POLL: How AMAC Members Want to Spend DOGE Savings

According to a new AMAC survey, the best way to re-allocate the savings being racked up by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) would be to pour that money into reducing the national debt, which now stands at more than $36 trillion.

“President Trump is reportedly considering returning a portion of the savings generated by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to American taxpayers as a refund check,” the AMAC poll reads. “Which of the following options best matches your thoughts on this idea?”

Respondents had four answers to choose from. Notably, more than two-thirds (68 percent) said that they would forego a refund check if DOGE savings were allocated toward other important causes. Nearly half (47 percent) of respondents said that they “would like to see every penny saved by DOGE go to reducing our national debt,” while 21 percent said they would like to see “critical programs like Social Security and Medicare… made solvent with the savings identified by DOGE.”

About 13 percent of respondents said they would prefer a refund check “as repayment for all the government waste, fraud, and abuse,” while 17 percent said they would “support receiving a one-time $5,000 refund plus an equivalent tax reduction for every taxpayer in perpetuity.”

With nearly 40,000 respondents, AMAC’s poll provides one of the earliest data points on what Americans think about President Trump’s proposal to return DOGE savings to taxpayers. The results make clear that AMAC members overwhelmingly prefer paying off our national debt and shoring up Social Security and Medicare over receiving a one-time rebate check.

The results underscore that the American people – and AMAC members in particular – understand the dire economic straits that the country finds itself in and just how important DOGE’s work is.

The national debt and federal deficit exploded under Biden, leading to record inflation and years of economic turmoil. The federal debt-to-GDP ratio, long regarded as a measure of a country’s debt situation, is now over 123 percent – meaning that the United States’ debt is 23 percent higher than its economic output. In 2000, that figure was just 59 percent. For Fiscal Year 2025, servicing the interest on the debt was 16 percent of total federal spending.

According to the latest figures from DOGE, headed up by Elon Musk, the office estimates it has saved more than $65 billion. While cuts at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and shocking details about potential Social Security fraud have garnered the most headlines, DOGE has identified waste and abuse across nearly two dozen departments and agencies.

Prior to the 2024 election, Musk had floated estimates as high as $2 trillion for the total amount of waste that DOGE could trim from the federal budget. While that target still looks very ambitious, DOGE has nonetheless accomplished far more in just a few weeks than many observers initially thought possible.

As the question now turns to how to leverage those savings into more wins for American taxpayers, AMAC will continue to take the temperature of its members and advocate for their preferred policies in Washington and at the state and local level.

Trump Made History by Signing The Laken Riley Act – Spotlight on Legislation

In this episode of AMAC Action’s Advocacy Spotlight, Andy Mangione, Senior Vice President of AMAC Action, highlights the historic passage of the Laken Riley Act—the first bill signed into law by President Trump during his second term. Named after college student Laken Riley, who was tragically killed by an illegal alien from Venezuela, the legislation enforces stricter immigration measures.

The law requires Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain illegal aliens arrested for theft-related crimes or assaulting law enforcement officers. It also empowers states to sue the Department of Homeland Security if their citizens are victimized by illegal aliens.

Click here to watch the interview and don’t forget to like, comment, and share if you want to see more videos like this!

Legislation and Policy Support

New Mexico H.B. 83 – Permitless Carry of Firearms

This bill allows citizens over 18 years of age to carry loaded firearms in an open or concealed manner. The bill further defines that the definition of “carrying a deadly weapon” does not include firearms. This is a cogent change as firearms in this case are a tool for self-defense. Click here to read AMAC Action’s letter of support.

Meetings

February 25 All-State Meeting: AMAC Action State Advocacy Representative Nick Aramino hosted the virtual Florida All-State Meeting. FL-11 Delegate Bob Johnson and Doug Wheeler, Director of the George Gibbs Center for Economic Prosperity at the James Madison Institute, discussed key issues in the Florida legislative special session, homeowners insurance, election integrity, and healthcare.

February 25 Chapter Meeting: GA-03 Delegate Leslie McPherson hosted the chapter meeting. Michael DeLance Thomas, author and teacher, spoke about the principles of the Constitution and Declaration of Independence.

February 27 All-State Meeting: CA-35 Delegate Michael Rogel and Western Region Advocacy Representative Karen Rogel hosted the virtual California All-State Meeting. Luis Cetina, Former VP of Cucamonga Valley Water District and Elected Board Member of the Association of California Water Agencies, spoke about misguided policies in water management. Janis Winchester, AMAC Action CA-48 Delegate discussed her experiences as a Technical Inspector during the 2024 elections.

Action ☆ Academy 

The Constitution: Presidential Powers

In PragerU’s 5-minute video The Constitution: Presidential Powers, Professor of Law at UC Berkeley John Yoo, describes how the Framers designed the Constitution so that the President would have enough power to be an effective chief executive, but keep that power in check. PragerU is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that promotes American values in short educational videos for people of all ages.

Term of the Week: Federalist Papers

“Known before the twentieth century simply as The Federalist, The Federalist Papers were a series of eighty-five essays written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay under the pseudonym “Publius.” The essays were written between October 1787 and August 1788, and were intended to build public and political support for the newly constructed Constitution which was sent to the States for ratification in September 1787, following the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.

George Washington was sent draft versions of the first seven essays on November 18, 1787 by James Madison, who revealed to Washington that he was one of the anonymous writers. Washington agreed to secretly transmit the drafts to his in-law David Stuart in Richmond, Virginia so the essays could be more widely published and distributed…

…The philosophical influence of the Enlightenment factored significantly in the essays, as the writers sought to establish a balance between centralized political power and individual liberty. Although the writers sought to build support for the Constitution, Madison, Hamilton, and Jay did not see their work as a treatise, per se, but rather as an on-going attempt to make sense of a new form of government.

The Federalist Papers represented only one facet in an on-going debate about what the newly forming government in America should look like and how it would govern. Although it is uncertain precisely how much The Federalist Papers affected the ratification of the Constitution, they were considered by many at the time—and continue to be considered—one of the greatest works of American political philosophy.”

(Meehan, Adam. “Federalist Papers.” George Washington’s Mount Vernon, www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/federalist-papers. Accessed 28 Feb. 2025.)

Click here to read The Federalist Papers via the Library of Congress.

Class for January and February

Great Books 101: Ancient to Medieval

Reading great literature can help improve critical thinking skills, broaden your understanding of the world around you, and provide insight into human nature. In the free online course Great Books 101: Ancient to Medieval, Hillsdale College introduces you to great literature from early authors of Western Civilization. In 11 sessions learn about such classics as Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, Dante’s Inferno, and Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales.

Quote of the Week

“The state has no source of wealth other than the money people earn themselves.”

– Margaret Thatcher

Fight to save the America we love! If you’d like to become a volunteer AMAC Action Delegate, please contact us at (855) 809-6976 or [email protected].