News

Because Putin wants rid of it.

U.S.A.I.D. funds democracy-promotion programs around the world, including in European countries where right-wing populist movements are thriving. Mr. Musk has become an ally of those movements, some of whose leaders have specifically targeted the agency’s pro-democracy programs in recent years.

Supporters of Viktor Orban, the right-wing leader of Hungary and a darling of pro-Trump conservatives in the United States, have personally criticized Samantha Power, who led U.S.A.I.D. during the Biden administration, for trying to import American values into their country.

NY times gift link

Trump said he’s in charge in a private capacity

The Supreme Court is yet to say it’s not allowed

Trump's government is basically pay-to-play and Elon paid the most so he gets to do whatever he wants.

So I was looking at this today. It looks like a combination of serendipity and malicious behavior. The US Digital Service was effectively leaderless on Jan 20 when it was renamed DOGE. That's the serendipity. But it was already "excepted service" under the president instead of a congressionally chartered agency. So they could (and likely would have) simply fire any leadership.

USDS' purpose was to fix computer systems all over the government. And it was doing a great job of that. But in order to do that it does get access other agencies don't. This is where the malicious part comes in. Trump turns them into DOGE and links them with lawyers and HR people. They use their existing access authorization to get into systems and then do HR stuff instead of systems engineering. Furthermore they aren't currently funded, which means they shouldn't be operating at all. Their last funding ran out in September.

Trump can just appoint people to it because he has a wide ranging authority to do temporary hires. Another malicious catch though is Musk is clearly operating DOGE but he hasn't been put on payroll.

This is illegal, and there are lawsuits already filed. But they're counting on people not understanding the intricacies of the different kinds of federal service to enact their plan. Which to me is pretty transparently to force all agencies to submit to DOGE as a stand in for the White House and an end run around all laws about the civil service. Basically an unconstitutional power grab by the President.

Because we're all just people and at the end of the day some person is agreeing to not dispense the funds or not provide aid or to round up individuals ... Until there is meaningful pushback by people who actually are carrying this bullshit out it won't change.

Idk same as how the Nazis managed the Holocaust, at the end of the day thousands of individuals agreed and did their part to exterminate the Jews. Same as how Israel now is committing an ongoing genocide in Gaza with their military and all those individuals are carrying out their orders.

Authority, like many other things in our society, is an emphemeral concept we all agree to. Authority is given when we agree to abide by what that authority says. Same like our laws, sure we have laws against things but it's not like those actually mean anything if they're not obeyed by the majority. Nothing stopping you from doming Elon with the a large brick if you got one and can get close enough, you know what I mean?

Legal authority stopped mattering the FIRST time the grifter in chief was selected president.

It's still stupid and ridiculous and it still doesn't have any legal authority.

Unfortunately, it is being allowed to act without legal authority.

He doesn't need the authority if he just forces his way in.

I pray they're dumb enough to stop payments to Lockheed it Raytheon. Problem might solve itself

Sorry the number you are trying to reach has been disconnected.

Contractors run our military