The Trump administration's newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) can glean significant insights from Javier Milei's reform initiatives in Argentina, particularly in areas like government streamlining, addressing bureaucratic inefficiencies, and fostering economic liberty. Below are some key takeaways for DOGE from Milei's approach:
Lasting change requires bold action and unwavering commitment to principles.
1. Streamline Bureaucracy Aggressively
- Lesson: Milei demonstrated that cutting bureaucracy is both achievable and effective. He reduced Argentina's ministries from over 20 to 8 and laid off 50,000 public employees, focusing only on essential roles.
- Application for DOGE: Conduct an extensive audit of federal departments, agencies, and roles to identify redundancies. Focus on consolidating departments with overlapping functions and transitioning non-critical services to the private sector.
2. Enforce Fiscal Discipline
- Lesson: Milei achieved Argentina’s first fiscal surplus in 16 years by: Cutting discretionary transfers. Suspending public works projects prone to corruption. Reducing subsidies.
- Application for DOGE: Review all discretionary spending programs and eliminate or consolidate those with poor outcomes. Prioritize performance-based funding for projects and introduce strict transparency requirements for all government spending.
3. Address Structural Inefficiencies Through Deregulation
- Lesson: Milei's deregulation ministry removed 1–5 regulations daily and has over 3,200 structural reforms pending. He focused on reducing barriers to market entry and freeing businesses from unnecessary restrictions.
- Application for DOGE: Create a task force to systematically identify and repeal outdated or redundant regulations across all sectors. Ensure that regulatory reforms prioritize ease of doing business and innovation while maintaining essential protections.
4. Increase Transparency to Combat Corruption
- Lesson: Milei tackled corruption by: Eliminating intermediaries in welfare programs to prevent skimming. Stopping opaque discretionary transfers to provinces. Ending government advertising funds that fueled media bias.
- Application for DOGE: Introduce technology-driven direct payment systems for all public benefits. Establish independent audits for all major government contracts and programs. Prohibit federal funds from being used for advertising that creates conflicts of interest with the media.
5. Make Government Performance Measurable
- Lesson: Milei implemented a countdown mechanism within his deregulation ministry, showcasing progress and holding officials accountable to deadlines.
- Application for DOGE: Develop a public dashboard tracking the elimination of wasteful spending, regulatory reductions, and efficiency improvements. Require government agencies to publish key performance indicators (KPIs) and provide periodic updates on progress.
6. Tackle Inflation and Balance the Budget
- Lesson: By cleaning up Argentina’s central bank balance sheets, stopping money printing for deficits, and balancing the budget within his first month, Milei avoided hyperinflation and restored monetary stability.
- Application for DOGE: Focus on reducing national debt and balancing the budget by setting strict caps on discretionary spending and entitlement growth. Limit the Federal Reserve’s involvement in funding government deficits to ensure long-term monetary stability.
7. Empower Direct Citizen Benefits
- Lesson: Milei bypassed middlemen in social programs, ensuring beneficiaries received funds directly through electronic cards, doubling their effective resources.
- Application for DOGE: Expand direct benefit systems to minimize administrative costs and opportunities for corruption. Ensure these systems are backed by robust digital infrastructure for efficiency and transparency.
8. Maintain Public Support Through Effective Communication
- Lesson: Milei used platforms like X (formerly Twitter) to bypass traditional media, communicate reforms directly to citizens, and combat misinformation.
- Application for DOGE: Develop a communication strategy that explains reforms in simple, relatable terms to build public understanding and support. Leverage social media to counter misinformation and promote the benefits of government efficiency initiatives.
9. Address Cultural Resistance
- Lesson: Milei faced significant opposition from entrenched political and social groups but emphasized cultural education on the values of economic freedom and individual responsibility.
- Application for DOGE: Launch educational campaigns to highlight the benefits of a lean, efficient government. Partner with civic organizations and schools to promote understanding of how reduced government intervention leads to economic growth and opportunity.
10. Stay Relentless Despite Criticism
- Lesson: Milei faced fierce backlash but remained steadfast in his reforms, framing his actions as a fight for freedom and against systemic corruption.
- Application for DOGE: Expect and prepare for pushback from interest groups and bureaucracy. Build a coalition of stakeholders who support efficiency reforms and highlight early successes to maintain momentum.
DOGE can draw inspiration from Javier Milei’s success in Argentina by prioritizing transparency, deregulation, fiscal discipline, and cultural education. By coupling aggressive reforms with strategic communication and measurable outcomes, the department could become a catalyst for transforming the U.S. government into a leaner, more efficient entity that better serves its citizens.
Radical reforms are necessary for lasting stability because entrenched inefficiencies and corruption prevent progress.
