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GSA Eliminates 18F

nextgov.com

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Re: GSA Eliminates 18F

#271

Post by bbor »

khazhoux wrote: post #260
physhster wrote: post #168

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's somewhat interesting that the NYT acts all outraged while the refused to report on the orange guy's numerous conflicts of interest/crimes/dubious connections, and all out penchant for fascism before the election...

How do you figure? I saw plenty of coverage. What did they miss?

Yeah I’m plenty critical of the NYT myself (esp. in their last month of coverage), but they do ostensibly cover any big news story, including the ones about Trump. Re:fascism, I specifically remember them covering the “I need generals like Hitler had” comment, to pick a memorable example.

While we’re at it, they even endorsed Harris as an institution, writing;

  “This unequivocal, dispiriting truth — Donald Trump is not fit to be president — should be enough for any voter who cares about the health of our country and the stability of our democracy to deny him re-election,”

Re: GSA Eliminates 18F

#272

Post by rights_reminder »

Reason077 wrote: post #41

Amazing how the idea of being able to file tax returns online, without paying for a commercial service to do it, is considered far-left extremism in the US. You’d think that simplifying tax returns and reducing costs in the taxation system would be something the right could get behind?

[flagged]

Re: GSA Eliminates 18F

#273

Post by cameronh90 »

jedberg wrote: post #183
WorkerBee28474 wrote: post #164

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> They claim that if the government could calculate taxes for you, then it would be too easy... to add new taxes that you wouldn't notice. As a non-American whose country break out the VAT into a separate line item, with the explicit intent to inform consumers how much tax they are paying, and who has shopped in countries where they roll it all into one, I can say that this 'claim' is absolutely what happens in pract…

Are you saying the only way that citizens are informed of the current tax rates is through price tags?

In the UK, VAT is incorporated into the price. This does lead to some sort of an awareness issue.

Pretty much everyone does, of course, know that the VAT rate is 20%, but still you always get people complaining that we’re being ripped off when something which costs $1000 ends up being sold here at £950.

Re: GSA Eliminates 18F

#274

Post by djur »

skissane wrote: post #264
djur wrote: post #241

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't see any evidence that 18F was any more "far-left" than tech workers on average.

The tweet the GP linked – https://x.com/lukerosiak/status/1885523747425399247 – mentioned they wrote a Slack bot to lecture people about using inclusive language. I don't think that is average for US tech workers. I don't believe the vast majority of US tech firms have such a thing. I wouldn't call that "far left" myself – although "far left" as used by American conservatives is a pejorative colloquialism whose meani…

I have worked at a place with a bot like that. It's one of over a dozen bots in that repository and seems to have been created and maintained by 3 people over the years. I believe 18F peaked at 250 employees.

Some of the terms are genuinely offensive or unprofessional. I'm not sure about some of them, but I'd expect a government agency to show a higher level of sensitivity and professionalism about their language than a private start-up.

I also note that the bot "lectures" people as a private message.

Re: GSA Eliminates 18F

#275

Post by joshuahedlund »

labster wrote: post #175
toomuchtodo wrote: post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Worry not, if we get to vote again, I expect a hard swing back to the other side after these events. Lots of rebuilding to do from the ashes. Steady as she goes as we sail through the storm.

We’re not going to get to vote again. There is no future, America’s dreaming.

What do you mean? There are several special elections happening April 1. New Jersey and Virginia have governor elections this November. Mid-terms in every state next November. These elections, like all elections, are run by states, not the federal government. Which ones do you think are not going to happen?

Re: GSA Eliminates 18F

#276

Post by GenerWork »

dashundchen wrote: post #229
j_san wrote: post #173

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think that far-left was primarily only written because of the tax returns. I followed some links in the article and came to this twitter thread which might explain where that notion comes from: https://x.com/lukerosiak/status/1885523747425399247 (Disclaimer: I don't live in the US and don't want to take any political stance with this)

Far-left is having some affinity groups at work, hiring people who happen to be queer, and being inclusive to people with disabilities? The right is deranged with intolerance. All the talk about "free speech" and they can't stand that someone might not think or act like them. The "anti-woke" crusaders are honestly more unbearable than any social justice warrior type I've met because they will not shut up about it and…

>The "anti-woke" crusaders are honestly more unbearable than any social justice warrior type I've met because they will not shut up about it and it colors their whole life.

I'm the complete opposite. Swap "anti-woke" with "social justice warrior" and you have my experience across multiple years, both inside and outside of companies.

Re: GSA Eliminates 18F

#277

Post by thuridas »

skissane wrote: post #264
djur wrote: post #241

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't see any evidence that 18F was any more "far-left" than tech workers on average.

The tweet the GP linked – https://x.com/lukerosiak/status/1885523747425399247 – mentioned they wrote a Slack bot to lecture people about using inclusive language. I don't think that is average for US tech workers. I don't believe the vast majority of US tech firms have such a thing. I wouldn't call that "far left" myself – although "far left" as used by American conservatives is a pejorative colloquialism whose meani…

So now trying to avoid offensive language in the government is the reason to fire a whole department?

What is going to happen in four years? Is every administration forms to fire each others federal workers?

Re: GSA Eliminates 18F

#279

Post by Muromec »

dralley wrote: post #8

Stupid, pointless destruction. No part of this is efficient. 18F and the USDS were effective tools for modernization.

It's very sensible to disband 18f simply because founding fathers of US never wrote anything about internet in the constitution.

Re: GSA Eliminates 18F

#280

Post by almostgotcaught »

jwkpiano1 wrote: post #231
labster wrote: post #175

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We’re not going to get to vote again. There is no future, America’s dreaming.

We sure as shit are or there will be civil conflict. Period.

Man it's American exceptionalism all the way till the end. Do you see all the other countries that have gone through the exact same transformation without and such civil unrest? What exactly makes the US different from them? Name absolutely anything.

All this bluster and wishful thinking is exactly why we're here today.

"you should admit your situation there would be more dignity in it"

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