State-affiliated officials leaning rightward aim to emulate Elon's actions and adopt DOGE themselves.

States and local governments aligned with right-wing ideologies aim to mimic Elon Musk's venture and adopt Dogecoin for their financial transactions.

In a move to eliminate perceived waste and fraud within state governments, conservative governments in at least 18 states, counties, and towns are adopting a similar approach to cut "wasteful" government programs. This initiative is being implemented through executive orders and legislative action, with governors, state lawmakers, and business executives promising to root out inefficiencies.

One of the driving forces behind this movement is the belief that these cuts will lead to a more efficient use of taxpayer dollars. A conservative state legislator expressed this sentiment, stating that these cuts would eliminate waste and fraud within state governments.

However, the focus on cutting government spending has raised concerns. Critics argue that cutting public funding can lead to a harder life for citizens, particularly in areas such as education, water, roads, and weather reports.

In New Jersey, Assemblyman Alex Sauickie, a Republican, is supporting the cut of funding for minor league ballparks, tennis courts, and dominoes clubs with taxpayer money. The state's auditor will lead a group of 20 members of the public to make decisions on spending efficiency.

Quirky names like the GOAT committee in Wisconsin and FLOGE in Florida are being used for these initiatives. Yet, the approach is not without controversy. Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been vocal in his criticism of certain federal agencies, recently calling Social Security a "Ponzi scheme." He has also expressed a desire to downsize and hamstring agencies responsible for public services, air and water quality, weather forecasting, and consumer protection.

It's important to note that no specific U.S. states have been directly identified as adopting Elon Musk's "slash-and-burn" program aiming to abolish "wasteful" state government programs. The references describe Musk's broader influence on federal government restructuring and policies since January 2025 but do not name particular states following such a program.

Despite the claims that these cuts will save taxpayers money, a report suggests that Musk is not focusing on making the government more efficient. In fact, the agencies that Musk is targeting represent minuscule fractions of federal spending, meaning that, for the money, they are actually quite efficient.

Moreover, misguided and uninformed Americans believe that privatizing key services will make them less expensive. However, this is incorrect. In many cases, privatization can lead to increased costs and reduced quality of services.

As these initiatives continue to unfold, it's crucial to approach them with a critical eye. While the intention may be to eliminate waste, it's essential to ensure that the cuts do not disproportionately affect the most vulnerable members of society.