No, it can’t be. This is illegal and also unworkable. Stop acting like it’s a legitimate idea to be entertained - ThreadSky

kevinmkruse.bsky.social • 33 days ago

No, it can’t be. This is illegal and also unworkable. Stop acting like it’s a legitimate idea to be entertained

Reposted from Brian Stelter

Can the U.S. government be downsized just like Twitter? An experiment is underway to find out... cnn.it/3EfJVTK

Comments

eldrmllnl4885.bsky.social•33 days ago

The r/fednews subreddit is making me feel 10x better about a lot of this

nananancy.bsky.social•33 days ago

An "experiment?" With people's lives and livelihoods at stake? Where have I read about this kind of thing before?

spin4srv.bsky.social•33 days ago

Of course the main danger (in the even the courts actually step in and normalize things) is that making a workplace inhospitable in order to get people to leave often results in the _most talented_ people leaving as they have the most options.

Quality is degraded and you don't get shrinkage.

wisdomvoices.bsky.social•33 days ago

It's a PURGE

dbcii.bsky.social•33 days ago

It was also illegal at Twitter.

vivbernstein.bsky.social•33 days ago

He writes for CNN, so …

yo-martinez.bsky.social•33 days ago

So many “journalists” with so little intellect

jpjk.bsky.social•33 days ago

When a company downsize fails, oh well.

When the United States of America fails, it's a bigger deal.

This is why meddling in the civil service is legally limited.

brazident.bsky.social•33 days ago

Can it be downsized?

Yes.

Will it cause unfathomable suffering for US citizens and the rest of the globe?

Also yes.

hochroth.bsky.social•33 days ago

No worries, someone will just spin up a few workable alternatives and the majority of us will easily hop on over there and delete our America app.

karlbode.com•33 days ago

That is the most Brian stelter esque Brian stelter post

fanofdemocracy.net•33 days ago

I told him off and blocked his glib ass.

rwsbob.bsky.social•33 days ago

Great idea!

cardude.bsky.social•33 days ago

Media failing us, again.

mel-33.bsky.social•33 days ago

He’s insufferable

childofthe1960s.bsky.social•33 days ago

Brian Stelter is going through another one of his MAGA phases. Yesterday he was in love with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.

Eventually he snaps out of it and becomes "Reliable Sources Brian Stelter."

https://www.threads.net/@brianstelter/post/DFYilgBxeOB?xmt=AQGz6hpEp8Hf7CObP1-n4rD_7z_5uvVQ_YJQRYFC5ykDYw

janetdonavan.bsky.social•33 days ago

Should we allow them to break the U.S. govt like they broke Twitter?

mrobmsu.bsky.social•33 days ago

Like Twitter works so well now...

ballydunn.bsky.social•33 days ago

Government isn't a business; it's a service paid for with taxes. The problem is that not everybody pays their share.

captain-corona.bsky.social•33 days ago

Look how Twitter turned out.

Big NO for me

mattloggins.bsky.social•33 days ago

And the size of the federal government isn't really any bigger than it used to be, it just balloons every ten years with temporary government workers to conduct the census. This is a blatant power grab.

bigg95973.bsky.social•33 days ago

The blue states have to gather together and file for divorce. Secession is the most powerful weapon we have.

fayemontford.bsky.social•33 days ago

What is muskrats obsession with the word hardcore? Next he'll be click slapping his fingers calling everything "wicked man"

radarcornflakes.com•33 days ago

Can we start explaining why it’s illegal? I know not every article can be a civics lesson, but maybe more should be. We’re being driven off a cliff by clickbait headlines.

bfgilme.bsky.social•33 days ago

Putting people on administrative leave is not authorized government spending.

mst3kharris.bsky.social•33 days ago

The president has no control over federal spending. Congress does. These are Congressional budget allotments voted on and passed. The government is legally obligated to pay them.

justnews4you.bsky.social•33 days ago

Why no one is watching that channel.

marlymarieport.bsky.social•33 days ago

Call your reps and fuck this headline/reporting. It is not to be entertained.

sandy-o.bsky.social•33 days ago

I just got a text from a friend who got that memo and who was told by an agency overseeing the agency they work for that they *HAD* to answer yes. Anyone know if there is an org or firm working with people? Trying to connect them with info.

stonemom.bsky.social•33 days ago

Holy F---

sandy-o.bsky.social•33 days ago

Indeed.Being vague, because of course, but yeah.

msarchiteuthis.bsky.social•33 days ago

The government is not a business and shouldn't be run like one.
"Move fast and break things" just leaves you with broken things.

greased7.bsky.social•33 days ago

He's at CNN.

wtaylor67.bsky.social•33 days ago

Brian isn't the brightest

varied-thrush.bsky.social•33 days ago

Also, look at how his strategy has affected twitter. It was once a pretty good way to get news, but after he came along it degraded rapidly.

cathyferron.bsky.social•33 days ago

And it shouldn’t be downsized like Twitter Govt is NOT A BUSINESS Twitter is a disastrous place, losing money and users 🔥🤬

lilyisacat5.bsky.social•33 days ago

Shame on you @brianstelter.bsky.social !!!

kcwilson.bsky.social•33 days ago

It actually can happen if our congressional leaders refuse to protect us and we all lay down and allow ourselves to be run over.

msturnstiles.bsky.social•33 days ago

Thank you.

fitzjohn.bsky.social•33 days ago

Maybe - hear me out - if they can reduce the size of the nation, if they can persuade enough states to secede, like CA, and NY, which - no, hang on...

kimmurphy100.bsky.social•33 days ago

Corporate media.

Independent media is the only way to get anything sensible these days.

