Imagine announcing to the world you’re going to do the difficult job of making big changes and cuts in the government in order to make it more efficient. Then taking an organization that is demonstrably doing that job well already and destroying the whole thing.
What if I told you there was a group of user researchers, engineers, product managers, and procurement specialists within the federal government whose job was to partner with other federal agencies, learn directly from them and the people they serve what problems they face, and come up with solutions tested with real users? Well there isn’t. Not anymore, anyway, since they were all just fired. I’m being glib, but my point is that 18F excelled at doing all of the things DOGE purports to want, including dramatically eliminating waste. See here and here and here for just a few of so, so many examples.
18F ???? — Matt Henry
I’d express my confusion, except that I’m not terribly confused.
Many exclaimed how the agency was known for creating efficiencies and saving taxpayer dollars and time—precisely in line with DOGE’s purported mission—but it’s long been clear at this point that DOGE has little real interest in actually locating efficiencies; it’s aim is to hobble the regulatory state, pursue political objectives, and concentrate power.
The mass firing of federal tech workers at 18F is one of DOGE’s most overtly political acts yet — Brian Merchant
The story at USDS is the same.
Earlier this month, about 40 staffers in the office were laid off. The firings dealt a devastating blow to the government’s ability to administer and safeguard its own technological footprint, they wrote.
“These highly skilled civil servants were working to modernize Social Security, veterans’ services, tax filing, health care, disaster relief, student aid, and other critical services,” the resignation letter states. “Their removal endangers millions of Americans who rely on these services every day. The sudden loss of their technology expertise makes critical systems and American’s data less safe.”
Roughly one-third of the 65 staffers who remained at USDS quit on Tuesday rather than take on new duties under DOGE.
Federal technology staffers resign rather than help Musk and DOGE — AP News
for real for real for real