s Happening? The Department of Labor canceled $577 million in grants, saving $237 million. Some were for “international worker empowerment”—helping workers abroad, not in the U.S. Relatable Take: Picture donating $100 a month to teach kids in another country to code while your own kid’s school can’t afford computers. DOGE’s saying, “Let’s help our kids first.” That $237 million stays here, maybe for job training you could use. Skeptic’s Concern: Sam’s not happy: “Those grants might’ve helped people who need it. Won’t this make us look selfish globally?” Why It’s a Win: I hear you, Sam, but $577 million is a lot when our own workers need help—unemployment’s real, and retraining programs here are stretched thin. This isn’t about ignoring the world; it’s about priorities. That money can fund jobs programs at home without hiking your taxes.

March 28, 2025 – Day 69: Cutting Frivolous Spending

Contract update over 3 days, terminating 121 contracts worth $351M, saving $156M, including DEI and transportation social media contracts, with a form image. — DOGE

What’s Happening? Over three days, DOGE cut 121 contracts valued at $351 million, saving $156 million. Some were for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and social media campaigns for transportation—like paying someone to tweet about buses. Relatable Take: Ever hire a painter for your house, but they spend half the budget making Instagram posts about paint colors? DOGE is cutting those gigs—$156 million worth. They’re not banning DEI or transit; they’re just not paying millions for hashtags. Skeptic’s Concern: Sam’s worried: “DEI’s important—won’t this hurt fairness? And what if those social media campaigns got people on buses?” Why It’s a Win: Calm down, Sam. This isn’t killing DEI or transit—it’s about smart spending. If a DEI contract is just a consultant writing reports nobody reads, that’s not fairness; it’s waste. Same with transportation tweets—if they’re not getting folks on buses, why spend millions? That $156 million can fund real training or bus repairs instead.

The Week 10 Takeaway DOGE’s Week 10 posts show they’re tackling waste with a sense of urgency—cleaning up Social Security, cutting fitness consultants, deactivating credit cards, and slashing contracts from Peru studies to DEI influencers. Skeptical Sam’s got valid worries, but DOGE’s targeting excess, not essentials, and saving billions in the process. It’s your tax dollars—does this feel like a win, or are you still on the fence?

*Antonio Gracias and DOGE

On 30 March, when Elon Musk held a Town Hall in Green Bay, his longtime close supporter, Antonio Gracias, came along and spoke about his work on the DOGE team with Social Security. This was a pleasant and welcome surprise to many. Antonio was also very well spoken on stage and he explained at length the fraud that he and his team were uncovering regarding social security number abuse made EASY by the Biden Administration. To listen to the livestream in its entirety, including Antonio’s speech, watch here.

https://t.co/XbfEhulfan

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 31, 2025