Early Monday morning, employees at the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the agency in charge of conducting humanitarian efforts around the world, were told not to come to work.
I have been trying to reach my representative and senators. Emails are responded to with be enriched form responses that don’t even address my questions and concerns. Phone messages are not returned. This has happened with leaders of both parties. What else can I do?
Okay, so all of USAID has now been laid off (which includes hundreds of employees embedded internationally who have spouses working there and kids in school and now have to uproot in a matter of days without warning), and WSJ is reporting the ENTIRE CIA has been offered a buyout.
Add that to NSF studies and grants being pulled, CDC data going offline, Head Start programs missing their funding... literally TrumpMusk are just illegally shutting down the entire federal government, critical functions be damned.
I'm not on Insta anymore so not sure what you're covering today, but at this point we're barreling toward full financial and political collapse and I'm afraid we don't have the enforcement mechanisms to stop it.
The app “5 calls” is an excellent resource. I hate making phone calls, but I was able to quickly call all 3 of my elected members of Congress very quickly. They give you the phone numbers, names, and a script to follow.
What is most concerning about what Musk is doing, is not being stopped by congress. Because Republicans control both, we need a bipartisan effort to stop him. I just don’t think the Republicans will do it because they fear being primaried. The only tools Democrats have is lawsuits and stalling confirmations it seems. Unless I am missing something?
Unfortunately he is not qualified for the role. If it was only about food, maybe but it’s so much more than that and he is in waaayyy over his head. The fact that he literally earns a living from a law firms kickbacks from vaccine injury cases, proves that he doesn’t really care about the science it’s all about manipulating people and making money while putting their health at risk.
Honestly do not care! I see quite the opposite of what you are saying. I see Moms and Dads fed up with our current t system. I’m all for someone that is all in to examine where we are and how we can fix the broken parts. Perhaps you should ask how many in the health and science fields be benefit from the current system? Do they benefit from keeping us healthy or keeping us sick? Just food for thought…
Okay so I’m clear, you find it more likely that the health and science profession is conspiring to keep us sick for profits than that they are good faith people who are correct about the danger that pseudoscience poses?
Are you aware that the wellness industry dwarfs pharmaceuticals by an order of magnitude? To the tune of $6 billion with a B? Do you find it more believable that people like RFK are in it out of the goodness of their hearts? Or perhaps they are *at least* as profit oriented as your average pediatrician?
I shared my excitement and why. I don’t have an interest in engaging in a back and forth. I know you enjoy them but it’s late here and frankly I really don’t see that it serves either of us.
It’s been two exhausting weeks. There are living up to their “flood the zone” mo.
I’ve contacted my representatives and expressed my concerns. What more can one do?
I do think that this may actually be why a lot of Trump voters voted for him-perhaps not to have Musk do exactly what he did in the way he did it-but they would be okay with dismantling USAID in a legal way. I think it is nonsensical as we live in such an interconnected world…
We may unfortunately have to watch this happen and other bad things happen before any good change can take place.
I am not defeatist and do think that us uniting and having our voices heard by Congress is paramount. Perhaps we will be a stronger nation because of our struggle and interaction with our lawmakers? I hope so.
I called both senators and my rep from Ohio. Both senators had automated “leave your callback number.” Representative Rulli’s office answered and refuted that Musk/DOGE has access to ANY sensitive information of taxpayers or individuals. SAID “it is all over Fox and the National Review that the idea he has access to sensitive information formation is false.” He also said they have had over 100 calls specifically about this matter and we need to get word out that it is false, as Pres Trump said.
Lisa…that is terrible. They lie to stay in Trump’s good graces. I haven’t called my congressmen yet but I will. But when your senators are Lindsey Graham & Tim Scott, I don’t think it will matter to them. They back anything Trump says and does. Lindsey Graham is trying to pass a law that outlaws birthright citizenship. I don’t understand that because Sharon has taught us that it would take a constitutional amendment to change that. Anyway, I will call.
Another tip for all: consider logging onto https://ssa.gov/ and downloading your Social Security statement, to ensure you have a record for how much you have paid into the system now that the agency has potentially been compromised.
If I could say anything to republican senators and representatives it would be, How embarrassing for you to give up the power bestowed to you by your constituents? How shameful to bow down to a wealthy person doing what they will with the dollars YOU yourself voted for? How do you think history will look back on you idly standing by because you think they will get one sliver of the corrupt pie, because you want to hold on to power? Do you not realize that Musk rooting around in our government undermines your voice and power? Or are you just sitting back because it’s a lot easier to destroy then to work together and legislate (you know, the job voters hired you to do)? I’m future embarrassed for how this looks on them.
PTL! I’m glad Musk is advising Trump. Musk is bringing his brilliant business mind and helping save this country from bankruptcy. Common sense policies. I’m tired of my taxpayer dollars going to these slush fund government agencies, like USAID AND the department of education, and others with no accountability.
Look at how he transformed Twitter. He got rid of 80%of the workforce and it is better than ever. My senators and congressmen are in full support of what he’s doing. And so am I.
I’d like to ask - what documentation do you have to show that there is no accountability? I have previously worked under a grant at the Dept of Education. There was much accountability. I also know of USAID projects- good accountability. So., do you have any real data for your claims?
