Accountability in Democracy. Everything else should come after that principle, and only serve to make it more effective. (7)

Economic efficiency alone is not government accountability. We need a framework that tracks how well government represents and serves democracy itself. It's easy to cut out 'drug tests on hamsters' - but how do you effectively deal with Social Security? Outreach programs? Community investment? (6)

Some might quibble: "We're a representational republic!" Sure. That’s just a type of democracy. A mature, structured form of it. And it comes with expectations of participation, principles, and governance that strengthens it. (5)

Yes, sometimes we invest and don’t get the democratic results we’d like. That’s where we should focus efficiency. Not just cutting spending, but improving outcomes for democracy itself. (4)

If we focus only on the economic ledger, we fail to audit government for its democratic practice. And democracy isn’t measured in dollars, it’s measured in attention, results, and representation. (3)

Government isn't just about balancing the books. It’s about representational choice. We elect leaders, voice our priorities, and expect our budget to reflect the pillars of our society. It's not just how much we spend, but what we spend on. (2)

DOGE is not enough.

The idea of running a government like a ledger, prioritizing economic efficiency, is important. But efficiency alone is not accountability in government. (1)

This is why DOGE approaches are not enough.

Economic efficiency is not government accountability. We need a framework for how well government represents and serves the people.

Accountability in Democracy. Everything else should come after that principle, and only serve to make it more effective.