Republicans In ‘DOGE’ Caucus Not Too Familiar With Doge Meme

WASHINGTON — Republicans in Congress have enthusiastically began teams celebrating the brand new “Division of Authorities Effectivity” led by billionaires Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy.

However at the same time as they embrace the DOGE model, most of the lawmakers don’t know its backstory.

HuffPost requested Rep. Aaron Bean (R-Fla.), co-founder of a brand new DOGE caucus, if he was conversant in the web meme that began all of it.

“Uh, vaguely,” he stated. “The canine?”

Musk pitched a Division of Authorities Effectivity this summer time, in a social media post, after President-elect Donald Trump prompt he may give Musk, Trump’s largest marketing campaign funder, a Cupboard place. The proposed title was a joking reference to doge (pronounced “dodje”), an web meme that impressed Musk’s favourite cryptocurrency token.

Throughout a 2021 look on “Saturday Night time Stay,” Musk admitted dogecoin was “a hustle,” tanking its value. In spite of everything, the token was created as a joke, a satire of meaningless cryptocurrency hypothesis.

The underlying web meme, began in 2010, usually reveals a Shiba Inu canine with superimposed textual content representing the canine’s ideas, similar to “wow.” It’s extra a celebration of the canine than a satire, although it generally conveys a figuring out, false amazement.

As senators got here and went from the inaugural Senate DOGE caucus assembly with Ramaswamy in a Capitol workplace constructing on Thursday, a number of stated they had been unaware of the meme.

“I did learn it someplace,” Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) stated. “I didn’t know a lot about it, although.”

Ramaswamy himself declined to remark. Sens. Invoice Hagerty (R-Tenn.) and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) wouldn’t say a phrase. And Senate DOGE caucus founder Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), who’s beneath intense stress to say whether or not she helps Trump’s controversial choose for protection secretary, stated she wasn’t taking any questions.

Different senators had been keen to speak about doge and to take a look at the meme.

“Is that Elon’s canine?” Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) joked when a reporter confirmed him some doge photos.

Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) stated he was unfamiliar with the meme, however when he noticed the images, he laughed and stated he really had seen it earlier than. He was completely happy.

“I’ve obtained a canine myself,” Schmitt stated. “I’m an enormous fan of the canines.”

Of the dozen DOGE-enthusiast lawmakers HuffPost queried, solely Sen. Ted Budd (R-N.C.) positively knew the meme. He even knew that the canine within the authentic photos, Kabosu, died earlier this year.

“God relaxation her soul,” Budd stated.

It’s not clear whether or not the Division of Authorities Effectivity, which isn’t really a part of the federal government, will ever be something greater than just another advisory panel that makes recommendations lawmakers ignore. Ramaswamy and Musk have made doubtful claims that they may simply slash trillions of {dollars} from the federal price range and that they may even recommend government actions Trump may take to make it occur with out Congress’ approval.

Republicans appear to be embracing DOGE as a enjoyable rebranding of their very own long-standing need to slash federal spending. Nonetheless, some have expressed skepticism that DOGE can reduce spending with out Congress, which has constitutional authority to regulate taxes and spending.

“They’re extra of an advisory group that works behind the scenes with the White Home,” Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) instructed reporters Thursday.

On the opposite facet of the Capitol, forward of one other occasion with Musk and Ramaswamy, Home Methods and Means Chair Jason Smith (R-Mo.) talked up DOGE and the virtues of presidency effectivity in a reside TV interview simply off the Home flooring. Afterward, he instructed HuffPost he wasn’t conversant in the meme.

“I haven’t had time to be on social media,” Smith stated. “I’ve been working for the American folks.”