No one knows for sure how much X is worth because it is no longer publicly traded. It is privately owned. Usership is up, advertising is down, but Musk doesn't care about that. He didn't buy Twitter to make money; he bought it to allow free speech back into the country.
Elon Musk bought Twitter/X for WAAAAY more than it was worth, and since then, has managed to run off advertisers and users in droves. It’s worth 70-80% less now than when he bought it. And it’s a cesspool of hatred and disinformation. What about these things says to you that he’s a “brilliant business mind?”
Hmmmm, and how would you feel Katy, if your job was illegally yanked out from under you, for no cause of your own? Perhaps if you are worried about our country going into bankruptcy, you should talk to your representatives about the tax cuts Trump gave the wealthiest people in the country.
Trump's tax cuts were not for the wealthy in this country. That is false. No one is guaranteed a job. Companies make cuts in personnel all the time due to downturns or lack of money.
Katy, why do you say that's false? Reputable analyses all show that the greatest beneficiaries of the Trump tax cuts were corporations and high wealth individuals. Here's an example.
Have you taken a comprehensive look into what the agencies do, who they serve, and how much is spent?
And… the 80% workforce reduction at Twitter and now the elimination of jobs at Federal agencies means that real people, good people who live in neighborhoods and communities, who have families and friends, whose income is spent purchasing goods and services in their communities, no longer have employment. The “workforce” is made up of people like you and me.
Actually, I have. USAID gets 33 Billion a year, and over 60% of its budget goes to "administrative" costs. And the organization has consistently refused oversight by Congress and refuses to say where the money is specifically going. What private non profit, like Tunnel to Towers, uses 60% of its funds on administrative costs? None. Only 5-6% of the EPA's workforce works on Fridays and Mondays, so over 90% have four-day weekends. The government "workforce" is made up of 14% of all workers in the US.
Can I ask, if that 14% of the workforce number is correct, what you think having that 14% unemployed will do for the economy? Do you have a source for the EPA thing because that is interesting and ridiculous!
I couldn’t find a single thing on your statistic about EPA employees. Perhaps if they worked a 4-day workweek, they worked 10-hour days? Additionally, if that was a huge problem, couldn’t Trump have them work 5-day workweek weeks instead of just abolishing the entire department?
It’s important that we develop our opinions on valid sources. I’m assuming that’s why most of us are here. The Clay and Buck show is basically an extension of Rush Limbaugh.
Compare these numbers to what US Border Control gets: 7 billion a year. NYFD has a 2 billion dollar budget. Why are we spending $$ abroad when we need it here?
A number of foreign aid programs are focused on addressing the causes of migration, with the idea being that we can prevent people from coming to our country to begin with by improving conditions in their own. When this works, it’s a win/win, as you save people’s lives and prevent the strain on our border resources.
Twitter's valuation under Musk has fallen 80% since when he purchased it. Usership has been steadily declining. I am so confused as to why people think he has this brilliant business acumen. He's quite talented at making money for himself, but not at growing a successful company.
Actually, usership has gone way up. It is now privately held and Musk didn't buy it to make money; he bought it to bring back free speech and expose the left's censorship.
Do you have any idea whatsoever of the budget of USAID is or what the agency does? Have you seen any audits or Inspectors General reports on waste? Do you have any idea how or if this brilliant person, who got his start with mountains of U.S. government money, is showing any transparency or accountability in his efforts, since he is technically outside of the government and has no obligation to comply with any conflict of interest, oversight or disclosure obligations? I don't know if you're just unaware or if you really want Musk to do to America what he did to Twitter. He has turned it into free-for-all for hate speech and disinformation, lost himself and his investors many billions of dollars in lost value, possibly as much as a 70% drop from where it was before he bought it and is currently under investigation for lying about his Twitter investment. And he's advising the convicted felon who had multiple businesses go bankrupt and drove this country's deficits to then record highs? Yeh, sounds like a real recipe for success.
What accountability does Musk have? He was not elected. His postings about things that US AID money has gone to have not been supported with evidence.
Money is appropriated to these agencies by Congress, and they are elected by the people. If we have problems with how they are appropriating funds, we have direct recourse through elections.
One example that Musk has given of "illegal payments" (which, all current evidence points to these payments not being illegal, as they are made by the agency in the proper course of their work that has been authorized by Congress) was to Lutheran Family Services. This is an organization that provides pregnancy and adoption support, particularly for children with Down syndrome. He's provided no evidence whatsoever that this organization has done anything wrong, but he has decided that he thinks taxpayer funds should be directed elsewhere.
Lutheran Family Services also runs refugee resettlement programs throughout the nation, and I expect that to be a reason why nonprofits like this are being targeted for defunding because anything seen as supporting refugees or immigrants will likely be cut.
Twitter/X is a cesspool of lies, misinformation, and hate. It is full of bots and influencers that make a living off of peddling lies. I'm not sure why you think it is "better than ever".
I’m curious about your opinion on Twitter. From what I’ve heard, it’s become an unreliable source of information, people are leaving in droves and it’s become difficult for them to attract advertisers. It doesn’t seem like a positive transformation to me.
And while I’m all for accountability and transparency, I’m also for change being enacted in a controlled fashion and legally. If you are a believer in any of the accepted project management philosophies, this is terrible change management.
