This is part two of a two-part series that examines DOGE's actions so far and what the future holds for the temporary agency. Read part one here.Part two examines the efficacy of the agency and what the future holds.Is DOGE saving money?Musk initially promised to save the federal government $2 trillion. But over time, that projection has shrunk맥스카지노�from $1 trillion, to $500 billion, and now to just $160 billion. For context, that would save about 2% from last year맥스카지노�s total federal budget of $6.75 trillion.맥스카지노�I맥스카지노�m excited to announce that we anticipate savings in (Fiscal Year) 맥스카지노�26 from reduction of waste and fraud by $150 billion,맥스카지노� Musk said in an April Cabinet meeting.Questions have since emerged about whether Musk맥스카지노�s latest estimate is feasible or accurate.Several media outlets have reported that DOGE has posted misleading budget data on its website. In one instance, DOGE claimed it saved $8 billion by canceling a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement contract that was actually worth just $8 million. Other reports show DOGE taking credit for terminating contracts that were either never approved or had already been canceled under President Joe Biden.A recent analysis by the Partnership for Public Service suggests that DOGE맥스카지노�s sweeping workforce cuts may end up costing the government money. The report estimates that the combination of layoffs, rehirings, lost productivity, and paid leave for thousands of federal workers could total more than $135 billion this fiscal year.At the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) alone, proposed cuts, including the dismissal of 22,000 workers, could result in $8.5 billion in lost revenue in 2026, according to The Budget Lab at Yale University.맥스카지노�Tax revenues may be lost to tax evasion from people who know they can get away with it,맥스카지노� Jessica Reidl, a former chief economist for GOP Sen. Rob Portman, said. 맥스카지노�Mainly, large corporations and rich individuals who may be more willing to roll the dice and underpay their taxes because the IRS won맥스카지노�t audit them.맥스카지노�That will dwarf whatever small savings DOGE is accomplishing,맥스카지노� added Reidl, a self-described 맥스카지노�fiscal conservative맥스카지노� who works as a senior fellow for the Manhattan Institute, a right-leaning think tank.Video below: IRS workforce cuts raise concerns during tax seasonMatt Weidinger, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a center-right think tank, remains more optimistic about DOGE맥스카지노�s initiative. He sees potential for long-term savings as DOGE, in his view, shifts its focus from workforce cuts and budget reductions to modernizing federal data systems.Specifically, he would like to see DOGE utilize more efficient data processing to crack down on unemployment benefit fraud, which DOGE estimates is up to $382 million. The Government Accountability Office says it's closer to $145 billion.맥스카지노�If you filter for age, there were tens of thousands of claimants who sure seem like they shouldn맥스카지노�t have been given unemployment benefits since the pandemic,맥스카지노� said Weidinger, a former deputy staff director for the House Ways and Means Committee. 맥스카지노�My take on that is it맥스카지노�s good (DOGE) is reviewing those things. There맥스카지노�s a lot more to that story.맥스카지노�Weidinger said that he is not hung up on DOGE맥스카지노�s bottom-line projections. Rather, DOGE맥스카지노�s cultural impact of prioritizing the debt is paramount, he said, and any savings are a step in the right direction.맥스카지노�We맥스카지노�re running $2 trillion annual deficits in good times. We맥스카지노�re spending $1 trillion on interest on the debt, which is more than we spend on federal programs for children,맥스카지노� Weidinger said. Adding, 맥스카지노�Change is hard, and (cutting) $150 billion in wasteful spending is a good day's work. It맥스카지노�s a fraction of what American taxpayers lost during the pandemic. So that leaves a lot to be done, but it맥스카지노�s $150 billion closer to the goal.맥스카지노�What맥스카지노�s the future of DOGE?Earlier this month, Musk said on a Tesla earnings call that he plans to reduce his role at DOGE soon.맥스카지노�Starting next month, May, my time allocation to DOGE will drop significantly,맥스카지노� Musk said.As a special government employee (SGE), Musk is legally permitted to serve only 130 days within a 365-day period. Whether he will adhere to that limit remains unclear, though Delaney Marsco isn맥스카지노�t optimistic.Marsco, a senior legal counsel for ethics at the Campaign Legal Center, said Musk맥스카지노�s entire tenure has pushed the legal and ethical boundaries of the SGE designation.맥스카지노�What President Trump and Elon Musk have done with DOGE and, specifically, with Musk맥스카지노�s role in DOGE is a bit unprecedented,맥스카지노� Marsco said. 맥스카지노�Typically, SGEs are more in these advisory roles; they맥스카지노�re serving very short periods of time, sometimes SGEs are hired on for days. These are folks typically brought in to weigh in on a very discrete area of regulatory policy.맥스카지노�So, it맥스카지노�s a little bit odd to have someone with this classification be working at a senior level and have this broad power to make changes in the federal government,맥스카지노� Marsco added.As speculation about Musk맥스카지노�s role grows, so do the legal challenges facing DOGE.The agency is now battling more than 20 lawsuits over its mass firings, dismantling of agencies, funding freezes, handling of sensitive data, and alleged lack of transparency.A few of DOGE맥스카지노�s actions have been blocked, at least for now, leaving it uncertain what will ultimately hold up in court.DOGE맥스카지노�s and Musk맥스카지노�s favorability with the American public has also dipped significantly. Most polls released this month show both under 50% approval. Moreover, a majority of respondents believe that DOGE is cutting 맥스카지노�too much,맥스카지노� and its actions are negatively impacting the country.That sentiment was tangibly demonstrated in the March Wisconsin Supreme Court election. Musk campaigned on the ground and poured millions of dollars into the race, even offering $1 million checks to voters. It was the first major race since the 2024 election, setting up a referendum on the current administration. But, in a state that Trump carried, Musk맥스카지노�s efforts were unsuccessful, as the Democrats' choice for judge won the election.According to the executive order that established it, DOGE is set to expire on July 4, 2026.Whatever lies ahead, one thing is certain: in just 100 days, DOGE has altered the federal government in ways that are likely to be felt long after its mandate, or Musk맥스카지노�s role, will end.