this post was submitted on 25 Feb 2025
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politics

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Summary

Twenty-one staffers from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) resigned, citing ethical concerns over dismantling public services and compromising sensitive data.

Formerly part of the U.S. Digital Service, they criticized Musk and Trump’s overhaul, which included layoffs and politically charged interviews.

Their letter warned that removing skilled technologists endangers essential services like Social Security and veterans’ benefits.

The resignations add to growing concerns over Musk’s aggressive federal cuts, amplified by his recent CPAC speech where he symbolically wielded a chainsaw against "bureaucracy."

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[–] [email protected] 126 points 19 hours ago (5 children)

I am always confused why they don't just sabotage the efforts? Like it would be so easy and they definitely aren't paying attention...

[–] andros_rex 20 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

One aspect is that working in that kind of system destroys your mental health. Having to play games to hide the good things, trying to mitigate the bad things. It’s pressure.

My state has been basically been doing Project 2025 for the past five years. I had a friend in an important position in a fascist overtaken state organization who held on for a long time, fighting the good fight - but it drains. She fought her fucking hardest, but a human being can only fight for so long.

[–] Makhno 4 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

The kurds have been fighting a war from the desert for decades, but Americans get whipped by paperwork and call it a day

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 hours ago

I feel like there will be a "How To Count To 10 In American" video coming out in the next 4-8 years.

[–] [email protected] 112 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

Different people are able to take on different levels of risk.

Just because these people resigned doesn’t mean that some other people aren’t staying in for the purposes of being subversive, and you shouldn’t ever hear about the latter.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

That's the thing, though. They're not really taking risks.

Much of what DOGE does is completely illegal and does not go through the proper channels and processes. By simply doing their jobs and forcing everything through the proper processes, they can slow down everything, maybe even to a halt, while being completely in the right and thus can't be fired.

Yes, it takes a mental toll, but these guys have a responsibility.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

They're unemployed government workers, there are less government jobs now than ever, and their resume literally says DOGE on it. They are taking a risk.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

No. They resigned from a job. They were not fired. And as long as they don't break any rules, it's hard to fire them.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

I never said they were fired, but since you brought it up, when you're fired, you'll usually get a severance to help during the job search, they won't, they're just unemployed.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 hour ago

... because they resigned. Seriously, what's your point?

If they wouldn't have resigned, they would still have a job. And since they couldn't have been fired easily, they would have continued to have a job for quite a while.

That's not a complex concept, what's so hard to understand about that?

[–] [email protected] 41 points 18 hours ago (3 children)

Sabatoge can carry extremely harsh legal penalties, particularly if it has any type of lasting impact. Beyond that, just phoning it in and doing a bad job can slow things down but doesn't actually stop it. If you're then let go it's on their pace, it looks worse for you and it's less noticeable.

A mass resignation can be the only thing some people can do. It sends a message, it gets noticed outside the organization, and it lets objective news reporting share your motivation, which would normally fall under opinion.
It also leaves a big gap in the organization that isn't getting anything done.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 55 minutes ago

Not if you make an Italian strike. You are following every single step of the process, taking the time needed, all by the book. And when the higher rank says something then everyone working resigns all at once.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

but.. he who saves his country can not break the law. right??!

[–] FauxLiving 8 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

Guys, dumping tea in the harbor is illegal, just pay your taxes to the crown. It's just a king, everyone has one

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 hour ago

The American revolutionary war was difficult enough with an entire ocean separating us from a king. Now the self appointed king is here.

[–] ceenote 38 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

Mostly the risk of jail, probably.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 19 hours ago (1 children)
[–] Semi_Hemi_Demigod 11 points 18 hours ago

Or stochastic terrorism

[–] Jimmycakes -3 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Because they don't disagree with it, they only can't bring themselves to be the ones with the blood on their hands. Otherwise they don't care what happens.

[–] ripcord 5 points 13 hours ago

I know everything is bad now, but not everyone is bad all the time.