Katy, I think what some are not understanding is that this move is taking away voters voices. They are completely going around congress (the ones elected, whether R or D or I, to represent us). Elon has had no confirmation hearing, no background check into his actions, International connections and motivations. I’m all about government being more efficient, but what is happening is illegal. And respectfully, the US government is not Twitter.
Here is some advice that is being shared online from a high-level staffer for a Senator on contacting your representatives:..
There are two things that we should be doing all the time right now, and they're by far the most important things.
You should NOT be bothering with online petitions or emailing.
1) The best thing you can do to be heard and get your congressperson to pay attention is to have face-to-face time — if they have town halls, go to them. Go to their local offices. If you're in DC, try to find a way to go to an event of theirs. Go to the "mobile offices" that their staff hold periodically (all these times are located on each congressperson's website). When you go, ask questions. A lot of them. And push for answers. The louder and more vocal and present you can be at those the better.
2) But those in-person events don't happen every day. So, the absolute most important thing that people should be doing every day is calling.
YOU SHOULD MAKE 6 CALLS A DAY:
2 each (DC office and your local office) to your 2 Senators & your 1 Representative.
The staffer was very clear that any sort of online contact basically gets immediately ignored, and letters pretty much get thrown in the trash (unless you have a particularly strong emotional story — but even then it's not worth the time it took you to craft that letter).
Calls are what all the congresspeople pay attention to. Every single day, the Senior Staff and the Senator get a report of the 3 most-called-about topics for that day at each of their offices (in DC and local offices), and exactly how many people said what about each of those topics. They're also sorted by zip code and area code. She said that Republican callers generally outnumber Democrat callers 4-1, and when it's a particular issue that single-issue-voters pay attention to (like gun control, or planned parenthood funding, etc...), it's often closer to 11-1, and that's recently pushed Republican congressmen on the fence to vote with the Republicans. In the last 8 years, Republicans have called, and Democrats haven't.
So, when you call:
1) When calling the DC office, ask for the Staff member in charge of whatever you're calling about ("Hi, I'd like to speak with the staffer in charge of Healthcare, please") — local offices won't always have specific ones, but they might. If you get transferred to that person, awesome. If you don't, that's ok — ask for that person's name, and then just keep talking to whoever answered the phone. Don't leave a message (unless the office doesn't pick up at all — then you can — but it's better to talk to the staffer who first answered than leave a message for the specific staffer in charge of your topic).
2) Give them your zip code. They won't always ask for it, but make sure you give it to them, so they can mark it down. Extra points if you live in a zip code that traditionally votes for them, since they'll want to make sure they get/keep your vote.
3) If you can make it personal, make it personal. "I voted for you in the last election and I'm worried/happy/whatever" or "I'm a teacher, and I am appalled by Betsy DeVos," or "as a single mother" or "as a white, middle class woman," or whatever.
4) Pick 1-2 specific things per day to focus on. Don't rattle off everything you're concerned about — they're figuring out what 1-2 topics to mark you down for on their lists. So, focus on 1-2 per day. Ideally something that will be voted on/taken up in the next few days, but it doesn't really matter — even if there's not a vote coming up in the next week, call anyway. It's important that they just keep getting calls.
5) Be clear on what you want — "I'm disappointed that the Senator..." or "I want to thank the Senator for their vote on... " or "I want the Senator to know that voting in _____ way is the wrong decision for our state because... " Don't leave any ambiguity.
6) They may get to know your voice/get sick of you — it doesn't matter. The people answering the phones generally turn over every 6 weeks anyway, so even if they're really sick of you, they'll be gone in 6 weeks.
From experience since the election: If you hate being on the phone & feel awkward (which is a lot of people) don't worry about it — there are a bunch of scripts (Indivisible.org has some, and there are lots of others floating around these day). After a few days of calling, it starts to feel a lot more natural.
Put the 6 numbers in your phone (all under P – Politician.) An example is McCaskill MO, Politician McCaskill DC, Politician Blunt MO, etc., which makes it really easy to click down the list each day.
**If you want to share this, please copy and paste.**
I agree but probably for a different reason. The vast majority of federal employees are Democrats, and their campaign donations are overwhelmingly to Democrat candidates. 97% of contributions from USAID employees went to Democrats, for example. I do not feel comfortable with Elon Musk's role and his approach, but Republicans already feel like the federal government is run by unelected officials loyal to the Democrat party and pushing a liberal agenda. USAID spends billions of dollars in foreign countries, and there is significant waste with what seems to be little accountability. I do not agree with fully dismantling the agency, but major reform seems necessary.
Hi Kayla, when you speak of little accountability, I'm curious about that. I've found a great deal of information about US AID's programs, including a significant amount of analysis of the work that has been done over the last several years. Here is the primary source: https://www.state.gov/fy-2024-international-affairs-budget/
Here, you can see the 2024 Budget Justification, which is essentially the information the State Department has put forth about the activities of the department to explain their current budget and to provide information about their plans for the future using the money allocated to them. That report alone is over 200 pages, of which a significant amount devoted to the programs that US AID has participated in, and there are several appendices.
