It would be hard to dream up a more. . . preposterous sci-fi premise, for a book positing the decline of Western Civilization.
But I can assure you, gentle reader, this is in fact happening in the US -- in real time. At least three capable non-partisan federal courts have ruled there is no lawful basis at all for mandatory "dot point reports" from other agencies' rank and file -- to be shared with Musk's OPM.
None -- yet to be cautious, our anon. insider advises the latest "up the chain" instructions read thus:
. . .Update on OPM memo:
Email this am from HHS.
All are expected to reply coordinate with supervisor. Only high level response.
And assume your response will be read by malign foreign actors. . . .
Welp. . . it is no longer hyperbole to sensibly suggest that perhaps this part of the "Chaos Tour 2.0" end-goal of Elon Musk is the weakening of the United States on the world stage, via hundreds of thousands of paper cuts. It will reduce his companies' regulatory burden, increase his fortune -- and likely will help pay off the debt the Tangerine 2.0 team clearly must owe -- to Vlad Putin.
And -- in any event, it certainly confirms the old adage "elect a clown; expect a circus." Damn.
नमस्ते
4 comments:
New bizarre email. No government travel. But many staff were approved and at meetings this past week and returning now. But no approval for expenditures for next 30 days. A lot of people going to have to pay out of pocket
This is... deplorable. There is no doubt that every actual and implied contract of employment in the federal government requires -- that if one is authorized / required to travel for the job, the job owes you safe passage back home, on the same class of accomodations it sent you out on.
It is a certainty that there will be one or more class action suits here, covering all affected federal employees -- and every traveler left stranded will recoup the out of pockets, PLUS some modest consequential damages -- likely a few extra thousand dollars per person -- but it may be a year or more, before the checks arrive (if these morons do not have their bluffs called, and fold -- and pay up, right away -- voluntarily).
I am so so sorry. What a nightmare. Damn.
Newest update. Put costs on personal credit card. Maybe reimburse at future date
Again, this too is a very likely unlawful (unilateral, non bargained) change in terms of employment -- it is my understanding that in the past, most federal employees either had a central credit account -- from which travel and expenses were pre-authorized and paid (on something like a corporate Am Ex) but the obligor would have been NIH, not the individual traveler, in the event of a payment delay/default. . . or a check was cut to the traveler (in advance, with a per diem in it -- for all days of travel/away stay -- while the hotel was centrally booked and paid in advance), all to pay for the trip -- but if one went over, that came out of one's own pocket.
It sounds like Elon is trying to institute a for profit corporate model -- that you pay first, then govt. reimburses your personal Visa or Am Ex a few months later.
Again, that will -- if the issue is forced -- be another count in the complaint, as a part of a class action (one which NIH, NASA, FDA, FBI, CIA, and DoD will lose).
But it might take a year or more, if these dolts don't come to their collective senses.
Again -- just sorry you are being put through these changes.
D A M N A T I O N.
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