Government Efficiency (1 Viewer)

[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.

 

[Optimus Prime]

The “department of government efficiency”, theDonald Trump-created program known as Doge and headed by the billionaire Elon Musk, has accessed or requested access to sensitive systems at multiple health agencies as the US president attempts to grant the committee sweeping powers within the federal government.

The bid for access comes amid an unprecedented effort to halt government spending, despite multiple court orders to unfreeze funds and reverse staff suspensions.

Thousands of people were laid off from health agencies on Friday after the Trump administrationannounced a plan to fire nearly all probationary employees, potentially numbering in the hundreds of thousands across the federal service.


“The potential for doing harm is significant,” said Scott Cory, former chief information officer for an agency within the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Health agencies maintain tightly controlled databases with sensitive information, and upheaval at these agencies threatens the US healthcare systemeven as the threat of infectious diseases like bird flu continues to ramp up.

“The possibility of new outbreaks or public health events is certain given the recent concerning spread of bird flu, which is still hampered by a slow response,” said an employee at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the record.

“With external communications cut off, extensive work-stop orders and dramatic changes in the federal workforce, the ability of any health agency is severely limited and ultimately will serve no one but those who choose to profit off the suffering,” the employee said.

Trump attempted to give Doge the power to shrink the federal workforce in a new executive ordersigned on Tuesday, despite lawsuits from unions over Doge access.

Some 5,200 people across health agencies reportedly received layoffs notices on Friday.


About 1,250 of them worked at the CDC, according to a source who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

This included senior officials and the entire first-year class of the CDC’s Epidemic Intelligence Services officers, known as “disease detectives”……..

Musk’s takeover of US health agencies raises pandemic threat, experts warn

Doge wreaks havoc on HHS and CDC as Trump seeks to grant committee sweeping governmental powers

www.theguardian.com

 

[Booker]

The latest thing going around is that they just discovered $2.7 trillion in fraudulent overseas Medicare/Medicaid payments, but again it’s just repackaging of what was already known…

 

[DaveXA]

The latest thing going around is that they just discovered $2.7 trillion in fraudulent overseas Medicare/Medicaid payments, but again it’s just repackaging of what was already known…

They keep finding sheet we already know. These guys are bumbling, raging idiots.

 

[Optimus Prime]

San Francisco city officials are investigating after three men who claimed to be from the Department of Government Efficiency(DOGE) showed up at City Hall on Friday demanding records from offices before fleeing.

According to the San Francisco Sheriff's Office, the men, who were dressed in "DOGE" shirts and hats with the pro-Trump slogan Make America Great Again, arrived at City Hall around noon.

The men entered several offices and demanded employees turn over digital information "related to alleged wasteful government spending and fraud."…….

3 men claiming to be from DOGE show up at San Francisco City Hall, demand records

San Francisco city officials are investigating after three men who claimed to be from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) showed up at City Hall on Friday demanding records from offices before fleeing.

www.cbsnews.com

 

[fooferdoggie]

San Francisco city officials are investigating after three men who claimed to be from the Department of Government Efficiency(DOGE) showed up at City Hall on Friday demanding records from offices before fleeing.

According to the San Francisco Sheriff's Office, the men, who were dressed in "DOGE" shirts and hats with the pro-Trump slogan Make America Great Again, arrived at City Hall around noon.

The men entered several offices and demanded employees turn over digital information "related to alleged wasteful government spending and fraud."…….

3 men claiming to be from DOGE show up at San Francisco City Hall, demand records

San Francisco city officials are investigating after three men who claimed to be from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) showed up at City Hall on Friday demanding records from offices before fleeing.

www.cbsnews.com

I bet this happens a lot. Maybe someone can do this at mara-lardo.

 

[DJ1BigTymer]

San Francisco city officials are investigating after three men who claimed to be from the Department of Government Efficiency(DOGE) showed up at City Hall on Friday demanding records from offices before fleeing.

According to the San Francisco Sheriff's Office, the men, who were dressed in "DOGE" shirts and hats with the pro-Trump slogan Make America Great Again, arrived at City Hall around noon.

The men entered several offices and demanded employees turn over digital information "related to alleged wasteful government spending and fraud."…….

3 men claiming to be from DOGE show up at San Francisco City Hall, demand records

San Francisco city officials are investigating after three men who claimed to be from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) showed up at City Hall on Friday demanding records from offices before fleeing.

www.cbsnews.com

Jeff Landry would welcome those clowns with open arms.

 

[bird]

The entire “Waste, Fraud and Abuse” meme is interesting.

To me it seems that the bulk of waste, fraud and abuse happens at the intersection of government with the private sector.

 

[J-DONK]

The entire “Waste, Fraud and Abuse” meme is interesting.

To me it seems that the bulk of waste, fraud and abuse happens at the intersection of government with the private sector.

They could ask Rick Scott about the fraud part of it.

 

[superchuck500]

 

[DaveXA]

I know this should mean something, but I'm not sure it ultimately means anything because I can't imagine anything is gonna be done about it.

What's obvious is that the Trump administration is lying one way or the other. These both can't be true.

 

[superchuck500]

 

[MT15]

Musk having no decision making authority will come as news to Elon.

Chuck, why are they lying about this?

 

[Optimus Prime]

Social Security head steps down over DOGE access of recipient information, sources say | CNN Politics

The Social Security Administration’s acting commissioner has stepped down from her role at the agency over Department of Government Efficiency requests to access Social Security recipient information, according to two people familiar with the official’s departure who were not authorized to...

www.cnn.com

 

[superchuck500]

Musk having no decision making authority will come as news to Elon.

Chuck, why are they lying about this?

I think it’s how they have DOGE set up -
The USDS already existed as an EOP unit (not a department) because it was easy and practical, could be done with an EO. But Musk as an SGE can’t run a unit like that.

So they’ve got some employee there as then nominal head and Musk is only an advisor to the president - and he only makes “recommendations”. But this is going to have a credibility question for sure.

 

[DaveXA]

Social Security head steps down over DOGE access of recipient information, sources say | CNN Politics

The Social Security Administration’s acting commissioner has stepped down from her role at the agency over Department of Government Efficiency requests to access Social Security recipient information, according to two people familiar with the official’s departure who were not authorized to...

www.cnn.com

If there's anything you don't want DOGE near, is social security. I mean, that's the real gold mine of people's PII. Even more than the IRS because not everyone pays taxes. Most every US citizen has a SS #. This is some scary 1984 level sheet.

 

[coldseat]

I think it’s how they have DOGE set up -
The USDS already existed as an EOP unit (not a department) because it was easy and practical, could be done with an EO. But Musk as an SGE can’t run a unit like that.

So they’ve got some employee there as then nominal head and Musk is only an advisor to the president - and he only makes “recommendations”. But this is going to have a credibility question for sure.

Why is that? Because it's complete bullshirt?

If it's one thing that pisses me off about the justice system is that they always take these obvious lies (i.e. explanations) by the government (almost always Republican led) seriously instead of just laughing it out of court like they do with regular citizens. And often they end up accepting them because it aligns with the ideological beliefs of the judge/justices hearing the case.

 

[coldseat]

If there's anything you don't want DOGE near, is social security. I mean, that's the real gold mine of people's PII. Even more than the IRS because not everyone pays taxes. Most every US citizen has a SS #. This is some scary 1984 level sheet.

No doubt they will find something they don't understand, claim it is fraud, and then stop a bunch of peoples social security payments.

 

[Optimus Prime]