Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

DOGE has 'god mode' access to government data

theatlantic.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

371–380 of 1001 posts

Re: DOGE has 'god mode' access to government data

#371

Post by QuarterReptile »

michaericalribo wrote: post #363
chatmasta wrote: post #356

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s marketed as “fraud, waste and abuse.” The top-line summaries are definitely consistent with “waste.” Probably some of them have more nuance when you dig deeper, but does anyone disagree that there is not waste in the government? Fraud and abuse are less clear. But it’s also difficult to ascertain the legitimacy of payments when they’re leaving treasury on checks with no memo or reference, and they’re compared to…

So, no third party source.

So, you would like another independent non-government entity with full access so they can evaluate DOGE? Like a DO(DOGE)E?

Re: DOGE has 'god mode' access to government data

#374

Post by FrustratedMonky »

chatmasta wrote: post #356
dzdt wrote: post #320

Related to a comment on a now-flagged subthread: can anyone who believes that DOGE is uncovering fraud please post a reliable reference that gives a specific example of fraud uncovered by DOGE? To be clear, this should be a third-party analysis of some credibility, not DOGE's or Musk's twitter feed or "receipts" website which shows cancelled contracts with no clear link to fraudulent activity.

It’s marketed as “fraud, waste and abuse.” The top-line summaries are definitely consistent with “waste.” Probably some of them have more nuance when you dig deeper, but does anyone disagree that there is not waste in the government? Fraud and abuse are less clear. But it’s also difficult to ascertain the legitimacy of payments when they’re leaving treasury on checks with no memo or reference, and they’re compared to…

Every large organization needs reviews/audits to find waste. I think the problem with the 'right' is the idea that because there is waste, then government is evil and we should abolish it.

But, every organization accumulates waste, and then needs to have a review process to make corrections. The whole burn it all down is pretty immature take on leadership.

Every corporation has waste, and bloated salaries, entitlements (the bosses son doesn't do much but has fat salary). Should DOGE go in and cut them also?

Re: DOGE has 'god mode' access to government data

#375

Post by thesuperbigfrog »

thrownaway561 wrote: post #349

I honestly have not a single idea why there wasn't this type of department before monitoring and auditing everything.

>> I honestly have not a single idea why there wasn't this type of department before monitoring and auditing everything.

You mean like the Government Accountability Office? [1] Or the dozens of Inspector Generals at most agencies? [2]

[1] https://www.gao.gov/

[2] https://www.oversight.gov/where-report-fraud-waste-abuse-or-...

The US federal government has lots of laws, agencies, and procedures to address, investigate, and remediate fraud, waste, and abuse.

Re: DOGE has 'god mode' access to government data

#376

Post by wat10000 »

lucasRW wrote: post #103
ksynwa wrote: post #3

What's Elon's beef with USAID? I would think he would go after something like food stamps first owing to his libertarian ethos. Maybe he sees USAID as a completely benevolent handout and a waste of money? I cannot begin to understand why.

[flagged]

Is that something they did, or is it something you imagine they did because you’re too credulous of right-wing propaganda?

Re: DOGE has 'god mode' access to government data

#377

Post by staticelf »

Etheryte wrote: post #242
willis936 wrote: post #192

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You personally are cool with me personally knowing your salary and where you live? Please just post that here right now.

That might sound incredibly foreign to you, but this is the norm in many Nordic countries, see Norway, Sweden and Finland, for a start. Tax returns for everyone are public, and so are addresses through a national registry.

Which works, until you have mass immigration from MENA-countries that results in a huge rise in criminality which makes everyone afraid because any criminal can look you up from the license plate or simply by searching for your name and instantly know where you are.

I hate this system. It used to be a good system when most people was law abiding and there was no gang criminals. But today? Jeez, you are like a fish just hoping not to get struck by the sharks and there is no protection available due to the failing state.

Re: DOGE has 'god mode' access to government data

#378

Post by mexicocitinluez »

chatmasta wrote: post #356
dzdt wrote: post #320

Related to a comment on a now-flagged subthread: can anyone who believes that DOGE is uncovering fraud please post a reliable reference that gives a specific example of fraud uncovered by DOGE? To be clear, this should be a third-party analysis of some credibility, not DOGE's or Musk's twitter feed or "receipts" website which shows cancelled contracts with no clear link to fraudulent activity.

It’s marketed as “fraud, waste and abuse.” The top-line summaries are definitely consistent with “waste.” Probably some of them have more nuance when you dig deeper, but does anyone disagree that there is not waste in the government? Fraud and abuse are less clear. But it’s also difficult to ascertain the legitimacy of payments when they’re leaving treasury on checks with no memo or reference, and they’re compared to…

[flagged]

Re: DOGE has 'god mode' access to government data

#379

Post by wat10000 »

scarab92 wrote: post #83
jpcom wrote: post #45

If you want accountability someone needs to have root access. If you don't want accountability, you are a politician getting kickbacks through obfuscation.

[flagged]

I mostly liked Musk until he decided that a vindictive, incompetent moron was the best person to run the country, and poured vast resources into ensuring that happened.

You might say this just shows it’s because I hate Trump. To which I’d ask, do you really think my description of the guy is inaccurate?

Re: DOGE has 'god mode' access to government data

#380

Post by dzdt »

chatmasta wrote: post #356
dzdt wrote: post #320

Related to a comment on a now-flagged subthread: can anyone who believes that DOGE is uncovering fraud please post a reliable reference that gives a specific example of fraud uncovered by DOGE? To be clear, this should be a third-party analysis of some credibility, not DOGE's or Musk's twitter feed or "receipts" website which shows cancelled contracts with no clear link to fraudulent activity.

It’s marketed as “fraud, waste and abuse.” The top-line summaries are definitely consistent with “waste.” Probably some of them have more nuance when you dig deeper, but does anyone disagree that there is not waste in the government? Fraud and abuse are less clear. But it’s also difficult to ascertain the legitimacy of payments when they’re leaving treasury on checks with no memo or reference, and they’re compared to…

> The top-line summaries are definitely consistent with “waste.”

Can you give a reference for an analysis of some cancelled contract or program that illustrates your point that it was wasteful spending? I'm looking for something that explains what the contract or program did beyond the 10-word title of the appropriations document saying something like "DEIA Training". (I work for a big private corporation and we also have such training, and I don't think from the corporate perspective its waste; I strongly suspect they attempt to balance the spend on that training to the cost reduction on lawsuit payouts. And especially from the government perspective, harm reduction should also be accounted separately from pure cost considerations.)

Post reply on HN