When I have talked to people in person about US AID, I have found that their answer to "no one knows where the money is going" is really "I, personally, don't know where the money is going". And that certainly can be a problem, if the information is not widely available. But in this case, it seems that it is.
If we want to talk about waste we shouldn’t start with USAID who carries less than 1% of the budget. “In fiscal year 2023, USAID managed more than $40 billion in appropriations, the Congressional Research Service said, a figure that is less than 1% of the federal budget.”
Vast Majority? That seems like an overreach. Do we have a breakdown of political affiliation of all 2.4 million employees? We know that of the 2.4 million federal employees 460,000 thousand (not an exact number) live in DC. California, Texas, Florida and Georgia then have the largest number of federal employees. Do we think that the majority of employees in Texas, Florida and Georgia who work for the government are Democrats? I know many government employees and their day to day actions for the citizens of the United States do not change based on who sits in the White House. Also not all of them are registered as Democrats.
Do my opinions here mean that I think there should be no accountability? Of course not. We should always look for ways the government can function better.
Arguing that USAID and its funding are an issue but tying it to campaign donations is a weird argument. If we want to talk about dark money and campaigns do that but a government agency with less than 1% of the federal budget that helps poor, underprivileged and sick people around the world isn’t the issue.
It’s probably because democrats overwhelmingly support social services and safety nets for all people. USAID helps millions around the world with lifesaving food and medications.
Do you think they received employment because of the Spoils System? Some were hired under Clinton, Bush, even the first Trump presidency. Do we have proof that those federal employees were given their employment based on the political party they are affiliated with? I don't remember any of my friends mentioning being asked what party they were registered with when they started the application or hiring process.
Kayla, I’m still confused at to how this claim is substantiated. I looked at the open secrets link you posted, but I’m not following how it is related. Can you explain it?
Thanks so much for sharing your source. I think a couple things are worth noting: the AFGE is a union for government employees (their membership is around 800,000 people). That doesn't show necessarily that all 800,000 agree with how their union directs PACS to spend their money - most people join a union for non-political reasons. From the AFGE website, "While we represent almost every type of federal employee, the agencies with the highest memberships are the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Social Security Administration, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Homeland Security."
I think another thing to think about is that most of the civil servants we are speaking about are career federal employees, not politically appointed employees. These are people who work for the federal government, no matter who is in the Oval Office. While their political affiliation may be to the Democratic Party, their work isn't directed by that affiliation. They come in and work every day just like everyone else.
Another small side-note: less than 1% of the federal budget goes to foreign aid :)
Hi! Would you be able to explain the link you’re referring to LIFT? I looked at it and don’t understand how it represents who federal workers donate to.
Like someone mentioned above, there is no way to know exactly how federal workers are split along party lines.
Yes how ridiculous to want to provide lifesaving medications, vaccines and food to those who would die otherwise.
“In 2023, the US military spent approximately $820.3 billion, or roughly 13.3% of the entire federal budget for that fiscal year. In March 2023, the Department of Defense (DoD) requested $842.0 billion for 2024 — a 2.6% increase.”
Firing lifelong civil servants bc they aren’t loyalists or fight back when you try to do something illegal, firing FBI agents who were assigned J6 cases, and closing agencies they have no power to close is not the way to “curtail government waste”
I am curious where your statistic about the donations comes from - can you share your source?
Note that as a U.S. Government Agency, USAID's funds come from Congress. USAID works with both Congress and the Executive Office to determine budget priorities. Federal employees are not part of the budgeting process.
This is terrifying. On every level.
I have been trying to reach my representative and senators. Emails are responded to with be enriched form responses that don’t even address my questions and concerns. Phone messages are not returned. This has happened with leaders of both parties. What else can I do?
I meant “emails are responded to with GENERIC responses”
Okay, so all of USAID has now been laid off (which includes hundreds of employees embedded internationally who have spouses working there and kids in school and now have to uproot in a matter of days without warning), and WSJ is reporting the ENTIRE CIA has been offered a buyout.
Add that to NSF studies and grants being pulled, CDC data going offline, Head Start programs missing their funding... literally TrumpMusk are just illegally shutting down the entire federal government, critical functions be damned.
Keep fighting, but damn. This is catastrophic.
Why can’t M and his engineers be arrested for their illegal takeovers - Treasury, USAID…?
@Sharon Things are getting scarier: https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2025/02/02/this-needs-to-stop-now-elon-musk-confirms-radical-doge-us-treasury-plan/
I'm not on Insta anymore so not sure what you're covering today, but at this point we're barreling toward full financial and political collapse and I'm afraid we don't have the enforcement mechanisms to stop it.
The app “5 calls” is an excellent resource. I hate making phone calls, but I was able to quickly call all 3 of my elected members of Congress very quickly. They give you the phone numbers, names, and a script to follow.
What is most concerning about what Musk is doing, is not being stopped by congress. Because Republicans control both, we need a bipartisan effort to stop him. I just don’t think the Republicans will do it because they fear being primaried. The only tools Democrats have is lawsuits and stalling confirmations it seems. Unless I am missing something?
A bit of good news this afternoon: RFK and Tulsi both passed their committee votes!
Great news!!!
The science and health community finds the appointment of RFK horrifying and alarming. What do you make of this?
He is opening eyes and walking things up. We desperately need focus on our current food and drug intakes.
