The Ripple Effect Of Musk's Government Purge

This Fresh Air interview focuses on the impact of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) on the federal workforce. The discussion begins with a hypothetical question about Musk's authority and then explores the size and structure of the federal workforce, the history of civil service protections, and the effects of recent actions by DOGE, including employee dismissals and a controversial email demanding weekly productivity reports. Professor Elizabeth Linos, a public policy expert, details the lack of evidence for claims of government bloat and explains how DOGE's actions disproportionately affect probationary employees, undermining efforts to modernize the government. The interview concludes with a discussion of the potential long-term economic and social consequences of these actions, including the increased use of more expensive contractors and the erosion of trust in public service.