DOGE Day One - They close your agency — what do you do

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think a fed wrote this. The terms used are all so wrong. It’s just someone trolling.

The president doesn’t have this kind of power.

I agree in theory. But also, the point is chaos. So I do think it’s possible they could send some agency a letter like that. Then, whether they actually have jobs or not would work its way through the court. But what happens in the meantime?

I honestly vacillate from thinking nothing will happen because these guys don’t know how to work in government to everything is on the table because they don’t care if they blow it all up. I guess we shall see.

I really think that some of these DOGE bros think they are going to save the US billions of dollars. I don't think the point is chaos. The point is the god complexes of all these former tech bros who have no idea how not intelligent they actually are. Just because PayPal succeeded doesn't mean you know all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I agree in theory. But also, the point is chaos. So I do think it’s possible they could send some agency a letter like that. Then, whether they actually have jobs or not would work its way through the court. But what happens in the meantime?

I honestly vacillate from thinking nothing will happen because these guys don’t know how to work in government to everything is on the table because they don’t care if they blow it all up. I guess we shall see.

Look at how long folks were out of work in 2018 with the government shutdown.

I also recall there being a day where a CR was signed at like 8am and folks didn't know whether to come into work or not.

I think everyone is being very naive.

Will they pay our health insurance premiums if there is a temporary stay in 'closure'? Allow access to computers to do our jobs?

It's going to be chaos.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I agree in theory. But also, the point is chaos. So I do think it’s possible they could send some agency a letter like that. Then, whether they actually have jobs or not would work its way through the court. But what happens in the meantime?

I honestly vacillate from thinking nothing will happen because these guys don’t know how to work in government to everything is on the table because they don’t care if they blow it all up. I guess we shall see.

Look at how long folks were out of work in 2018 with the government shutdown.

I also recall there being a day where a CR was signed at like 8am and folks didn't know whether to come into work or not.

I think everyone is being very naive.

Will they pay our health insurance premiums if there is a temporary stay in 'closure'? Allow access to computers to do our jobs?

It's going to be chaos.

Thank you for your service, comrade.

[Anonymous]

Considering Musk thinks the ACLU is a federal agency, I'm not sure what exactly is going to happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Considering Musk thinks the ACLU is a federal agency, I'm not sure what exactly is going to happen.

He'll probably tweet out that he's removed all federal funding from ACLU and claim victory.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

If you're at something like Department of Ed, even better -- they mostly just administer very popular grant programs and then do a small amount of policy making. Even if they tried to get rid of the agency it's unlikely they'd defund its operations -- they'd just transfer them back to HHS and other agencies that handled them before Ed was created in the 70s. Union contracts would make it incredibly hard for them to fire staff even if they technically dissolved the department -- you'd just transfer. It would suck but unless you are a political appointee or in one of the purely policy roles (of which there are few) then you are likely safe because the programs you work on are safe. They aren't going to stop Title 1 funds which benefit rural schools in red states enormously, for instance. And if you do happen to work in policy I think you could find a job at a think tank or with a teachers union or a variety of other orgs that work on education policy and then likely get rehired by the feds when a less stupid administration is in charge and they realize that work is actually valuable again.

The situation is not good but it's not dire. We can do this. But you have to not give up and you have to put your faith and trust in democratic systems that are older and tougher than people like Donald Trump and Elon Musk. South Korea's democracy is only like 40 years old and look how well it stood up to tyranny! We can do this.

Ah, young Jedi. Within the Department of Education is also housed the fifth largest lending operation in the United States!

[Anonymous]

Anyone seen that old movie Dave? This is like a bizarro world version

https://youtu.be/ZARAldXlSyA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think a fed wrote this. The terms used are all so wrong. It’s just someone trolling.

The president doesn’t have this kind of power.

Not a Troll, just a lowly IT worker at EPA… I don’t write policy or really get into the Govt side of things, I just keep a network of environmental monitoring systems running and love working to help the planet.

stop giving billionaire losers what they want -- your anxiety, panic, and attention.

Well said.

For those of you genuinely worried about your predicament, how is freaking out now going to help? Get your ducks in a row and get ready to find other work if you need to.

[Anonymous]

Sleep in and then start looking for a private sector job. But we own our home outright and my kid's college is paid for already.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I agree in theory. But also, the point is chaos. So I do think it’s possible they could send some agency a letter like that. Then, whether they actually have jobs or not would work its way through the court. But what happens in the meantime?

I honestly vacillate from thinking nothing will happen because these guys don’t know how to work in government to everything is on the table because they don’t care if they blow it all up. I guess we shall see.

Look at how long folks were out of work in 2018 with the government shutdown.

I also recall there being a day where a CR was signed at like 8am and folks didn't know whether to come into work or not.

I think everyone is being very naive.

Will they pay our health insurance premiums if there is a temporary stay in 'closure'? Allow access to computers to do our jobs?

It's going to be chaos.

No, your example proves the PP's counterpoint. The reason there was a shutdown at all in 2018 was because Congress had not passed a budget to fund government. It had nothing to do with a EO or some random not-commission like DOGE. If they attempted to issue silly EOs, however threatening, it would be enjoined (blocked) immediately in court. Even by Trump appointed judges.

[Anonymous]

My agency went through this a few years back. You get notified about the reassignment. They try hard to place people locally who want to stay. If you are or have to relocate, then they have to pay moving expenses. If they don’t, it is an appealable adverse action.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Considering Musk thinks the ACLU is a federal agency, I'm not sure what exactly is going to happen.

He'll probably tweet out that he's removed all federal funding from ACLU and claim victory.

[Anonymous]

Empty my bank account and buy gold. Preferably before the public knows about it.

I mean come on!

I could see closing down a few program offices but most agencies are engaged in pretty economically essential activity.

[Anonymous]

Get your resume and all your federal job paperwork in order and HOME.
Make list of contacts and get it HOME.
Line up references.
Take home really important personal items you don't want languishing in a locked office building.

They don't have to abolish an agency.
Zeroing out its appropriation works nicely. All they need are the votes and R control both houses.
So if there were an appropriation for this FY you would be funded thru September.
If there is just a CR then after it runs out you are screwed unless your agency is in a new one.
This happened. The authorizing legislation for the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment still stands. But no appropriation in 1995 so we all were jobless 9 /30/94. Had warning that spring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get your resume and all your federal job paperwork in order and HOME.
Make list of contacts and get it HOME.
Line up references.
Take home really important personal items you don't want languishing in a locked office building.

They don't have to abolish an agency.
Zeroing out its appropriation works nicely. All they need are the votes and R control both houses.
So if there were an appropriation for this FY you would be funded thru September.
If there is just a CR then after it runs out you are screwed unless your agency is in a new one.
This happened. The authorizing legislation for the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment still stands. But no appropriation in 1995 so we all were jobless 9 /30/94. Had warning that spring.

If go the no appropriation route, do essential workers still have to work to avoid being considered AWOL?