Unfortunately he is not qualified for the role. If it was only about food, maybe but it’s so much more than that and he is in waaayyy over his head. The fact that he literally earns a living from a law firms kickbacks from vaccine injury cases, proves that he doesn’t really care about the science it’s all about manipulating people and making money while putting their health at risk.
I understand you believe that, but what do you make of the health and science community’s almost unanimous dismay at this appointment?
Honestly do not care! I see quite the opposite of what you are saying. I see Moms and Dads fed up with our current t system. I’m all for someone that is all in to examine where we are and how we can fix the broken parts. Perhaps you should ask how many in the health and science fields be benefit from the current system? Do they benefit from keeping us healthy or keeping us sick? Just food for thought…
I highly recommend “Good Energy” by Casey Means. She covers a lot of these issues.
Okay so I’m clear, you find it more likely that the health and science profession is conspiring to keep us sick for profits than that they are good faith people who are correct about the danger that pseudoscience poses?
Are you aware that the wellness industry dwarfs pharmaceuticals by an order of magnitude? To the tune of $6 billion with a B? Do you find it more believable that people like RFK are in it out of the goodness of their hearts? Or perhaps they are *at least* as profit oriented as your average pediatrician?
I shared my excitement and why. I don’t have an interest in engaging in a back and forth. I know you enjoy them but it’s late here and frankly I really don’t see that it serves either of us.
I know! Very good news.
I interpreted this as terrible news. An antivaxxer and a notorious sympathizer of dictators.
Agree
Oh both are good news!!
What do i need to learn here? Why do you feel RFK is a good candidate?
Robn - what about Tulsi makes you excited about her confirmation?
It’s been two exhausting weeks. There are living up to their “flood the zone” mo.
I’ve contacted my representatives and expressed my concerns. What more can one do?
I do think that this may actually be why a lot of Trump voters voted for him-perhaps not to have Musk do exactly what he did in the way he did it-but they would be okay with dismantling USAID in a legal way. I think it is nonsensical as we live in such an interconnected world…
We may unfortunately have to watch this happen and other bad things happen before any good change can take place.
I am not defeatist and do think that us uniting and having our voices heard by Congress is paramount. Perhaps we will be a stronger nation because of our struggle and interaction with our lawmakers? I hope so.
Agree. I expected what is being done. I did not expect, nor do I condone, how it is being done.
There are ways to do things and this feels very much like a smash-and-grab.
I called both senators and my rep from Ohio. Both senators had automated “leave your callback number.” Representative Rulli’s office answered and refuted that Musk/DOGE has access to ANY sensitive information of taxpayers or individuals. SAID “it is all over Fox and the National Review that the idea he has access to sensitive information formation is false.” He also said they have had over 100 calls specifically about this matter and we need to get word out that it is false, as Pres Trump said.
So…guess we just need to listen to Fox.
Lisa…that is terrible. They lie to stay in Trump’s good graces. I haven’t called my congressmen yet but I will. But when your senators are Lindsey Graham & Tim Scott, I don’t think it will matter to them. They back anything Trump says and does. Lindsey Graham is trying to pass a law that outlaws birthright citizenship. I don’t understand that because Sharon has taught us that it would take a constitutional amendment to change that. Anyway, I will call.
He’s a liar
And just a little crazy. He thinks he’s going to save the world. Think about that ….
Another tip for all: consider logging onto https://ssa.gov/ and downloading your Social Security statement, to ensure you have a record for how much you have paid into the system now that the agency has potentially been compromised.
Great idea and I just tried but can’t access it. Curious if you can access your’s. Maybe I didn’t set it up right
If I could say anything to republican senators and representatives it would be, How embarrassing for you to give up the power bestowed to you by your constituents? How shameful to bow down to a wealthy person doing what they will with the dollars YOU yourself voted for? How do you think history will look back on you idly standing by because you think they will get one sliver of the corrupt pie, because you want to hold on to power? Do you not realize that Musk rooting around in our government undermines your voice and power? Or are you just sitting back because it’s a lot easier to destroy then to work together and legislate (you know, the job voters hired you to do)? I’m future embarrassed for how this looks on them.
PTL! I’m glad Musk is advising Trump. Musk is bringing his brilliant business mind and helping save this country from bankruptcy. Common sense policies. I’m tired of my taxpayer dollars going to these slush fund government agencies, like USAID AND the department of education, and others with no accountability.
Look at how he transformed Twitter. He got rid of 80%of the workforce and it is better than ever. My senators and congressmen are in full support of what he’s doing. And so am I.
I’d like to ask - what documentation do you have to show that there is no accountability? I have previously worked under a grant at the Dept of Education. There was much accountability. I also know of USAID projects- good accountability. So., do you have any real data for your claims?
No one knows for sure how much X is worth because it is no longer publicly traded. It is privately owned. Usership is up, advertising is down, but Musk doesn't care about that. He didn't buy Twitter to make money; he bought it to allow free speech back into the country.
Then why does he shut down accounts of people who share posts that he seems to take offense at?
Elon Musk bought Twitter/X for WAAAAY more than it was worth, and since then, has managed to run off advertisers and users in droves. It’s worth 70-80% less now than when he bought it. And it’s a cesspool of hatred and disinformation. What about these things says to you that he’s a “brilliant business mind?”
