Octopus Overlords

Lassr wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 3:05 pm Hopefully it is just 4 years of misery before a slow return to some normalcy...

baelthazar wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 2:54 pm It's week 2 and we have two blatantly unconstitutional actions from the executive branch. I guess we get to see if Republicans in Congress believe we live in a democracy with constitutional rules (one of which is that the congress holds the power of the purse) or if they should all just go home because we live in an autocracy where a surprise memo has the power to change the very political landscape of federal funding by fiat.

FEDERAL AGENCY SUB-AGENCY ASSISTANCE LISTING NUMBERTITLE OBJECTIVE SAM

Please identify the email of
the senior political
appointee responsible for
overseeing this program

Does the program have any
pending funding
announcements?

Does the program have any
anticipated obligations or
disbursement of funds
before 3/15/2025?

Does this program have any
statutory requirements
mandating the obligation or
disbursement of funds
through 3/15/2025?

Provide the estimated
date of the next
obligation or
disbursement of
funds

Does this program provide
Federal funding to non-
governmental organizations
supporting or providing
services, either directly or
indirectly, to removable or
illegal aliens?

Is this program a foreign
assistance program, or
provide funding or support
activities overseas?

Does this program provide
funding that is implicated by
the revocation and recission
of the U.S. International
Climate Finance Plan?

Does this program include
activities that impose an
undue burden on the
identification, development,
or use of domestic energy
resources (including
through funding under the
Inflation Reducing Act of
2022; and the Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act)?

Does this program provide
funding that is implicated by
the directive to end
discriminatory programs,
including illegal DEI and
“diversity, equity, inclusion,
and accessibility” (DEIA)
mandates, policies,
programs, preferences, and
activities, under whatever
name they appear, or other
directives in the same EO,
including those related to
“environmental justice”
programs or “equity-related”
grants? Does this program promote
gender ideology?

Does this program promote
or support in any way
abortion or other related
activities identified in the
Hyde Amendment?

If not covered in the
preceding columns, does
this program support any
activities that must not be
supported based on
executive orders issued on
or after January 20, 2025
(including executive orders
released following the
dissemination of this
spreadsheet)?

Provide additional
information on program or
project activities

Rumpy wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 3:56 pm He's been selecting anyone that will be complicit in his plans. A bunch of yes-men in an echochamber championing his ideas, making sure there isn't anyone that can oppose him. And if anyone has dared oppose him in the past, he's making sure they aren't anywhere in power.

Enough wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 4:12 pm I got forwarded a spreadsheet apparently everyone will need to fill out for the chance of funding to resume. Some of the questions:

Enough wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 4:33 pm I mean all of this ideological purity peacocking actions are starting to remind me of the Chinese Cultural Revolution and I am now bracing for the coming famine and massive loss of productivity to follow. Deport all the trades people and ag people, destroy the universities, tariffs on Taiwan of 25-100%, freezing the greatest invention/patent machine ever known in the history of the world (see shutting NIH and NSF funding for e.g.), and on and on. And given that we are still an important part of the wold econ and breadbasket, the world will also be feeling this big time.

To implement these orders, each agency must complete a comprehensive analysis of all of their Federal financial assistance programs to identify programs, projects, and activities that may be implicated by any of the President’s executive orders. In the interim, to the extent permissible under applicable law, Federal agencies must temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance, and other relevant agency activities that may be implicated by the executive orders, including, but not limited to, financial assistance for foreign aid, nongovernmental organizations, DEI, woke gender ideology, and the green new deal.This temporary pause will provide the Administration time to review agency programs and determine the best uses of the funding for those programs consistent with the law and the President’s priorities. The temporary pause will become effective on January 28, 2025, at 5:00PM.

