By Todd Davidson

“We were DOGE before DOGE.” I keep hearing that in my conversations with affiliates—and they’re right. This Network of state-based leaders has long been at the forefront of fiscal responsibility, government accountability, and conservative budgeting—well before Elon Musk set up shop in DC.

That’s not to diminish what Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency are trying to do. Or the state-level DOGEs that have formed in more than 25 states. Addressing the government’s unsustainable fiscal trajectory has always been a priority for conservatives and libertarians—and it’s exciting there’s finally momentum in this space. The federal bureaucracy has grown too large and expansive, and, as my colleagues at the Center for Practical Federalism point out, it threatens the ability of states—and ultimately the American people—to govern themselves.

DOGE should be commended for its mission to cut waste, streamline government, and make government more accountable. 

However, sustainable fiscal reforms don’t come through temporary campaigns. It comes through the appropriations process—in Congress and state legislatures.

Advancing fiscal restraint in Congress is a slow and difficult process. But in state legislatures there’s promise.

Right now, 30 state legislatures are in session, debating budgets for the coming year. Hundreds of special interests are emerging, each vying for increased funding and policy favors. These organized groups, including lobbyists, government unions, and trade associations, have the resources and means to win special carveouts and boost spending on their priorities.

Each state needs a system to counter these special interests that push for bigger government and more public spending. A framework that works on behalf of the American people.

That framework is called durable freedom infrastructure (DFI).

Durable freedom infrastructure is a network of people and organizations working together to advance free markets and limited government policies in the states over the long term. It consists of state think tanks, political capacity, litigation centers, voter insights, media and investigative journalism, and leadership academies that work together to influence public policy and improve lives.

This infrastructure stands up for the working man, the single mom, the small business—holding government accountable to ensure it works for them and resources are available for the truly needy.

At the center of DFI is the free-market state think tank, or policy organizations working to educate lawmakers and the public on the benefits of policies rooted in economic freedom and personal responsibility. There are more than 60 of these groups in our Network, each with a strong track record of highlighting government waste, reducing regulations, and keeping government in check.

In fact, a study by my colleague Nikolaas de Jong found a strong correlation between free-market think tanks and lower government spending in a state.

Which brings us back to DOGE. The cost cutting initiative is gaining momentum at the federal and state levels. But lasting policy reforms, including reducing government spending, increasing transparency, and streamlining agencies are achieved through the legislative process.

That’s where durable freedom infrastructure comes in. It’s not just one organization or effort—it’s a full ecosystem: policy experts analyzing budgets, litigation centers stepping in when government overreaches, and investigative journalists highlighting fiscal waste. Together, they hold government accountable, ensuring that its power and spending truly serve the people.

Fiscal responsibility is not a project with an end date, like DOGE. Special interests will always be there, lobbying lawmakers to influence policy and increase spending. Challenging these special interests requires an institution fighting for regular Americans over the long term.

As Thomas Jefferson famously noted, “the price of liberty is eternal vigilance.”

Thankfully for Americans, that vigilance exists through state think tanks and their durable freedom infrastructures.

Todd Davidson is State Policy Network’s Vice President of Programs.