Hmmmm, and how would you feel Katy, if your job was illegally yanked out from under you, for no cause of your own? Perhaps if you are worried about our country going into bankruptcy, you should talk to your representatives about the tax cuts Trump gave the wealthiest people in the country.
Trump's tax cuts were not for the wealthy in this country. That is false. No one is guaranteed a job. Companies make cuts in personnel all the time due to downturns or lack of money.
Katy, why do you say that's false? Reputable analyses all show that the greatest beneficiaries of the Trump tax cuts were corporations and high wealth individuals. Here's an example.
https://econofact.org/factbrief/did-trumps-2017-tax-cuts-and-jobs-act-confer-greater-benefits-on-rich-americans
https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R45736
You can check the rates pre and post TCJA. Maybe the wealthy "benefited more," but tax cuts were across the board.
https://taxpolicycenter.org/briefing-book/how-did-tax-cuts-and-jobs-act-change-personal-taxes
I'll also never forget this article.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/14/business/economy/income-tax-cut.html
Katie,
Have you taken a comprehensive look into what the agencies do, who they serve, and how much is spent?
And… the 80% workforce reduction at Twitter and now the elimination of jobs at Federal agencies means that real people, good people who live in neighborhoods and communities, who have families and friends, whose income is spent purchasing goods and services in their communities, no longer have employment. The “workforce” is made up of people like you and me.
Actually, I have. USAID gets 33 Billion a year, and over 60% of its budget goes to "administrative" costs. And the organization has consistently refused oversight by Congress and refuses to say where the money is specifically going. What private non profit, like Tunnel to Towers, uses 60% of its funds on administrative costs? None. Only 5-6% of the EPA's workforce works on Fridays and Mondays, so over 90% have four-day weekends. The government "workforce" is made up of 14% of all workers in the US.
Can I ask, if that 14% of the workforce number is correct, what you think having that 14% unemployed will do for the economy? Do you have a source for the EPA thing because that is interesting and ridiculous!
I asked Siri after I heard it on the clay and buck podcast today.
I couldn’t find a single thing on your statistic about EPA employees. Perhaps if they worked a 4-day workweek, they worked 10-hour days? Additionally, if that was a huge problem, couldn’t Trump have them work 5-day workweek weeks instead of just abolishing the entire department?
It’s important that we develop our opinions on valid sources. I’m assuming that’s why most of us are here. The Clay and Buck show is basically an extension of Rush Limbaugh.
Hi Katy, do you have any sources for these statistics? It’s so much easier to put into context that way.
Compare these numbers to what US Border Control gets: 7 billion a year. NYFD has a 2 billion dollar budget. Why are we spending $$ abroad when we need it here?
A number of foreign aid programs are focused on addressing the causes of migration, with the idea being that we can prevent people from coming to our country to begin with by improving conditions in their own. When this works, it’s a win/win, as you save people’s lives and prevent the strain on our border resources.
Twitter's valuation under Musk has fallen 80% since when he purchased it. Usership has been steadily declining. I am so confused as to why people think he has this brilliant business acumen. He's quite talented at making money for himself, but not at growing a successful company.
Actually, usership has gone way up. It is now privately held and Musk didn't buy it to make money; he bought it to bring back free speech and expose the left's censorship.
Do you have any idea whatsoever of the budget of USAID is or what the agency does? Have you seen any audits or Inspectors General reports on waste? Do you have any idea how or if this brilliant person, who got his start with mountains of U.S. government money, is showing any transparency or accountability in his efforts, since he is technically outside of the government and has no obligation to comply with any conflict of interest, oversight or disclosure obligations? I don't know if you're just unaware or if you really want Musk to do to America what he did to Twitter. He has turned it into free-for-all for hate speech and disinformation, lost himself and his investors many billions of dollars in lost value, possibly as much as a 70% drop from where it was before he bought it and is currently under investigation for lying about his Twitter investment. And he's advising the convicted felon who had multiple businesses go bankrupt and drove this country's deficits to then record highs? Yeh, sounds like a real recipe for success.
What accountability does Musk have? He was not elected. His postings about things that US AID money has gone to have not been supported with evidence.
Money is appropriated to these agencies by Congress, and they are elected by the people. If we have problems with how they are appropriating funds, we have direct recourse through elections.
One example that Musk has given of "illegal payments" (which, all current evidence points to these payments not being illegal, as they are made by the agency in the proper course of their work that has been authorized by Congress) was to Lutheran Family Services. This is an organization that provides pregnancy and adoption support, particularly for children with Down syndrome. He's provided no evidence whatsoever that this organization has done anything wrong, but he has decided that he thinks taxpayer funds should be directed elsewhere.
What about this is common sense or accountable?
Lutheran Family Services also runs refugee resettlement programs throughout the nation, and I expect that to be a reason why nonprofits like this are being targeted for defunding because anything seen as supporting refugees or immigrants will likely be cut.
Twitter/X is a cesspool of lies, misinformation, and hate. It is full of bots and influencers that make a living off of peddling lies. I'm not sure why you think it is "better than ever".
