Law be damned, Trump asserts unilateral control over executive branch, federal service (7 Viewers)

wardorican said:

It's bigger.

All probationary employees. If you got a job with the federal govt in the last year or so, you're probably being let go.

Trump administration tells federal agencies to fire probationary employees

The move could affect hundreds of thousands of federal workers.

www.nbcnews.com

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Yes it’s bigger - but firefighting is a compelling example of why indiscriminate mass layoffs are really, really dumb.

superchuck500 said:

Yes it’s bigger - but firefighting is a compelling example of why indiscriminate mass layoffs are really, really dumb.

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Seems to me like there has to be some sort of remedy that addresses national security or something would be threatened by the drastic cuts being made. It seems to me the courts should have some valid grounds for staying or blocking the cuts.

DaveXA said:

Seems to me like there has to be some sort of remedy that addresses national security or something would be threatened by the drastic cuts being made. It seems to me the courts should have some valid grounds for staying or blocking the cuts.

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Only if there's law to that effect - but the courts don't (aren't supposed to at least) make federal policy - especially in the area of national security, which is classic executive branch turf.

There's just no basis for a court to enjoin executive branch layoffs on a policy basis such as "this harms national security" or "this exposes us to catastrophic wildfires" - that's just not a judiciary function. They can, however, enjoin layoffs that violate federal employment law . . . if there's such a case to be made. We might see some of that but I think that's why the White House is going for the low hanging fruit first - probationary staff don't have the legal protections.

superchuck500 said:

Only if there's law to that effect - but the courts don't (aren't supposed to at least) make federal policy - especially in the area of national security, which is classic executive branch turf.

There's just no basis for a court to enjoin executive branch layoffs on a policy basis such as "this harms national security" or "this exposes us to catastrophic wildfires" - that's just not a judiciary function. They can, however, enjoin layoffs that violate federal employment law . . . if there's such a case to be made. We might see some of that but I think that's why the White House is going for the low hanging fruit first - probationary staff don't have the legal protections.

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Makes sense. Thanks.

Same idea, different application:

The actions taken by Trump and Musk in recent weeks increasingly resemble deliberate sabotage of every critical aspect of the U.S.—military, infrastructure, emergency preparedness, healthcare, economy, and law enforcement. By consistently appointing utterly unqualified leaders and dismantling essential institutions, they are paving the way for catastrophe.

If this continues, the U.S. will be left incapable of responding to internal crises, let alone external threats.


If a foreign power sought to cripple the nation, they could hardly have done a more effective job than what Trump and Musk have accomplished in just three weeks.

superchuck500 said:

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Wasn't sure weather to laugh or cry at this.

Dragon said:

The actions taken by Trump and Musk in recent weeks increasingly resemble deliberate sabotage of every critical aspect of the U.S.—military, infrastructure, emergency preparedness, healthcare, economy, and law enforcement. By consistently appointing utterly unqualified leaders and dismantling essential institutions, they are paving the way for catastrophe.

If this continues, the U.S. will be left incapable of responding to internal crises, let alone external threats.


If a foreign power sought to cripple the nation, they could hardly have done a more effective job than what Trump and Musk have accomplished in just three weeks.

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That is happening because they, their voters and the idealistic team that brought them to power (The Heritage Foundation) have a flawed fundamental understanding of the purpose of government.

superchuck500 said:

Yes it’s bigger - but firefighting is a compelling example of why indiscriminate mass layoffs are really, really dumb.

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Yeah, caught a thing on Fox News where they are talking about how all these govt workers are getting rich... then they use Elizabeth Warren (a Senator) and other elected officials who've written books, had careers, etc as examples. Wut?!

Dozens of probationary employees at the Office of Personnel Management were fired in a group video call Thursday afternoon and told their accounts would be deactivated by 3 p.m. ET, about 20 minutes after the call began.

"You will receive your termination notice via email shortly, and it will include the reason for termination," an official said on the call, according to a recording viewed by BI.

"As a result, your employment with the Office of Personnel Management will end today," the official said. "Your physical and IT system access will be deactivated by 3 p.m. ET today, and we ask that you gather your personal belongings and exit the premises by 3 p.m. ET as well."

A source familiar with the call also confirmed the terminations.

Two probationary employees told BI that about 60 people were on the call. They asked to remain anonymous; BI has verified their identities.

