Government Efficiency (10 Viewers)

[RobF]

I think this topic deserves its own thread, both to discuss generally the topic of government efficiency, and specifically the so-called 'Department of Government Efficiency' and the incoming Trump administration's aims to "dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures and restructure Federal Agencies".

The announcements have been covered in the The Trump Cabinet and key post thread, but to recap, Trump has announced that Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will work together on a not-actually-an-official-government-Department of Government Efficiency, which is intended to work with the White House and Office of Management & Budget to "drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before," with the 'Department' to conclude its work "no later than July 4, 2026."

Musk has previously said that the federal budget could be reduced by "at least $2 trillion", and Ramaswarmy, during his presidential campaign, said he would fire more than 75% of the federal work force and disband agencies including the Department of Education and the FBI.

 

[DJ1BigTymer]

You'd be largely right (at least when it comes to funding it).

Some actual information about this. Washington Post, 2014:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/federal-eye/wp/2014/03/24/a-sinkhole-of-federal-bureaucracy-in-pennsylvania/

More from 2014:

Congress Will Allow Government Retirement System to Stay in the Cave Age - Roll Call

There’s a nickname for news reports so provocative that readers are compelled to give them a literal shout out. They’re called “Hey, Martha!” stories — as in, “Hey, Martha! Come read over my shoulder: You’re not going to believe this!” Just such a doozy dominated The Washington Post’s front...

rollcall.com

A bit more about the facility from 2019:

An Underground Journey to the Heart of Retirement Processing

A behind-the-scenes look at OPM’s Retirement Operations Center in Boyers, Pennsylvania.

www.govexec.com

2021 article, mentions a bit more about the failed attempts at digitisation:

Iron Mountain: The Final Obstacle for Federal Retirement

Iron Mountain is a Limestone mine in PA now used to process retirement paperwork for Federal Employees

stwserve.com

There's plenty more about it of course, because unsurprisingly this isn't some new, previously unknown, thing. And that's the point; the problem is already known. It's the solution that's complex.

What Musk is doing there is once again demonstrating that he is bad at this. Anyone can describe a known problem. Anyone can also demonstrate a lack of comprehension of the problem by showing they don't understand why it's where is is, and why attempts to improve it have been limited before.

Actually improving it without making it worse in the process? That does require comprehension and understanding. I wouldn't hold my breath.

Not to mention that Musk tried to paint a picture that the "mine" was an antiquated storage dump. Well...

 

[UncleTrvlingJim]

I'm waiting for the usual suspects to parrot the $59 million New York migrant's staying in a luxury hotel line. In advance... no the money did not come from disaster relief funds. It was money specifically allocated for the purpose of temporary housing for migrants granted asylum status.

You are not uncovering fraud if you are highlighting money that was publicly allocated and publicly spent in the way in which was meant to be spent. You are merely talking about things you don't like, so contact your Congressional representative.

 

[MT15]

This video from a USAID employee is heartbreaking. I would like to hear Joe, Sendai and El defend what Musk has done to these people, and the people all over the world who have been helped by the tiny (relative to the rest of the budget) agency. Musk has a personal reason for villainizing this agency and because he is a sociopath he doesn’t care how many other people are hurt or die because of his actions.

 

[Eeyore]

They just cut $20 million in grants for Purdue because they were looking to bring together DIVERSITY in terms of ideas. Not people. Ideas. And, probably, using Arabic numerals.

Edit: cutting Algebraic research for "Neo-marxist class warfare."

Translated:"book larnin' n such"

$2billion Nation wide

Cruz-Led Investigation Uncovers $2 Billion in Woke DEI Grants at NSF, Releases Full Database

www.commerce.senate.gov

 

[superchuck500]

Musk continues to reveal every day that his not an especially smart person - and his understanding of law and government is shockingly deficient for someone tasked with doing what he's doing.

 

[efil4]

Musk continues to reveal every day that his not an especially smart person - and his understanding of law and government is shockingly deficient for someone tasked with doing what he's doing.

the bottom right - they cropped out the actual "explanation" of the title of the expense

USAspending.gov

www.usaspending.gov

North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)Code
54 : Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
5417: Scientific Research and Development Services
541715: Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology)
Product or Service Code(PSC)
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
AC: C – National Defense R&D Services
AC62: R&D- DEFENSE SYSTEM: ELECTRONICS/COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT (APPLIED RESEARCH/EXPLORATORY DEVELOPMENT)

 

[superchuck500]

the bottom right - they cropped out the actual "explanation" of the title of the expense

USAspending.gov

www.usaspending.gov

North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)Code
54 : Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
5417: Scientific Research and Development Services
541715: Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology)
Product or Service Code(PSC)
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
AC: C – National Defense R&D Services
AC62: R&D- DEFENSE SYSTEM: ELECTRONICS/COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT (APPLIED RESEARCH/EXPLORATORY DEVELOPMENT)

Of course they did

 

[superchuck500]

Recall that Trump was able to head-off the documents case based on Jack Smith and the Appointments Clause . . . new filing on the same idea for Musk and DOGE.

 

[DJ1BigTymer]

Musk continues to reveal every day that his not an especially smart person - and his understanding of law and government is shockingly deficient for someone tasked with doing what he's doing.

Take note of the time of trump's "Truth"...

They are terrible at this and yet, their cult eat this shirt up with a smile.

 

[superchuck500]

They literally just turned off life support for people.

US aid freeze claims first victims as oxygen supplies cut off

Seventy-one-year-old woman dies after being sent home from USAID funded hospital. Others die after hospitals close in refugee camps

www.telegraph.co.uk

 

[DaveXA]

They literally just turned off life support for people.

US aid freeze claims first victims as oxygen supplies cut off

Seventy-one-year-old woman dies after being sent home from USAID funded hospital. Others die after hospitals close in refugee camps

www.telegraph.co.uk

They don't care if they kill people in the process. Their agenda is more important than little people.

I wouldn't pee on them if they were on fire.

 

[superchuck500]

They don't care if they kill people in the process. Their agenda is more important than little people.

I wouldn't pee on them if they were on fire.

Oh come now Dave, I know you're a man of the Lord. It would be wicked not to pee on them.

 

[t_rav_82]

Oh come now Dave, I know you're a man of the Lord. It would be wicked not to pee on them.

I’d poop on them.

 

[UncleTrvlingJim]

It's really worse than even what is being reported. And it doesn't even count the amount of supplies that will expire unused, while people starve.

 

[MT15]

All employees in Dept of Education that were still on their probationary period are let go. Without regard to mission or their value.

 

[efil4]

Recall that Trump was able to head-off the documents case based on Jack Smith and the Appointments Clause . . . new filing on the same idea for Musk and DOGE.

full circle.

 

[MT15]

Here’s an example of the type of “efficiency” we’re getting from DOGE.

“Employees at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, for instance, received an email Tuesday saying they were being terminated while on their probationary period. But the email, signed by HR representative Adam Martinez, included unfinished placeholders, addressing the memo to “[EmployeeFirstName] [EmployeeLastName]” and noting, “I am removing you from your position of [JobTitle],” according to a copy obtained by The Post.

Similarly, probationary employees at the Small Business Administration received emails Friday and Monday notifying them of their termination — before receiving a second email Monday revoking the dismissal, according to copies obtained by The Post. The Monday email said the notification was “sent in error — and as such, is not currently in effect.”

“If you are in receipt of the initial notice,” the email read, “your employment has not been terminated as was erroneously indicated in the initial notice.”

On Tuesday, the employees received a third email: Once again, they were let go.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/02/12/musk-trump-federal-layoffs/