I’m curious about your opinion on Twitter. From what I’ve heard, it’s become an unreliable source of information, people are leaving in droves and it’s become difficult for them to attract advertisers. It doesn’t seem like a positive transformation to me.
And while I’m all for accountability and transparency, I’m also for change being enacted in a controlled fashion and legally. If you are a believer in any of the accepted project management philosophies, this is terrible change management.
Katy, I think what some are not understanding is that this move is taking away voters voices. They are completely going around congress (the ones elected, whether R or D or I, to represent us). Elon has had no confirmation hearing, no background check into his actions, International connections and motivations. I’m all about government being more efficient, but what is happening is illegal. And respectfully, the US government is not Twitter.
Anyone know if a call carried more weight than an email to representatives? Or are they equally considered?
Class are better.
Here is some advice that is being shared online from a high-level staffer for a Senator on contacting your representatives:..
There are two things that we should be doing all the time right now, and they're by far the most important things.
You should NOT be bothering with online petitions or emailing.
1) The best thing you can do to be heard and get your congressperson to pay attention is to have face-to-face time — if they have town halls, go to them. Go to their local offices. If you're in DC, try to find a way to go to an event of theirs. Go to the "mobile offices" that their staff hold periodically (all these times are located on each congressperson's website). When you go, ask questions. A lot of them. And push for answers. The louder and more vocal and present you can be at those the better.
2) But those in-person events don't happen every day. So, the absolute most important thing that people should be doing every day is calling.
YOU SHOULD MAKE 6 CALLS A DAY:
2 each (DC office and your local office) to your 2 Senators & your 1 Representative.
The staffer was very clear that any sort of online contact basically gets immediately ignored, and letters pretty much get thrown in the trash (unless you have a particularly strong emotional story — but even then it's not worth the time it took you to craft that letter).
Calls are what all the congresspeople pay attention to. Every single day, the Senior Staff and the Senator get a report of the 3 most-called-about topics for that day at each of their offices (in DC and local offices), and exactly how many people said what about each of those topics. They're also sorted by zip code and area code. She said that Republican callers generally outnumber Democrat callers 4-1, and when it's a particular issue that single-issue-voters pay attention to (like gun control, or planned parenthood funding, etc...), it's often closer to 11-1, and that's recently pushed Republican congressmen on the fence to vote with the Republicans. In the last 8 years, Republicans have called, and Democrats haven't.
So, when you call:
1) When calling the DC office, ask for the Staff member in charge of whatever you're calling about ("Hi, I'd like to speak with the staffer in charge of Healthcare, please") — local offices won't always have specific ones, but they might. If you get transferred to that person, awesome. If you don't, that's ok — ask for that person's name, and then just keep talking to whoever answered the phone. Don't leave a message (unless the office doesn't pick up at all — then you can — but it's better to talk to the staffer who first answered than leave a message for the specific staffer in charge of your topic).
2) Give them your zip code. They won't always ask for it, but make sure you give it to them, so they can mark it down. Extra points if you live in a zip code that traditionally votes for them, since they'll want to make sure they get/keep your vote.
3) If you can make it personal, make it personal. "I voted for you in the last election and I'm worried/happy/whatever" or "I'm a teacher, and I am appalled by Betsy DeVos," or "as a single mother" or "as a white, middle class woman," or whatever.
4) Pick 1-2 specific things per day to focus on. Don't rattle off everything you're concerned about — they're figuring out what 1-2 topics to mark you down for on their lists. So, focus on 1-2 per day. Ideally something that will be voted on/taken up in the next few days, but it doesn't really matter — even if there's not a vote coming up in the next week, call anyway. It's important that they just keep getting calls.
5) Be clear on what you want — "I'm disappointed that the Senator..." or "I want to thank the Senator for their vote on... " or "I want the Senator to know that voting in _____ way is the wrong decision for our state because... " Don't leave any ambiguity.
6) They may get to know your voice/get sick of you — it doesn't matter. The people answering the phones generally turn over every 6 weeks anyway, so even if they're really sick of you, they'll be gone in 6 weeks.
From experience since the election: If you hate being on the phone & feel awkward (which is a lot of people) don't worry about it — there are a bunch of scripts (Indivisible.org has some, and there are lots of others floating around these day). After a few days of calling, it starts to feel a lot more natural.
Put the 6 numbers in your phone (all under P – Politician.) An example is McCaskill MO, Politician McCaskill DC, Politician Blunt MO, etc., which makes it really easy to click down the list each day.
**If you want to share this, please copy and paste.**
5 calls app is a great resource, has numbers for your reps and easy scripts to follow!
This is terrifying. Our government has been hijacked.
Sharon your Instagram stories on the Spoils System fit in with this Preamble so well!
I agree but probably for a different reason. The vast majority of federal employees are Democrats, and their campaign donations are overwhelmingly to Democrat candidates. 97% of contributions from USAID employees went to Democrats, for example. I do not feel comfortable with Elon Musk's role and his approach, but Republicans already feel like the federal government is run by unelected officials loyal to the Democrat party and pushing a liberal agenda. USAID spends billions of dollars in foreign countries, and there is significant waste with what seems to be little accountability. I do not agree with fully dismantling the agency, but major reform seems necessary.
