Clinton's Efficiency Model Was a Success, What About Trump's Efficiency Model?

WASHINGTON DC, MONDAY - The polemic of the dismissal of thousands of employees in the United States government departments and agencies under President Donald Trump continues. The US once did something similar under President Bill Clinton. What's the difference?

Over the weekend, billionaire Elon Musk, who was appointed to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), sent an email to federal employees asking them to report on their work over the previous week. Several agencies told their employees not to respond to any messages from Musk and DOGE.

As of Monday (24/2/2025), the rejection directive was issued by, among others, the US Department of Defense (Pentagon), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the State Department. Employees received an email from Musk asking: "what were your accomplishments last week?" Failure to respond to the message risks getting them fired.

During February 2025, DOGE and Musk are disrupting various ministries and agencies in the US. Musk was appointed by President Donald Trump to lead DOGE with the aim of government budget efficiency. Musk targets that the government can save up to 2 trillion US dollars.

There is confusion amidst the many layoffs. As happened at the Department of Health on Sunday (23/2/2025). Health Minister Robert F Kennedy Jr (RFK Jr) ordered the ministry's 80,000 employees to comply with DOGE's request.

However, not long after RFK Jr's directive was issued, a circular letter from Acting Secretary General of the Department of Health, Sean Keveney, emerged, instructing employees not to respond to emails from Musk. As a result, the personnel audit at the Department of Health is currently suspended.

"To be honest, after working 70 hours last week to draft the current government's priorities, I was truly offended to receive this email (from Musk)," said Keveney in his circular letter.

He explained that various jobs of the Health Department employees are sensitive. In fact, some are protected by law. Neither Musk's email nor DOGE guarantees legal protection or respect for those clauses.

Last week, confusion also occurred at several agencies that had laid off their employees, such as the Department of Agriculture and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). DOGE has laid off thousands of employees.

After that, they realized that without the staff, the Department of Agriculture could not control the bird flu outbreak. The price of eggs in the US soared eightfold because chickens were infected with the disease.

Likewise, the NNSA does not have the staff to monitor the safety and stability of nuclear reactors. As a result, DOGE rehired them.

"This efficiency management is a mess. Please DOGE have some empathy. These employees are making a living for their families. They have children to support," said John Curtis, a Republican Senator from the state of Utah.

In Utah, there are 33,000 federal employees at risk of being laid off. Nationally, there are 75,000 US federal employees at risk of being laid off by DOGE.

Meanwhile, 1,600 employees at the US Agency for International Assistance (USAID) based in the US were officially laid off. Other USAID employees spread around the world were asked to take extended leave. In total, the agency has 10,000 employees.

This government efficiency is not the first to be done by the US Government. US President from 1993-2001 Bill Clinton also did it and laid off 426,000 employees. The difference is, Clinton's version of efficiency is considered a success, both by government experts and the public.

Clinton's efficiency program was launched in 1993 and was called the National Partnership for Reinventing Government (REGO). Vice President Al Gore was responsible for heading REGO. He was tasked with streamlining bureaucracy and eliminating sectoral egos.

As a result, the U.S. ran a budget surplus for four straight years. "Government is giving the American people a smaller administration and less bureaucracy. The era of big, fat government is over," Clinton said in his 1996 State of the Union address.

Morley Winograd, former Director of REGO was interviewed by Newsweek magazine on February 19, 2025. He explained that the main difference between Trump's and Clinton's efficiency lies in the basis of thinking.

"We at REGO believe that federal employees are capable people who are trapped in a bad bureaucracy. It is that bureaucracy that needs to be fixed," Winograd said.

While the system was being fixed, the employees continued to do their jobs in their respective agencies. In March 1993, REGO reviewed the ministries/agencies, the results of which were published in September 1993. It contained 400 recommendations to the government. The Clinton-Gore administration implemented it gradually.

"The key is that we're cutting the fat, not amputating ourselves," said Elaine Kamarck, a fellow at the Brookings Institution who was a co-leader of the REGO study. She told CBS on Feb. 20, 2025.

He explained that the team heard input from each ministry/institution regarding the systems that needed to be fixed in their respective units. After the REGO report came out, the executive submitted an efficiency proposal to the US Congress. As a result, the efficiency decision was solidly supported by the executive and legislative branches.

"Respect the ministries/agencies. After all, they are the ones who understand each other's work and constraints," Kamarck said. According to him, when efficiency is implemented, there is relatively no resistance from ministries/agencies.

This view is in contrast to Trump and Musk's efficiency. Regarding USAID, for example, Trump and Musk accused the agency's employees of being crazy, extremists, and money launderers. In practice, the response from ministries/agencies to the efficiency program is far from cooperative.

Paul Light, Professor Emeritus of Government at New York University, believes that Trump's efficiency is like cutting down. He told the daily USA Today, February 21 2025, that DOGE did not conduct an in-depth study of the main duties and functions of federal employees. Likewise with the implementation and achievements of ministry/institution programs.

"We don't know the studies that the government based its decision on," Light said.

Meanwhile, among the conservative US community, a new popular term is circulating, namely Dark MAGA. MAGA is short for Make America Great Again, Trump's campaign slogan to restore the glory of the US industry and economy.

The word "dark" is an addition in front of MAGA. The term Dark MAGA first appeared on the hat worn by Musk. He always wears the black cap whenever he appears in public with Trump or at Republican Party events.

For ultra-conservative Republicans, the term Dark MAGA is a breath of fresh air. It also symbolizes the conservative public's acceptance of Musk's growing influence in the Trump administration.

Musk was the guest of honor at the Political Action Committee Conference (CPAC). His presence was a surprise and was greeted enthusiastically by attendees.

"Elon is a unique person, not fake. That's why I'm happy he's on our team (the Republican Party)," said event participant Whitney Mason (52), a real estate agent.

(AP/AFP)