Anonymous wrote:I just hope smaller independent agencies can remain forgotten about.

Same. Although under the orange turd’s first admin, we were basically stymied for months - year (can’t remember exact time) because of his refusal to nominate Commissioners. This time around, we are fully staffed until June 2025, so I suppose he will just reshuffle who the Chairman is?

Also we regulate pipelines and he basically made them rubber-stamp everything, so I guess that will happen this time around. . .

Wondering if it makes sense to start a new thread for the smaller independent agencies.

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Quick ways for the federal government to save money:

Establish a windfall elimination program for those receiving military disability benefits who are also gainfully employed. Stop the double dipping since almost everyone who has served in the military is some percentage disabled these days and those payments are huge.

Scrutinize SSDI and remove those off the program who are able to work. Too many rural areas rely on SSDI as income due to lack of opportunities but that’s not why that program exists.

Implement those two very controversial plans and the government could save trillions. [/quote]

+1000. [b]This is the most logical thing I've read on DCUM![/b][/quote]

Hence, not something that will actually be considered by the new administration.

Anonymous wrote:Trump doesn’t want to ever print a negative jobs number…my guess is not filling open positions, having a certain amount of attrition if they mandate RTO and other accounting gimmicks may get you to a massive headline number.

Having government layoffs turn jobs negative isn’t something that will fly.

Also, how will any of this help with inflation or housing costs, etc?

Honestly, nobody cares about budget deficits because they never translate into anything that actually directly impacts anyone.

I agree with this and would add— VA and MD have a sizable representation in the Congress who will, in a bipartisan fashion, work to make sure this doesn’t happen/mitigate the worst excesses.

I’m not saying it won’t suck. Just that the degree of sick is likely overstated.

[twitter]

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Anonymous wrote:I don’t think they’re going to do a lot, honestly. Elon musk is just a blowhard. If they had a real plan for huge cuts without chaos that would amount to political suicide, they would have done it. It’s the same as “repeal and replace.”

Elon fired 70% of twitter. That is not just a blowhard

NP and the thing is Elon won't have an official government cabinet position so he can say a group sucks and we should get rid of it but an equally egomaniacal cabinet head is going to have decision-making power and isn't going to let Elon run their show.

Are we so sure about that?

PP here and yes, I have seen tons of articles including statements from Trump and Musk himself that he wants an advisory role rather than a cabinet position.

Because he’d have to get rid of all his conflicting financial holdings. Poor Rex Tillerson had to get rid of all his valuable stock options to take the state position and then have a Trump piss all over him and unceremoniously shit can him.

Anonymous wrote:CR is expiring 12/20. Is the thinking that it will lapse or that there will be another CR until early Feb after the new Congress starts?

I’d love to see the Democratic House sit this one out. Let’s let the Republican Congress show just how competent and civic minded they are and get a CR done.

If the govt is shut down, the inauguration is going to be very bare bones.

Anonymous wrote:Quick ways for the federal government to save money:

Establish a windfall elimination program for those receiving military disability benefits who are also gainfully employed. Stop the double dipping since almost everyone who has served in the military is some percentage disabled these days and those payments are huge.

Scrutinize SSDI and remove those off the program who are able to work. Too many rural areas rely on SSDI as income due to lack of opportunities but that’s not why that program exists.

Implement those two very controversial plans and the government could save trillions.

That’s laughable. Those are small beer.

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Anonymous wrote:CR is expiring 12/20. Is the thinking that it will lapse or that there will be another CR until early Feb after the new Congress starts?

This. I’m expecting the CR to lapse and the govt to be shut down until after the inauguration. Current congress won’t want to act. Incoming congress will wait for TFG marching orders after 1/20.

Assuming full GOP sweep, why wouldn't even the MAGA agree to a 30 day CR and then the new congress can gut everything with no obstacles. What do they get by shutting down? But sure, if dems manage to get the house, maybe a shut down.

Anonymous wrote:CR is expiring 12/20. Is the thinking that it will lapse or that there will be another CR until early Feb after the new Congress starts?

This. I’m expecting the CR to lapse and the govt to be shut down until after the inauguration. Current congress won’t want to act. Incoming congress will wait for TFG marching orders after 1/20.

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Anonymous wrote:Trump doesn’t want to ever print a negative jobs number…my guess is not filling open positions, having a certain amount of attrition if they mandate RTO and other accounting gimmicks may get you to a massive headline number.

Having government layoffs turn jobs negative isn’t something that will fly.

Also, how will any of this help with inflation or housing costs, etc?

Honestly, nobody cares about budget deficits because they never translate into anything that actually directly impacts anyone.

Of course they translate. The federal government spends more of US GDP servicing debt payments than it does on defense. As the debt grows from borrowing a larger percentage of our GDP will be spent paying that debt, assuming countries even want our debt at a certain point. And more borrowing will push interest rates higher, which will make buying a house with a mortgage more expensive.

Then cut Medicare if you’re so bothered

Why Medicare? Why cut a program that benefits the most vulnerable populations in the United States? Fiscal discipline benefits everyone, because we all pay literally for a lack of fiscal discipline. We are paying now and will continue to pay in the future.

I would let the tax cuts expire and as it relates to federal employees, I would treat them like employees in every other sector and require RTO/hybrid and sell real estate that isn’t needed.

Because Medicare and Social Security are the reason the US keeps going further into debt. Discretionary spending (i.e., basically everything else) has been effectively FLAT for nearly two decades. As a portion of GDP, we are spending less than ever on it.

This is not about “fiscal discipline.” The Republican party just uses that concept as window dressing for their actual goal of eliminating programs they don’t like.

Yep. But this is what you get when the country is clueless about how it's government works, or basic issues like funding it. You are not closing any gaps with "fiscal discipline." So which are you giving up? Medicare or Social Security?

Let’s see. Want to illegal immigrants? You need federal employees to do that. Cut taxes? Need some IRS employees to rewrite the regs and implement necessary IT changes. Impose new tariffs? Also need federal employees to develop and implement that program. Shut down the broadcasters that Trump hates? Some FCC employees will need to write that order (and then defend it in court).

Of course, unless you want to outsource to contractors, which will bring even more money to the DMV.

CR is expiring 12/20. Is the thinking that it will lapse or that there will be another CR until early Feb after the new Congress starts?

I just hope smaller independent agencies can remain forgotten about.

Anonymous wrote:we have to understand that getting rid of deadweight feds is a good thing for the country, agency, and also high performers who wants to move up but can't. It is sad when a crappy senior guy takes the position but don't do anything and we have to hire a few contractors to take care of his work.

+100 This would help everyone. Either they can leave themselves or get pushed away, I don't care. They make all the other hardworking Feds look bad.

[quote=Anonymous]Quick ways for the federal government to save money:

Establish a windfall elimination program for those receiving military disability benefits who are also gainfully employed. Stop the double dipping since almost everyone who has served in the military is some percentage disabled these days and those payments are huge.

Scrutinize SSDI and remove those off the program who are able to work. Too many rural areas rely on SSDI as income due to lack of opportunities but that’s not why that program exists.

Implement those two very controversial plans and the government could save trillions. [/quote]

+1000. This is the most logical thing I've read on DCUM!