Hi Kayla, when you speak of little accountability, I'm curious about that. I've found a great deal of information about US AID's programs, including a significant amount of analysis of the work that has been done over the last several years. Here is the primary source: https://www.state.gov/fy-2024-international-affairs-budget/
Here, you can see the 2024 Budget Justification, which is essentially the information the State Department has put forth about the activities of the department to explain their current budget and to provide information about their plans for the future using the money allocated to them. That report alone is over 200 pages, of which a significant amount devoted to the programs that US AID has participated in, and there are several appendices.
When I have talked to people in person about US AID, I have found that their answer to "no one knows where the money is going" is really "I, personally, don't know where the money is going". And that certainly can be a problem, if the information is not widely available. But in this case, it seems that it is.
If we want to talk about waste we shouldn’t start with USAID who carries less than 1% of the budget. “In fiscal year 2023, USAID managed more than $40 billion in appropriations, the Congressional Research Service said, a figure that is less than 1% of the federal budget.”
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-and-elon-musk-are-upending-usaid-heres-what-to-know-about-its-work/#:~:text=In%20fiscal%20year%202023%2C%20USAID,1%25%20of%20the%20federal%20budget.
Elon has benefited massively from the US gov, https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2024/11/20/business/elon-musk-wealth-government-help.
It's not a "yeah, but" discussion. Government waste is rampant across all agencies and should be curtailed wherever it's found.
Vast Majority? That seems like an overreach. Do we have a breakdown of political affiliation of all 2.4 million employees? We know that of the 2.4 million federal employees 460,000 thousand (not an exact number) live in DC. California, Texas, Florida and Georgia then have the largest number of federal employees. Do we think that the majority of employees in Texas, Florida and Georgia who work for the government are Democrats? I know many government employees and their day to day actions for the citizens of the United States do not change based on who sits in the White House. Also not all of them are registered as Democrats.
Do my opinions here mean that I think there should be no accountability? Of course not. We should always look for ways the government can function better.
Arguing that USAID and its funding are an issue but tying it to campaign donations is a weird argument. If we want to talk about dark money and campaigns do that but a government agency with less than 1% of the federal budget that helps poor, underprivileged and sick people around the world isn’t the issue.
I'm not referring to dark money. My point is USAID is staffed largely by Democrats who then influence and carry out programs in foreign countries.
It’s probably because democrats overwhelmingly support social services and safety nets for all people. USAID helps millions around the world with lifesaving food and medications.
https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/american-federation-of-government-employees/totals?id=D000000304
I stand by my vast majority assessment. We can clearly see federal employees donate overwhelmingly to Democrats.
Do you think they received employment because of the Spoils System? Some were hired under Clinton, Bush, even the first Trump presidency. Do we have proof that those federal employees were given their employment based on the political party they are affiliated with? I don't remember any of my friends mentioning being asked what party they were registered with when they started the application or hiring process.
No, I believe most people in most jobs are employed based on merit. What stuck out to me is a civil service that is largely loyal to one party.
Also, isn’t that exactly what Trump is trying to do right now (install loyalists not necessarily based on merit)?
Kayla, I’m still confused at to how this claim is substantiated. I looked at the open secrets link you posted, but I’m not following how it is related. Can you explain it?
Hey Kayla!
Thanks so much for sharing your source. I think a couple things are worth noting: the AFGE is a union for government employees (their membership is around 800,000 people). That doesn't show necessarily that all 800,000 agree with how their union directs PACS to spend their money - most people join a union for non-political reasons. From the AFGE website, "While we represent almost every type of federal employee, the agencies with the highest memberships are the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Social Security Administration, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Homeland Security."
I think another thing to think about is that most of the civil servants we are speaking about are career federal employees, not politically appointed employees. These are people who work for the federal government, no matter who is in the Oval Office. While their political affiliation may be to the Democratic Party, their work isn't directed by that affiliation. They come in and work every day just like everyone else.
Another small side-note: less than 1% of the federal budget goes to foreign aid :)
Thanks again!
Hi! Would you be able to explain the link you’re referring to LIFT? I looked at it and don’t understand how it represents who federal workers donate to.
Like someone mentioned above, there is no way to know exactly how federal workers are split along party lines.
No matter how you parse through the data, I don't think you can arrive at a conclusion other than mine. I appreciate the nuance, though.
Also, how ridiculous is our spending that $40 billion dollars is only 1% of the budget?
Yes how ridiculous to want to provide lifesaving medications, vaccines and food to those who would die otherwise.
“In 2023, the US military spent approximately $820.3 billion, or roughly 13.3% of the entire federal budget for that fiscal year. In March 2023, the Department of Defense (DoD) requested $842.0 billion for 2024 — a 2.6% increase.”
https://usafacts.org/articles/how-much-does-the-us-spend-on-the-military/
Firing lifelong civil servants bc they aren’t loyalists or fight back when you try to do something illegal, firing FBI agents who were assigned J6 cases, and closing agencies they have no power to close is not the way to “curtail government waste”
Kayla,
I am curious where your statistic about the donations comes from - can you share your source?
Note that as a U.S. Government Agency, USAID's funds come from Congress. USAID works with both Congress and the Executive Office to determine budget priorities. Federal employees are not part of the budgeting process.
https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/us-agency-for-international-development/recipients?id=D000030715