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Staying with the US Digital Service

mattcutts.com

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Re: Staying with the US Digital Service

#81

Post by chris11 »

Matt_Cutts wrote: post #12
ipsin wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Since you pitch the USDS to tech people, please let us know: how free do you feel to speak your mind on political matters, or to effect those positive outcomes? Personally I've judged the quality of incoming political appointees, and I would chafe at working under leadership I could not respect. In my worst imagination, I would be holding down a desk until it could be filled by the employees of well-connected contrac…

First I'll add the disclaimer that this is my personal opinion. I'm not speaking for anyone other than myself. I think the mission of the US Digital Service is fundamentally non-partisan: we want to make government work better for the American people. When a veteran can apply for health benefits online, they have a better experience. But it also saves the money from them driving to see someone in person. There's so m…

How do you think the USDS is going to change in the next few months since you sit in the office of the president? I'm not asking for your personal opinion of the next administration, but I'm really not expecting a smooth transition. So are you expecting any major changes?

Re: Staying with the US Digital Service

#82

Post by general_ai »

khuey wrote: post #76
general_ai wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Speaking of Russia (which is the only one of those countries/localities that I can speak for, since I grew up there), I will say that Putin is inarguably the best thing that happened to Russia in the past 100 years.

Not very many good things have happened to Russia in the last 100 years.

That's exactly right. And if someone is going to protest Putin, may I suggest that they peruse the following graph: https://www.google.com/search?q=russia+per+capita+gdp+ppp&oq.... That's Putin.

Re: Staying with the US Digital Service

#83

Post by csharpminor »

lazyasciiart wrote: post #50

https://www.usds.gov/join#who says they are only accepting US citizens. However https://www.usds.gov/join#application only asks if you are authorized to work in the US, and says 'For some positions US citizenship is required'. So are there any positions that do not require US citizenship, or should that application form just ask if you are a citizen?

I can't answer on their behalf, but I do know that the security clearance process generally prohibits non-citizens. You can get a Limited Access Authorization (LAA) in some cases. Given that USDS frequently works on sensitive infrastructure, I think there's a strong chance that citizenship is a requirement.

Re: Staying with the US Digital Service

#84

Post by gsch »

stale2002 wrote: post #63
learc83 wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> you must follow it or resign--those are the only options, per your civil service oath. Those aren't your only options. Your other options are to stay in and leak information. Stay in and try to damage the project etc... I don't know what I'd do if I were in the position to damage, delay, or stop something as blatantly unconstitutional as a Muslim registration database, but I hope that I'd be able to muster to the c…

Then they should have acted 8 years ago, because the "Muslim registery" already exists under Obama

The registry existed under Obama, but it was created in 2002 after 9/11, partially suspended in 2011, and fully suspended last month [0], though it looks like it remains to be seen whether the suspension will be undone.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Security_Entry-Exit_R...

Re: Staying with the US Digital Service

#85

Post by tobltobs »

general_ai wrote: post #82
khuey wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not very many good things have happened to Russia in the last 100 years.

That's exactly right. And if someone is going to protest Putin, may I suggest that they peruse the following graph: https://www.google.com/search?q=russia+per+capita+gdp+ppp&oq... . That's Putin.

No, that's the price of oil. Anyway, to use GDP as the prove for how good a president is, is nonsense anyway. Eg.: https://www.google.com/search?num=50&q=venezuela+per+capita+....

Re: Staying with the US Digital Service

#86

Post by bdcravens »

peteretep wrote: post #65
forrestthewoods wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Given that no "Muslim Registry" has ever been proposed or supported by anyone it is not the most pressing question.

Here's the thing, bub. A person who has put so much effort into just hinting he'd like one[0] while making sure he can also claim not to want one is just a scumbag, not someone who has never proposed or supported one. It's like saying "I don't really think all blue people are liars" and giving a big wink to your audience at the same time, then claiming to not be a racist. Are supporters of someone like that suckers o…

> Are supporters of someone like that suckers or just being dishonest about their own intentions?

As long as we're drawing comparisons, isn't your question a bit like "Have you quit beating your wife?"

Re: Staying with the US Digital Service

#87

Post by matt4077 »

mwfunk wrote: post #23
enraged_camel wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not sure why this was downvoted. It's a very valid question considering the times we live in.

I would guess that most of the people who downvoted it, did so because they were opposed to the idea of a Muslim registry (as am I). If you're opposed to it, and hope that he is also opposed to it, then the last thing you want to do is to force him to go on record at this stage in his career as being opposed to it. That may do nothing, or it may hurt him, but it's not going to help him or the opposition to the regist…

So much of tech opinion is shaped at HN, I believe it's worth it to share – and in a way collectively rehearse – personal reactions to some of these hypotheticals.

I hope that if I were to be given a task so clearly violating rights, I would follow through with what my first reaction now is: sabotage it, using means usually considered illegal if necessary, up to and including property damage.

edit: I'm not at USDS, nor anything similar, nor a US citizen. So the above is pretty cheap talk – nobody would ever ask /me/ for their illegal Orwellian IT project. I was just trying to express an attitude that I hope exists where it actually matters.

Re: Staying with the US Digital Service

#88

Post by [deleted] »

tobltobs wrote: post #85
general_ai wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's exactly right. And if someone is going to protest Putin, may I suggest that they peruse the following graph: https://www.google.com/search?q=russia+per+capita+gdp+ppp&oq... . That's Putin.

No, that's the price of oil. Anyway, to use GDP as the prove for how good a president is, is nonsense anyway. Eg.: https://www.google.com/search?num=50&q=venezuela+per+capita+... .

[deleted]

Re: Staying with the US Digital Service

#89

Post by chris11 »

foota wrote: post #47
JumpCrisscross wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> One of the USDS project selection criteria is that we prioritize work that based on what will do the greatest good for the greatest number of people in the greatest need The USDS is a taxpayer-funded public entity. The "greatest good..." is determined by the law, written by our duly elected representatives. You don't get to serve the public and selectively reject the law. If the Congress passes a law you disagree w…

Sure if the President ordered the USDS to do it, they would have to (I believe they are under the executive branch?) But I don't believe that direct of control is generally taken by the office.

Trump will not be a normal President. I'm expecting he will either be really hands off or micromanage depending on the situation. So I could see Trump getting involved with the USDS if they made the news somehow.

Re: Staying with the US Digital Service

#90

Post by bdcravens »

jbapple wrote: post #45
danso wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We have a volunteer corps. For a lot of people, the military is one of the best job options as it also offers paid education via the G.I. Bill.

> For a lot of people, the military is one of the best job options How do you weigh that against the risk of injury, death, or PTSD, as well as the civlian casualties of US wars? To be specific - do you believe Iraq Body Count or the Lancet surveys, and how many civilians would have to have been killed in the second Iraq war for you to think it would be a net ethical negative to make it easier to enlist?

I imagine you have to deal with the same ethical issues if you chose to go in to law enforcement (crimes against minorities) or EMT work (you may be called upon to help someone who just committed a crime, say in a DWI wreck or arrest).

I have no statistics, but I imagine the combat duty to total enlistment ratios make it a very calculated risk.

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