Adult Americans of all political persuasions should be appalled at DOGE investigation findings of years of government incompetence and irresponsibility in federal financial management. Overdue independent, in-depth questioning of why the national debt burden has reached a critical stage reveals endemic waste, fraud and corruption spanning administrations controlled by both political parties. The unchallenged common theme has been profligate selective spending to win special-interest support rather than to maintain a semblance of overall restraint and fairness. How did this appalling situation happen? Congressional officials elected to represent constituents of all conditions and persuasions have been populated predominantly by career politicians rather than persons of more diverse experience. They survive by in-chamber, poll-driven political dealmaking rather than street-level commercial and consumer sensitivity and sensibility. That survival mentality can lead to undemocratic conduct and consequences driven by recurring campaign financing demands. How many members of an increasingly bloated and technologically deficient federal bureaucracy experienced merit-based hiring without input from a Senate or House member or aide? What better way to reward certain supporters than a traditionally secure and lucrative agency administrative position? The DOGE findings of waste, fraud and corruption reflect years of the described hiring phenomenon of ‘who you know’ versus ‘what you know’. Congresspersons don’t have time, ability, inclination or incentive to conduct follow-up oversight as to how their categorical funding authorizations are implemented in detail. That’s left up to the hordes of largely faceless, unaccountable friends and supporters for whom they collectively have found government jobs. Do they have reason to accept serious auditing responsibility? Phil Osifer