No later than February 10, 2025, agencies shall submit to OMB detailed information on any programs, projects or activities subject to this pause. Each agency must pause: (i) issuance of new awards; (ii) disbursement of Federal funds under all open awards; and (iii) other relevant agency actions that may be implicated by the executive orders, to the extent permissible by law,until OMB has reviewed and provided guidance to your agency with respect to the information submitted

Lassr wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 3:05 pm Wish I could retire. Although NASA shouldn't be harmed too much, it will not be untouched. Already lost a few contractors due to DEIA cut. Lost 199 new hires due to hiring freeze, so short staffed and expect to continue the mission. I just feel icky working under this administration. I have to refocus and think that we are still performing a mission for the betterment of the human race, put my head down, and do my job. But I'm not immensely satisfied or happy with my job right now. Hopefully it is just 4 years of misery before a slow return to some normalcy...

Smoove_B wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 4:39 pm It's going to get so much worse. Here's the memo on the federal aid freeze.

To implement these orders, each agency must complete a comprehensive analysis of all of their Federal financial assistance programs to identify programs, projects, and activities that may be implicated by any of the President’s executive orders. In the interim, to the extent permissible under applicable law, Federal agencies must temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance, and other relevant agency activities that may be implicated by the executive orders, including, but not limited to, financial assistance for foreign aid, nongovernmental organizations, DEI, woke gender ideology, and the green new deal.This temporary pause will provide the Administration time to review agency programs and determine the best uses of the funding for those programs consistent with the law and the President’s priorities. The temporary pause will become effective on January 28, 2025, at 5:00PM.

Then:

No later than February 10, 2025, agencies shall submit to OMB detailed information on any programs, projects or activities subject to this pause. Each agency must pause: (i) issuance of new awards; (ii) disbursement of Federal funds under all open awards; and (iii) other relevant agency actions that may be implicated by the executive orders, to the extent permissible by law,until OMB has reviewed and provided guidance to your agency with respect to the information submitted

There's a bit more related to detailing the people involved, but the idea here is clearly to stop all funding so the administration can review each and every instance where money is being allocated/disbursed and then decide on a case-by-case basis which states/programs will then start to receive funding again.

If this isn't a legitimate Constitutional crisis unfolding, then I don't understand what's happening.

Smoove_B wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 4:39 pm It's going to get so much worse. Here's the memo on the federal aid freeze.

To implement these orders, each agency must complete a comprehensive analysis of all of their Federal financial assistance programs to identify programs, projects, and activities that may be implicated by any of the President’s executive orders. In the interim, to the extent permissible under applicable law, Federal agencies must temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance, and other relevant agency activities that may be implicated by the executive orders, including, but not limited to, financial assistance for foreign aid, nongovernmental organizations, DEI, woke gender ideology, and the green new deal.This temporary pause will provide the Administration time to review agency programs and determine the best uses of the funding for those programs consistent with the law and the President’s priorities. The temporary pause will become effective on January 28, 2025, at 5:00PM.

Then:

No later than February 10, 2025, agencies shall submit to OMB detailed information on any programs, projects or activities subject to this pause. Each agency must pause: (i) issuance of new awards; (ii) disbursement of Federal funds under all open awards; and (iii) other relevant agency actions that may be implicated by the executive orders, to the extent permissible by law,until OMB has reviewed and provided guidance to your agency with respect to the information submitted

There's a bit more related to detailing the people involved, but the idea here is clearly to stop all funding so the administration can review each and every instance where money is being allocated/disbursed and then decide on a case-by-case basis which states/programs will then start to receive funding again.

If this isn't a legitimate Constitutional crisis unfolding, then I don't understand what's happening.

raydude wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 4:46 pm Here's the thing: as I see it the Agencies and the people who work for them are in a similar situation to the factory workers and managers working in Germany's armaments plants during WW2. Back then there were no Nazi SS troopers checking the quality of the shells, so workers were putting dummy fuzes and doing all sorts of things to sabotage the shells.

I firmly believe there are no Nazi, I mean Administration goosesteppers checking to see that these forms are correct. So what's to stop an Agency from submitting forms detailing bullshit programs (i.e. ones that dont' exist or 'kind of exist but not really' and omitting the ones that are important, Trump be damned)? Who's gonna check? Stephem Miller? Trump? I mean come on.

stessier wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 4:12 pm This is frustrating - 19 states tell Costco to end "unlawful" DEI policies (including SC).

