> DOGE was such a missed opportunity. If only they could use their smarts to actually improve government efficiency.
I used to think that, but given how things unfolded I'm pretty convinced it was never intended to be anything more than a slash-and-burn purge of "DEI" and "disloyal" gov employees combined with a taxpayer-data-heist.
There is a book about DOGE, "Blockers: Rebels in the Deep State" by Michael Lewis. In a recent interview he said, that after researching DOGE and its actions he believes something similar what you said, that DOGE was only a smoke screen or distraction for a larger transfer of executive power.