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Pete F. 03-01-2025 07:08 PM

This speaks for itself
March 1, 2025

A letter to the American People:

For over 11 years, 18F has been proudly serving you to make government technology work better. We are non-partisan civil servants. 18F has worked on hundreds of projects, all designed to make government technology not just efficient but effective, and to save money for American taxpayers.

However, all employees at 18F – a group that the Trump Administration GSA Technology Transformation Services Director called "the gold standard" of civic tech – were terminated today at midnight ET.

18F was doing exactly the type of work that DOGE claims to want – yet we were eliminated.

When former Tesla engineer Thomas Shedd took the position of TTS director and met with TTS including 18F on February 3, 2025, he acknowledged that the group is the “gold standard” of civic technologists and that “you guys have been doing this far longer than I’ve been even aware that your group exists.” He repeatedly emphasized the importance of the work, and the value of the talent that the teams bring to government.

Despite that skill and knowledge, at midnight ET on March 1, the entirety of 18F received notice that our positions had been eliminated.

The letter said that 18F "has been identified as part of this phase of GSA’s Reduction in Force (RIF) as non-critical”.

"This decision was made with explicit direction from the top levels of leadership within both the Administration and GSA," Shedd said in an email shortly after we were given notice.

This was a surprise to all 18F staff and our agency partners. Just yesterday we were working on important projects, including improving access to weather data with NOAA, making it easier and faster to get a passport with the Department of State, supporting free tax filing with the IRS, and other critical projects with organizations at the federal and state levels.

All of that work has now abruptly come to a halt. Since the entire staff was also placed on administrative leave, we have been locked out of our computers, and have no chance to assist in an orderly transition in our work. We don’t even have access to our personal employment data. We’re supposed to return our equipment, but can’t use our email to find out how or where.

Dismantling 18F follows the gutting of the original US Digital Service. These cuts are just the most recent in a series of a sledgehammer approach to the critical US teams supporting IT infrastructure.

Before today’s RIF, DOGE members and GSA political appointees demanded and took access to IT systems that hold sensitive information. They ignored security precautions. Some who pushed back on this questionable behavior resigned rather than grant access. Others were met with reprisals like being booted from work communication channels.

We’re not done yet.

We’re still absorbing what has happened. We’re wrestling with what it will mean for ourselves and our families, as well as the impact on our partners and the American people.

But we came to the government to fix things. And we’re not done with this work yet.

More to come.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

wdmso 03-02-2025 08:51 AM

Let’s look at 3 of Trump deals while he was in office.

Remarks by President Trump on the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement 2018. It is my great honor to announce that we have successfully completed negotiations on a brand new deal to terminate and replace NAFTA and the NAFTA trade agreements with an incredible new US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, called “USMCA.” It, sort of, just works: USMCA But now this deal sucks.

Trumps deal with the Taliban Doha Accord, The US agreed to an initial reduction of its force level from 13,000 to 8,600 within 135 days (i.e. by July 2020). The United States also committed to closing five military bases within 135 days, and expressed its intent to end economic sanctions on the Taliban by August 27, 2020. The United States would release 5,000 Taliban prisoners Critics of the deal claimed that the then Trump administration appeased the Taliban and ignored the then Afghan government Common theme the Afghan government was left out the peace talks

And currently. Trump is giving away the store to Putin . Releasing prisoners saying nice this to Putin. Publicly stopping US cyber activity DOJ no longer looking at Russian sanctions violation’s cabinet members refusing to acknowledge Russia invade Ukraine. The deputy defense secretary in a hearing refused to say Russia invade. He claimed he didn’t have the information. And openly attacking Zelenskyy and left out of the peace talks

It’s a clear pattern Trump isn’t concerned with what come after his deals. Or fixing things or making peace. .. so he looks good. And yet he has completely convinced much of American he is doing it for god and country. And they believe it!

Maybe he should lead from the front. He can start here .. stop working from home ..

Nebe 03-02-2025 09:16 AM

Ouch


https://youtu.be/YsIntuxmXf0?si=jWM09-2u_657P3ut
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

wdmso 03-02-2025 10:12 AM

Vance family moved to undisclosed location after hundreds of pro-Ukraine protesters swarm ski resort ahead of vacation


https://nypost.com/2025/03/01/us-new...nsky-exchange/

All the right wing news sources are covering this as UKRAINE supporters
And somehow trying to twist these protesters are against American democracy. It’s comical. The dear leader crap spewing on Fox and these right wind propaganda outlets is insane.. and once again they try to present themselves as patriotic… for the fidelity they show Trump-as POTUS. It’s odd that patriotic courtesy was never extended to Biden.

His sin was he won an election. Yet Trumps destroying out government and its checks and balances. And they cheer ?

spence 03-02-2025 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nebe (Post 1248663)
Ouch


https://youtu.be/YsIntuxmXf0?si=jWM09-2u_657P3ut
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

https://www.politico.eu/article/russ...oscow-ukraine/

Pete F. 03-02-2025 10:34 AM

During the Trump Pence administration, Pence took a vacation on a lake in Vermont.
Hardly any reaction here in Vermont.
Vance isn’t Pence and the sequel as usual is far worse than the original.
I think there’s a ski area for Vance that would be happy to see him.
Masikryong Ski Resort, he could ski with FFOTUS’ good friend Kim Jong Un
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

wdmso 03-02-2025 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spence (Post 1248666)

Just saw Bill o’Reilly claiming Trumps doesn’t care about Putin. That he just buttering him up. To get him to the negotiating table.

