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US Tech Force

techforce.gov

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Re: US Tech Force

#261

Post by mothballed »

square_usual wrote: post #236
mothballed wrote: post #169

Earlier quoted context omitted.

DC has the highest per capita income of anywhere in the US (vs other states/territories), so when you realize federal workers are producing the most value for America the economics are at least a little better. If you look at relative economic slackers like workers of NYC and the private industry where less value is per capita created, it's a bit rougher.

> DC has the highest per capita income of anywhere in the US This isn't from the Federal workers; it's from people working in contracting for the Feds or other similar roles.

Googling average Federal worker income in DC, every number I came up with was the above the average for DC, and DC is higher than every other state/territory.

I find nothing supporting your assertion but plenty opposing it. Feds are not only pulling it up, but the biggest group of people doing so.

Re: US Tech Force

#262

Post by gopher_space »

exceptione wrote: post #204
neogodless wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> This is President Trump going bigger than President Nixon. You don't say...

I wonder if there are living people who don't interpret it as a sign of something __REALLY__ weird going on here. I view Trump as a clinical case of narcissism, bad upbringing, screwed-up mentors, but too late for treatment anyways. But man, the crowd that lick his boots in public for a position or some coins... They should be shunned for life. This level of sycophancy would destroy one's reputation for ever in my cu…

If people can tell you’re a republican from your resume alone it’s already in the trash can.

Re: US Tech Force

#263

Post by embedding-shape »

ecshafer wrote: post #81
tptacek wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The USG does not want plausible deniability about this. They actively recruit on elite engineering campuses over it. It is super fucking interesting work and candidates compete for the opportunity to do it. If you think otherwise, you're in a filter bubble.

There is this consistent myth by the most radical faction of people in the country. They are only the most radical 5 or 10%, but they seem to believe their anti-nationalist, anti-government, anti-American views are much more widely share than they are. The vast majority of American's view working in the defense industry, espionage, etc as a good thing .

Where can one find these people online? As they are seemingly not on HN, and as a European with similar views, it would be fun to get closer to them.

Re: US Tech Force

#264

Post by AndrewKemendo »

zbentley wrote: post #258
AndrewKemendo wrote: post #247

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That’s the life of a civil servant though By function a GS will ALWAYS be subordinate to a political appointee and there’s nothing they can do about it I posted elsewhere that I left a govt career as a military officer precicely because of this reality. It’s like a old boring joke now that politicians are corrupt and worthless. I will tell you from the inside that not only is it true but it’s 10 times to 100 times wo…

> a GS will ALWAYS be subordinate to a political appointee It’s worth being specific about what is meant by “political appointee” here. That term has specific legal meaning in the context of federal staffing, and (as I understand it, not a lawyer) is not the same thing as “GS employee who was hired as part of an administration’s political agenda”.

Cause a “political” GS is not a thing hence why they have either congressional appointment or alternative pathway to political appointment

Re: US Tech Force

#265

Post by zbentley »

jeffbee wrote: post #90

You can go ahead and add this to the list of job experiences that will earn you a "Definitely Not" rating from me in the hiring committee, along with doge, palantir, coinbase, etc.

That’s your choice, though please consider that many people who worked for those places may have done so before the behavior you disagree with started. Also consider that there are reasons to work for an organization other than “paycheck” and “alignment with organization priorities”, and that it is entirely possible (and sometimes uniquely possible) to do important, beneficial work while employed by an organization with which you fundamentally do not agree; the majority of my resume lines fit this description, I think.

Reasonable minds can differ as to whether that constitutes unethicality or hypocrisy.

Re: US Tech Force

#266

Post by Spivak »

timeon wrote: post #177
lubujackson wrote: post #162

> Tech Force will primarily recruit early-career technologists Baking in the ageism right from the start. Few want to work for this government, but at least they can keep those unsavory 30+ year olds out!

> ageism This is DEI talk to them.

So is hiring young people over a better qualified senior applicant. You wouldn't have to make it a point if recent grads would win in a meritocracy.

It's fine to hire a bunch of juniors but then you're kinda explicitly not looking for the best. But at $150k-ish they'll get mid career and senior devs from low CoL areas pouring in.

Re: US Tech Force

#267

Post by raw_anon_1111 »

ethbr1 wrote: post #175
dabockster wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

This feels like it needs a MAGA vs Republican distinction. There are plenty of Republicans who (privately) have issues with some things Trump is doing.

The meme is that Susan Collins is “always concerned”. But still votes along with the MAGAs. If they are silently going along, what difference does it make? They are still MAGA.

Re: US Tech Force

#268

Post by [deleted] »

AndrewKemendo wrote: post #232
mixmastamyk wrote: post #230

Earlier quoted context omitted.

https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/pay-admi... Doesn't sound like you're talking about General Schedule.

Correct and there’s no legal requirement to use the GS. This new force could easily and legally acquire and pay through other schedules - happens all the time.

[deleted]

Re: US Tech Force

#269

Post by Jtsummers »

kulahan wrote: post #183
testing22321 wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Benefits include health insurance, retirement plans, paid time off, and eligibility for performance-based awards Paid time off??? Health insurance??? Retirement plans???? OMG this is incredible! What an offer! /s

A gov-backed retirement plan actually is nice. You don’t have to worry about losing your Chrysler pension because they went out of business.

As I wrote in another comment, US Tech Force participants doing 2-year stints won't qualify for the gov't backed retirement (unless they were prior military, prior civil service, or find a non-term appointment to follow this stint with). You need three years to keep the 5% TSP (401k equivalent) match, which is similar to many private companies. You also need 5 years to qualify for FERS (if you quit before then you can get your contributions back, but that's optional as you may want to come back to gov't later and have the years count).

Re: US Tech Force

#270

Post by nebula8804 »

AndrewKemendo wrote: post #247
ethbr1 wrote: post #180

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nothing like putting in a multi decade civil service career and coming in one day to find a 20-something installed over you whose primary qualification was being hired at a "friendly" tech company and making the right kind of joke around the CEO. ... although that seems depressingly like it would also be the experience with new administrators being installed in executive agencies every 4 years, except they're slightl…

That’s the life of a civil servant though By function a GS will ALWAYS be subordinate to a political appointee and there’s nothing they can do about it I posted elsewhere that I left a govt career as a military officer precicely because of this reality. It’s like a old boring joke now that politicians are corrupt and worthless. I will tell you from the inside that not only is it true but it’s 10 times to 100 times wo…

Somehow this country has managed to do big and bold things when it is needed. Those great systems that were dismantled got built at one point so it is theoretically possible to do good. Furthermore other countries seem to do a better job at serving their citizens so its not like effective government is impossible((look at how the EU at least gets some things that benefit their citizens even though most of it is a mess).

There has got to be some pathway to get back to that.

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