Polls show many Americans are increasingly unhappy with the way the federal government has use President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency.

That doesn’t mean Pennsylvania Republicans’ efforts to pursue a Pennsylvania Department of Government Efficiency are doomed.

We think Republicans will have a harder time now getting DOGE legislation through the state House and Gov. Josh Shapiro than they would have back in January or February. That’s unfortunate, because the idea behind a government efficiency effort could pay big dividends not only in Pennsylvania but in other states around the country, like New York, for example, which just passed a $200 billion budget.

Two different bills establishing a Pennsylvania Department of Government Efficiency have been introduced in the state House and state Senate by Rep. Stephenie Scialabba, R-Cranberry, and Sen. Doug Mastriano, R-Chambersburg. Before Republicans can try to get Democrats on board they need to come to agreement amongst themselves how a state-level DOGE would work.

Of course, state lawmakers don’t really need a formal DOGE to refocus government spending.

State lawmakers hold the power of the purse. They can refocus government spending with existing resources if they choose to do so. Creating a state-level DOGE merely insulates lawmakers if the process goes haywire as it did at the federal level.

If Mastriano and Scialabba are serious about cutting fraud and waste in state government they can do so without passing any new legislation – particularly a bill that is a veritable poison pill for Democrats.

Republicans simply have to do the hard work of pursuing spending cuts through the budget and winning enough state-level elections to level the spending playing field with the governor’s office.

That’s about as likely as getting Democrats on board with a DOGE at this point.