BI reviewed a screenshot of an email one probationary employee received earlier Thursday afternoon with the subject line "URGENT MEETING MUST ATTEND."

A call was originally scheduled between 2 and 2:30 p.m. ET, though no officials ever joined. At about 2:30 p.m., employees received an invitation for another meeting, where the mass termination was announced.

After the second meeting ended, workers received a follow-up email with details about their terminations.............

Dozens of OPM probationary employees were fired on a mass video call on Thursday and given 20 minutes to collect their belongings​

2300 at the dept of the interior were fired.

Ready, fire, aim…

Booker said:

Rest, fire, aim…

Trump officials fired nuclear staff not realizing they oversee the country’s weapons stockpile, sources say | CNN

Some of the fired probationary employees included on-the-ground staff at facilities where nuclear weapons are built.

www.cnn.com

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This is what happens when you have idiots running the country. They're just breaking sheet without regard for the people doing the real work. It's forking infuriating.

Yosemite National Park is facing a “catastrophic” staffing shortage because of the Trump administration’s hiring freeze and attempt to slash federal spending.

In recent weeks the White House has rescinded hundreds of job offers and layoffs are incoming as the park is set to enter its busiest season, according to reports. It comes as Yosemite Superintendent Cicely Muldoon is on the brink of retirement.

Current and former National Park Servicestaffers, nonprofit leaders and other experts told SFGATE that the park’s efforts, decades in the making, to protect its ecosystems are going awry.

Former Yosemite Superintendent Don Neubacher called the staffing shortage “catastrophic” when speaking to the outlet. National Wildlife Federation Regional Executive Director Beth Pratt said she has “never seen anything like this in my 55 years.”

“Just to want to gut the Park Service? I don’t understand it,” she added.……..

Optimus Prime said:

Yosemite National Park is facing a “catastrophic” staffing shortage because of the Trump administration’s hiring freeze and attempt to slash federal spending.

In recent weeks the White House has rescinded hundreds of job offers and layoffs are incoming as the park is set to enter its busiest season, according to reports. It comes as Yosemite Superintendent Cicely Muldoon is on the brink of retirement.

Current and former National Park Servicestaffers, nonprofit leaders and other experts told SFGATE that the park’s efforts, decades in the making, to protect its ecosystems are going awry.

Former Yosemite Superintendent Don Neubacher called the staffing shortage “catastrophic” when speaking to the outlet. National Wildlife Federation Regional Executive Director Beth Pratt said she has “never seen anything like this in my 55 years.”

“Just to want to gut the Park Service? I don’t understand it,” she added.……..

Yosemite National Park is on the verge of a ‘catastrophic’ staffing shortage

‘Those of us left are being told to be prepared for chaos and having to cover,’ anonymous park staffer says

www.independent.co.uk

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This summer's family vacation was likely going to be a National Park trip out west. Just told the wife we need to make alternate plans. Looks like I may need to get my passport renewed soon, so we can maybe escape this idiocy for a week or so and vacation elsewhere.

Sendai said:

Apparently he missed the wood chipper. It’s certainly a problem but the courts will put the skid on these types of actions. My interest is in the resulting analysis.

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Do you think the public would actually get non-biased analysis from Team Trump, or just BS politically driven reasons why something is bad or good for us? The man is through the roof with his fantastical, thought processe. There is a political agenda going on here, the goal is pretty plain, bypass Congress, tear down government and it’s ability to resist a takeover, and do such damage as to make it hard or impossible to recover from.

All you gotta do is get up to speed with project 2025 and the goals become very clear. Trump is already floating the “possibility” of 3rd term, more accurately, a lifetime term. If his tariff plans are put in there’s a great chance will be will slide into a recession and consequently, we just get more bullshirt about the reasons why, instead of it being the Looney Tune in charge.
Unfortunately, catastrophically the only path I see forward, depends on a high level of damage, the populous being incited, and a general pushback occurs. Nothing significant will happen until this shirt really hits the fan for average citizens

DJ1BigTymer said:

Stop pretending that what is happening is an audit. Audits of large government agencies are not performed to completion and then shuttered by auditors within 14 days. [/QUOTE

This is shutting down lawful agencies because of ideological reasons while bypassing Congress. This is taking away the power of Congress to control the purse.

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And dismally half of Congress is in on it. In my view, we either are or very well could be screwed.