The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative is facing a lot of backlash. But it appears that much of the outrage is manufactured.
Several media outlets reported on protests occurring in red states or red districts against GOP lawmakers regarding the DOGE initiative. These reports made it seem as if there was a massive level of outrage among Republican voters who are upset that Elon Musk and his team are cutting important government programs.
While some have expressed some valid concerns, a Washington Free Beacon report revealed that much of this Republican “resistance” is astroturfed.
For example, Rep. Rich McCormick (R-GA) faced criticism from his constituents during a recent town hall event.
The town hall crowd peppers Rep. Rich McCormick with boos and catcalls as he struggles to answer a pointed question from a resident who says she’s a descendant of Patrick Henry who pressed him on whether Trump was moving toward “tyranny.” #gapol https://t.co/gicXVC7AFJ pic.twitter.com/BkSIaxtgQb
— Greg Bluestein (@bluestein) February 21, 2025
However, Maggie Goldman, one of those who spoke out against DOGE during the event, is not a Republican nor does she reside in McCormick’s district, according to the Washington Free Beacon.
Goldman does live in McCormick's district, though she's far from a concerned supporter of the two-term Republican. A self-described "Democrat & Political Activist," Goldman, who did not respond to a request for comment, coordinated volunteers for Pete Buttigieg's presidential campaign in 2019 and 2020, according to her LinkedIn. Shortly thereafter, she ran for her local county commission as a Democrat seeking to enact a "more inclusive policy agenda." Goldman has donated exclusively to Democrats and sent Kamala Harris's campaign more than $1,500 last year, according to campaign finance records. On her Facebook page, she boasted of the national media attention the McCormick protest received, sharing screenshots of headlines alongside the caption, "We really were on 🔥🔥."
The report suggests that many of the protests that have been held at GOP town halls were started by two George Soros-funded organizations: Indivisible and MoveOn.
Both groups launched national "mobilization" efforts targeting the "Trump-Musk agenda" and "Trump-Musk coup" during the recess period. MoveOn said its "members and allies will show up at congressional-led town halls and congressional offices around the country, targeting House Republicans whose votes will be crucial in opposing Trump and Musk's harmful policies." Indivisible issued a "Musk or Us Recess Toolkit" that showed members how to find their local town halls and urged them to "take the fight to Elon."
Some local media outlets mentioned the involvement of these organizations in the protests. Yet, curiously, national legacy media decided this detail was not worth mentioning.
Indivisible is an organization formed “to resist the Trump agenda” and “elect local champions, and fight for progressive policies,” according to its website.
The group enlists activists to help it advance a progressive agenda.
They make calls. They show up. They speak with their neighbors. They organize. And through that work, they’ve built hundreds of mini-movements in support of their local values. And now, after practice, training, and repetition, they’ve built lasting power on their home turf and a massive, collective political muscle ready to be exercised each and every day in every corner of the country.
MoveOn, a leftist organization that has existed since 1998, is “a force for social justice and political progress,” its website states.
The play here is apparent: They want to deceive the country into believing a large swath of Republican voters oppose DOGE. The legacy media is helping them in this endeavor by concealing their involvement while covering the protests.
Unfortunately, this endeavor might actually fool a large number of people. While there are certainly valid concerns about the program coming from the right, it is clear that these organizations are propagating yet another false narrative.
A Washington Post-Ipsos poll found that 56 percent of Republican voters approved of DOGE. About 25 percent said they weren’t sure about the initiative while only 18 percent were against it.
A Harvard Harris poll showed that 60 percent of voters believe DOGE “is helping make major cuts in government expenditures.”
As I have frequently argued, Democrats seem only to oppose DOGE because it was established by President Trump with Elon Musk at the helm. Their motivation is purely political. No wonder they have to resort to these tactics.
Editor's Note: President Trump, Elon Musk, and DOGE are bringing much-needed accountability to our out-of-control government as they take a chainsaw to rampant waste, fraud, and abuse.
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