I think bill has confused Putin’s needs with Trumps demands of praise

Pete F. 03-02-2025 11:03 AM

Kremlin spokesman says Russia's and
US foreign policies are in alignment
With a thaw in U.S.-Russia relations, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the "foreign policy" alignment of the U.S. administration largely mirrors that of Moscow.
"The new (U.S.) administration is rapidly changing all foreign policy configurations. This largely coincides with our vision," Peskov said, according to a post by state TV reporter Pavel Zarubin on Sunday on the Telegram channel.
Peskov spoke on Wednesday, before the Zelenskyy-Trump blowout on Friday.
His remarks were seen as a follow-up on the U.S. splitting with its European allies by refusing to blame Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. In the U.N. General Assembly last week, the U.S. joined Russia in voting against a Europe-backed Ukrainian resolution that calls out Moscow's aggression and demands an immediate withdrawal of Russian troops.
Ties between Moscow and Washington had plummeted to their lowest levels since the Cold War after Russia illegally annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and invaded Ukraine in 2022.
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spence 03-02-2025 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wdmso (Post 1248668)
Just saw Bill o’Reilly claiming Trumps doesn’t care about Putin. That he just buttering him up. To get him to the negotiating table.

I think bill has confused Putin’s needs with Trumps demands of praise

I actually used to watch Bill O’Rilley every night back in the 2000’s when he had some relevance.

Putin only knows strength. Trump parroting Kremlin talking points, calling Zelinsky a dictator, blaming Ukraine for starting the war, telling Zelinsky the person bombing your hospitals and schools and reneged on previous deals should be given the benefit of doubt, pulling military support, undermining NATO, Hesgeth giving away their negotiating position, stopping Russian cyber operations, shutting down investigations into election interference and sanctions violations and on and on…

All undermine any chance of a real negotiation. Rubio this morning looked like a ball washing fool. When you accept that Trump is not on the side of democracy it all makes sense actually.

Pete F. 03-02-2025 11:25 AM

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev says that Russia's President Vladimir Putin should be the "leader of the free world."

If anyone thinks that Russia will stop at Ukraine, they're delusional.

If anyone thinks that Putin respects Donald Trump, they're also delusional.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Pete F. 03-02-2025 11:50 AM

A little history
HITLER ASSURES POLAND.
Says on Anniversary of Amity
Pact Friendship Will Endure.
Wireless to THE NEW YORK TIMES.
WARSAW, Jan. 25.-The official Gazeta Polska will celebrate the first anniversary of the Polish-Ger-man non-aggression declaration tomorrow by publishing, an interview. through its Berlin correspondents with Chancellor Hitler, who expresses satisfaction that the first twelve months have fully justified the new Polish-German relations.
Herr Hitler says the two governments have succeeded in correcting one of the most dangerous historical and political errors-namely, that Poland and Germany. could never be friendly neighbors. The whole world now sees clearly, he states, that these two countries can cooperate for their own welfare as well as for that of Europe. The German Chancellor says he and. other National Socialist leaders believe such cooperation will develop into a lasting friendship.
Herr Hitler also remarks that the National Socialist régime will not repeat past blunders and that it aims to be friendly with all nations, particularly those surrounding Ger-many.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Pete F. 03-02-2025 09:59 PM

We should worry about migrant rape gangs, says FFOTUS who just pressured Romania to free the Tate brothers so they could return to the U.S.
The UK is considering submitting an extradition request to the US for the Tate brothers, according to reports.

Andrew, 38, and his brother Tristan, 36, flew to Florida by private jet from Romania on Thursday, where they are under investigation for sex trafficking.

The siblings credited US president Donald Trump for “feeling safe” upon their return to the US, despite Mr Trump claiming he knew nothing about them.

British home secretary Yvette Cooper is exploring legal options to extradite the pair to the UK, where they also face rape and human trafficking charges, The Daily Telegraph reported.

It comes after Florida governor Ron DeSantis said the pair were not welcome in his state and lawyers were looking at “dealing” with their arrival.

“Florida is not a place where you're welcome with that type of conduct,” he said. “Our attorney general is looking into what jurisdictions we have to deal with this.”
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wdmso 03-04-2025 03:23 PM

Pentagon set to gut office focused on reducing civilian deaths
Officials at the Defense Department’s Civilian Protection Center of Excellence, which seeks to limit collateral damage from military strikes against enemy combatants, were told to accept a buyout or be fired.

Now just like Russia and Israel we won't be following the rules of War

let me guess we'll just call everyone a terrorist :faga:

Nebe 03-04-2025 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wdmso (Post 1248730)
Pentagon set to gut office focused on reducing civilian deaths
Officials at the Defense Department’s Civilian Protection Center of Excellence, which seeks to limit collateral damage from military strikes against enemy combatants, were told to accept a buyout or be fired.

Now just like Russia and Israel we won't be following the rules of War

let me guess we'll just call everyone a terrorist :faga:

I just wonder who we will be bombing? Canadians? Greenlanders? Ukranians? English??? Time will tell
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Pete F. 03-04-2025 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nebe (Post 1248733)
I just wonder who we will be bombing? Canadians? Greenlanders? Ukranians? English??? Time will tell
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

After the SOTU it must be exciting for our military to learn that they may be going to war against NATO (Canada, Denmark) while helping Russia take Ukraine. Exactly what they signed up for!
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device


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