The National Weather Service (NWS) has been authorized to hire 450 meteorologists, hydrologists, and radar technicians, a move welcomed by current staff after facing staffing shortages due to government cuts and early retirements. These new hires, including 126 previously approved positions, will bolster “front-line mission critical” personnel. The agency’s hiring authority was impacted by staff reductions resulting in the need for new hires. While the agency is optimistic about the reinforcements, there is some frustration about the loss of experienced personnel in the previous cuts. The NWS will utilize direct hiring authority to expedite the process, focusing on workload-based hiring.
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DOGE is accused of wasting $21.7 billion in just 6 months. It’s a staggering figure, isn’t it? It’s hard to even wrap your head around that amount of money. Where did it all go? What exactly was it spent on? And perhaps most importantly, what did the American people get in return? It’s almost unbelievable, yet here we are, discussing the alleged squandering of billions.
DOGE is accused of wasting $21.7 billion in just 6 months, and the implications are vast. The core issue here is that this represents a significant loss of resources. The money could have been used for so many things: infrastructure, education, healthcare, or simply, lowering the national debt.… Continue reading
A U.S. Senate investigations subcommittee report revealed the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), implemented by Elon Musk, wasted over $21 billion in its first six months. The report highlighted significant waste from mass layoffs of federal employees, resulting in $14.8 billion spent on early retirement packages and $6.1 billion on severance. Furthermore, DOGE’s funding freezes led to lost interest payments, spoiled goods, and cuts to programs that generated more revenue than they cost to operate. This included the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), and public health research cuts. Long-term projections suggest that the DOGE initiatives could cost taxpayers significantly more in the future.
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In an effort to downsize the federal workforce, the Trump administration initiated layoffs and voluntary retirements, but many of these actions have been reversed. Agencies are now rehiring employees and ordering others back from leave to fill critical gaps in services. This backtracking highlights a loss of expertise and capacity within the government, which experts fear could lead to serious issues. Several departments, including Health and Human Services and the National Weather Service, have rehired numerous employees, driven by the need to maintain essential services, while the administration is still implementing its “reduction-in-force” plans.
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A new report reveals that Katie Miller, wife of Stephen Miller, pressured the Social Security Administration (SSA) to falsely claim 40% of calls involved fraudulent activity, a figure fabricated by the White House and Elon Musk. This false claim was made to support cuts to the SSA spearheaded by Musk’s initiative, DOGE. The acting SSA administrator, Leland Dudek, initially complied but was later replaced by Frank Bisignano, who contradicted Miller’s statement while simultaneously defending DOGE’s actions. The resulting staffing shortages and claim backlog demonstrate the negative consequences of this politically-motivated manipulation of agency data.
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Without informing White House communications staff, Elon Musk’s DOGE team installed Starlink internet service at the White House complex, bypassing established security protocols. This installation allowed for unmonitored data transmission, potentially exposing sensitive information and creating vulnerabilities to hacking. The lack of username/password authentication on the “Starlink Guest” WiFi network further compounded security risks, raising concerns among White House staff and prompting investigations by the House Oversight Committee. The Secret Service, while acknowledging the installation, maintains it did not constitute a security breach.
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The Supreme Court issued two rulings favoring the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). First, it permitted DOGE access to sensitive Social Security data for fraud detection and system modernization, despite concerns about a potential fishing expedition and privacy violations. Second, the Court temporarily halted a lower court order requiring DOGE to release documents under a transparency law, narrowing the scope of the disclosure while leaving the possibility of some future release open. These decisions, met with dissent from the Court’s liberal justices, represent significant victories for DOGE amidst ongoing controversy surrounding its data handling practices and transparency. The rulings have significant implications for future cases involving DOGE’s access to government data.
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Sahil Lavingia, a tech entrepreneur, was dismissed from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) following a Fast Company interview where he downplayed the inefficiency of government operations. His blog post details his 50-day stint at the VA, focusing on AI implementation, contract review, and assisting with layoffs, while expressing disappointment at his inability to meaningfully improve veterans’ services. Lavingia’s dismissal highlights DOGE’s controversial role in government layoffs and data collection, and contrasts his expectations of impactful work with the reality of limited authority and internal challenges. His experience underscores criticisms of DOGE’s methods and its impact on agency modernization efforts.
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Concluding his term as a special government employee, Elon Musk appeared at a White House press conference with President Trump sporting a black eye, which he attributed to his five-year-old son. This press conference marked the end of Musk’s time heading the Department of Government Efficiency, a role where he oversaw significant cost savings. Despite recent reports alleging Musk’s heavy drug use, he deflected questions on the matter and instead criticized the reporting news outlet. The event also saw Trump praise Musk and the positive impact of DOGE on government efficiency.
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Following Elon Musk’s departure from his White House advisory role, the Democrats subtly mocked Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, whose wife, Katie, also left to join Musk’s team. Katie Miller, a DOGE advisor, was seen with Musk during his farewell. The situation highlighted a rift within the MAGA movement, as Miller publicly criticized Musk’s assessment of the president’s new bill. Both Millers, previously employed in the first Trump administration, are among several DOGE team members leaving alongside Musk.
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John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood