The new "Department of Government Efficiency" (aka "DOGE"), led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, aims to downsize the federal government and tame the federal bureaucracy. DOGE (which is not actually a government department) is seeking help identifying regulations that should be rescinded or repealed. As detailed in a Wall Street Journal op-ed, they aim to achieve these goals through presidential directives, not legislation.
I am skeptical DOGE can fulfill its ambitious objectives through unilateral executive action, particularly without exquisite attention to relevant administrative law constraints. As I explain in an essay for the new Civitas Outlook (where I am a contributing editor), there are few deregulatory shortcuts. Absent legislative action, reforming and undoing rules is typically a long slog.