It's frustrating because they don't say what is unlawful. They imply it is everything which is completely untrue. I wish someone would push back on that narrative. Maybe I need to get a Costco membership (even though I greatly prefer Sam's Club's offerings and ease of access in my area).

One of the problems with the lawsuits is gonna be that the “policy” is going to change, daily, hourly even. It already has, today.

It’s hard to sustain a lawsuit against the premise of the thing when the facts of the thing change every minute.

Zarathud wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 4:43 pm America’s enemies are rejoicing over the internal fallout as we will no longer have strong institutions.

raydude wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 4:46 pm Who's gonna check? Stephem Miller? Trump? I mean come on.

A federal judge on Tuesday temporarily halted President Trump's effort to temporarily pause federal grant, loan and financial assistance programs, multiple outlets reported.

The big picture: U.S. District Judge Loren L. AliKhan blocked Trump's order minutes before it was to take effect, with an administrative stay that expires Monday.

President Donald Trump's administration is set to offer every single federal worker the chance to take a "deferred resignation" with a severance package of roughly eight months of pay and benefits.

A senior administration official told NBC News that they expect 5-10% of the federal workforce to quit, which, they estimate, could lead to roughly $100 billion in savings.

"If you choose to remain in your current position, we thank you for your renewed focus on serving the American people to the best of your abilities and look forward to working together as part of an improved federal workforce," reads the email that will be sent to federal workers. "At this time, we cannot give you full assurance regarding the certainty of your position or agency but should your position be eliminated you will be treated with dignity and will be afforded the protections in place for such positions."

WYBaugh wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 6:38 pm https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white- ... rcna189661

President Donald Trump's administration is set to offer every single federal worker the chance to take a "deferred resignation" with a severance package of roughly eight months of pay and benefits.

A senior administration official told NBC News that they expect 5-10% of the federal workforce to quit, which, they estimate, could lead to roughly $100 billion in savings.

"If you choose to remain in your current position, we thank you for your renewed focus on serving the American people to the best of your abilities and look forward to working together as part of an improved federal workforce," reads the email that will be sent to federal workers. "At this time, we cannot give you full assurance regarding the certainty of your position or agency but should your position be eliminated you will be treated with dignity and will be afforded the protections in place for such positions."

Skinypupy wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 6:42 pm One of my just colleagues shared that she was on a meeting with a hospital in New York today and had to cut the call short because there were rumors that ICE would be showing up at the hospital at any moment.

At least three U.S. lawmakers said on Tuesday healthcare providers were blocked from the Medicaid payment portal after the Trump administration announced a federal funding pause, even as the White House said the program was exempted.

White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said the White House was aware of the Medicaid program's online portal outage and said it would be back online soon. She said no payments had been affected.

Mandatory programs like the joint federal-state health insurance program for the poor and the SNAP food assistance program were excluded from the U.S. funding pause, the White House's Office of Management and Budget told lawmakers in a letter.

More than 70 million people are covered by Medicaid, which is jointly paid by the states and the federal government with each state running its own program.

RunningMn9 wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 8:06 pm It would be humorous if 100% of the federal workforce accepted the terms.

WYBaugh wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 6:38 pm https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white- ... rcna189661

President Donald Trump's administration is set to offer every single federal worker the chance to take a "deferred resignation" with a severance package of roughly eight months of pay and benefits.

A senior administration official told NBC News that they expect 5-10% of the federal workforce to quit, which, they estimate, could lead to roughly $100 billion in savings.

"If you choose to remain in your current position, we thank you for your renewed focus on serving the American people to the best of your abilities and look forward to working together as part of an improved federal workforce," reads the email that will be sent to federal workers. "At this time, we cannot give you full assurance regarding the certainty of your position or agency but should your position be eliminated you will be treated with dignity and will be afforded the protections in place for such positions."

Holman wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2025 8:04 pm Surely the Trump administration is high on their own farts and misjudging what they can get away with... right?