Would Thomas Jefferson approve of DOGE?

From ChatGPT:

Thomas Jefferson would likely have mixed feelings about a Department of Government Efficiency, depending on its scope and function.

• Why He Might Approve: 
•  Limited Government & Fiscal Responsibility – Jefferson was a strong advocate for minimizing government waste and ensuring efficient use of public funds. If such a department worked to reduce bureaucracy and streamline operations, he might have supported it. 
•  Republican Virtues – He believed in a government that served the people effectively without unnecessary complexity, so an effort to improve government efficiency could align with his ideals. 
• Why He Might Disapprove: 
• Bureaucratic Expansion – Jefferson was skeptical of centralized power and large government institutions. The very creation of a new department could be seen as adding more layers to the bureaucracy he often opposed. 
•  State vs. Federal Power – He strongly favored states’ rights and decentralized governance. If the department operated at the federal level, he might argue that efficiency efforts should be handled at the state or local level instead. 
• Final Thought: If structured as a temporary commission to identify inefficiencies and reduce waste, Jefferson might have supported it. But if it became a permanent federal agency with expanding influence, he would likely have opposed it as a contradiction to his vision of a small, decentralized government.