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

651–660 of 1001 posts

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

#651

Post by insane_dreamer »

jcranmer wrote: post #476
justin66 wrote: post #321

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> IMHO it's a bit of a shame that the productivity and efficiency gains that computing and cybernetics can bring to complex systems They're just firing people at random, they haven't discovered any innovative new way to make systems more efficient. ("at random" is a bit generous and ignores the retaliation against political adversaries)

From the reporting I've seen, they're not firing "at random", they're firing more or less every single new hire they can, because new hires have less protections than more established employees.

It's not just new hires. Employees who move to a new position, even if they've been in that agency for a long time, also have less protections and are being fired.

But as others have noted, these are not the only ones being mass fired.

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

#653

Post by insane_dreamer »

mrayycombi wrote: post #333
justin66 wrote: post #321

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> IMHO it's a bit of a shame that the productivity and efficiency gains that computing and cybernetics can bring to complex systems They're just firing people at random, they haven't discovered any innovative new way to make systems more efficient. ("at random" is a bit generous and ignores the retaliation against political adversaries)

He's going to fill the empty slots with loyal cronies he can fire at will. This is, I think, just "stage 1"

Changing the rules so gov employees can be fired "at will" is an explicit goal of Project 2025

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

#654

Post by tech_ken »

electrondood wrote: post #538

What is the point of all of this? Reducing federal income taxes? It seems to me that these people are pushing a rope if that's the goal. For example, USAID is 1% of federal spending, but buys the US a disproportionate amount of soft power and good will for that investment. Also, why 20-year olds? You'd think a person as resourced as Musk would have access to more capable people. When I was 20 years old I didn't know…

> What is the point of all of this?

Just my opinion, but the most obvious motives seem to be:

* Breaking the back of the institutional opposition Trump experienced in his previous term

* Flexing strength and creating a narrative of unitary executive power

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

#655

Post by CyrsBel »

Spooky23 wrote: post #611
CyrsBel wrote: post #530

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes. Even if DOGE is operating without any ill intent, and I don't think they have ill intent, the possibility of errors alone is massive and they need to slow down. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/02/17/trum...

Irrelevant. Even if they did nothing, the amount of exposure to the foreign intelligence services will devastate whatever we don’t footgun for a generation.

They should absolutely be regulated as to not expose data to foreign intel.

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

#656

Post by a_ba »

insane_dreamer wrote: post #638

Another very negative long-term effect of all of this is how is the government going to recruit talent in the future? How many people, who have good prospects elsewhere, are going to work for a government agency -- usually a lower pay -- to put up with shit like this that doesn't even happen in industry? Would you? Sure there are sometimes mass layoffs that are handled pretty badly in industry, but not these Gestapo-…

Why have a functional government if instead you and your buddies can you benefit from contracting out?

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

#657

Post by popularrecluse »

thrownaway561 wrote: post #531
thesuperbigfrog wrote: post #375

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>> 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 they have been doing a bang up job. Bottom line is that this sort of transparency was needed in the last administration.

Chump

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

#658

Post by derektank »

insane_dreamer wrote: post #638

Another very negative long-term effect of all of this is how is the government going to recruit talent in the future? How many people, who have good prospects elsewhere, are going to work for a government agency -- usually a lower pay -- to put up with shit like this that doesn't even happen in industry? Would you? Sure there are sometimes mass layoffs that are handled pretty badly in industry, but not these Gestapo-…

We've needed reforms to civil service and the general schedule pay scale specifically for a long time now. One can hope that a future Congress could write a bill that resets government hiring and compensation practices in the wake of this administration, but perhaps that's a fantasy at this point.

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

#659

Post by nickserv »

insane_dreamer wrote: post #638

Another very negative long-term effect of all of this is how is the government going to recruit talent in the future? How many people, who have good prospects elsewhere, are going to work for a government agency -- usually a lower pay -- to put up with shit like this that doesn't even happen in industry? Would you? Sure there are sometimes mass layoffs that are handled pretty badly in industry, but not these Gestapo-…

If not intentional, then a happy side effect.

The goal is to destroy the state apparatus from the inside, to be replaced by private industry.

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

#660

Post by WesleyJohnson »

giarc wrote: post #639

Putting aside the whole idea that Elon "bought" his way into this position, it's crazy this is the path that Trump is taking. He has a house and a senate that would likely happily cut all these programs, and it could be done legally and without all this mess. Why let Elon run roughshod over the government?

It's in the Project 2025 playbook. They're trying to overwhelm everyone so you can't possible keep track of all they're doing. Store security could handle one shoplifter at a time; but when you have a riot and mass looting - you have fewer options and often just step aside and let them loot. Then deal with the mess later.

Also - he's a narcissist and he wants all the credit.

Also - he's a wannabe dictator, and on his way to making it a reality, so he's demonstrating that he does not need permission or help.

Post reply on HN