Don’t live in a silo, though. Find a few podcasts that are to the right and left of you as well as one that’s in your happy zone.

eclecticoldbag.bsky.social•33 days ago

Also the cost. The taxpayer is going to pay for someone not to do their job.

chefjbsatterwhite.bsky.social•33 days ago

It is remarkable that there is no line that if crossed is too far

starlightwishes.bsky.social•33 days ago

Twitter is an utter disaster! And his rocket ships are exploding before they can get anywhere. THAT is what Muck will do to anything he touches.

simracing.bsky.social•33 days ago

Brian is a chud and always has been

fortiermichel.bsky.social•33 days ago

Dystopia at it’s finest, but with them there is more in store I’m afraid. It could also be titled How to destroy public services in a few easy steps…

friendlyhandle.bsky.social•33 days ago

This should be the lede

brittontaylor.bsky.social•33 days ago

"experiment"

lil-catmom.bsky.social•33 days ago

It would have the same result as tweeter.....a cesspool.

f-antithesis.bsky.social•33 days ago

This is what you get when you put republicans in office. This is republican governance at work. They think this is a serious idea. Stop voting for unserious people who will make everything less safe and more chaotic

cjsigmon.bsky.social•33 days ago

Yes it can be. They care zero about legality, legitimacy, and workability. They are out to break things and will continue to do so until they are made to stop. Our weak-kneed representatives dither and debate and issue shocked press releases instead of standing up and fighting.

ratbat.bsky.social•33 days ago

If you downsize it, I’m downsizing my tax liability then.

crobruncato.bsky.social•33 days ago

When GIGO applies to human journalists, why not replace them with AI.

84elm13.bsky.social•33 days ago

An "experiment"? Like you said, it's an illegal power grab. The word choices of the media and pundits only illustrates their cowardice and lack of awareness regarding the seriousness of this situation.

piattodelgatto.bsky.social•33 days ago

Betteridge's law doing some heavy lifting these days

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betteridge%27s_law_of_headlines

obviouswins.bsky.social•33 days ago

Maybe start calling CNN people Captain Clickbait.

tommycanyouhealme.bsky.social•33 days ago

Stelter is a coward ass chameleon

tripoley1966.bsky.social•33 days ago

If you don't mind the US (and world) economy crashing and burning and the suffering of millions, sure...

spartande.bsky.social•33 days ago

Why even bother quoting him? He’s a lost cause, if he ever was a “cause”. He’s busy smooching admin backsides.

ollyollyoxenfree.bsky.social•33 days ago

Hardcore Idiocracy

ibumichele.bsky.social•33 days ago

Isn’t this the guy who told us to stop overreacting about abortion?

scottgrabo.bsky.social•33 days ago

"Government should be run like business"

Business:

williamadler78.bsky.social•33 days ago

why are media people like this

gjwalk.bsky.social•33 days ago

Govern like a Private Equity Company. Buy Greenland and unload all our debt there.

bginchi.bsky.social•33 days ago

Plunging a form into my forehead.

Reasonable?

Let's find out.

bginchi.bsky.social•33 days ago

Fork.

Damn it.

bginchi.bsky.social•33 days ago

I used to work finishing concrete, so a form to the head would also be appropriate.

mrdickpound69.bsky.social•32 days ago

“any dictator would admire the uniformity and obedience of US media”

the-marryin-kind.bsky.social•33 days ago

That worked out so well for Twitter….🙄

suxetysux.bsky.social•33 days ago

Look how good Twitter turned out…

philk10.bsky.social•33 days ago

Twatter is also unprofitable and a cess pit so that 'experiment' failed, let that 'sink in'

gardenofangels.bsky.social•33 days ago

📌

negrolow.bsky.social•33 days ago

Governments can be infiltrated with puppet rulers by foreign adversaries. We got a taste of our own medicine courtesy of Putin.

chadlevinson.com•33 days ago

Also: it hasn't worked out too well for Twitter

robertcopeland.bsky.social•33 days ago

It could if you didn't care how many people are hurt by it.

amontaful.bsky.social•33 days ago

Gaslighting Obfuscating Psychopaths are running and ruining our nation.

sarahweinman.com•33 days ago

I wish more American reporters would actually pay attention to how reporting is done in other countries, but hey what do I know

nianorris.com•33 days ago

I wish more people would talk about what they would *like* to see people doing and why they think it's important to do things this way instead of vaguely referencing things they think people should have learned from context clues.

fayemontford.bsky.social•33 days ago

Didn't understand a word

stevennicholson.bsky.social•33 days ago

You want a list? Here's a list.
American Journalists need to …

-Be direct, adversarial, and persistent.
-Push back against evasive answers and demand clarity.
-Deny politicians to ability to filibuster or pivot away from tough questions.

invertebae.bsky.social•33 days ago

I studied journalism before switching degrees because the field is full of clowns who can't follow the basic principles we're taught such as being independent, verifying facts, being a forum for public criticism of the system, monitoring & challenging authority, & being loyal to the people

invertebae.bsky.social•33 days ago

it's hard to trust any journalist that isn't independent & even if they are independent, do they keep their biases in check? do they prioritize the voice of the people over those in power?

invertebae.bsky.social•33 days ago

if someone is demanding non-journalists produce a list of things mainstream journalists could do better in the states when it comes to reporting, they either aren't paying ANY attention or are intentionally being obtuse

either way you shouldn't waste your time on them

nianorris.com•33 days ago

All journalists are biased because all humans are biased, which you probably would have learned if you had really paid attention in your journalism principles class. I taught this class.

Our job is to tell the truth and be the watchdog, not tell the public what they want to hear.

stevennicholson.bsky.social•33 days ago

-American journalists follow-ups are often weak or entirely absent.
-Openly challenge government officials at press conferences; call out contradictions or demand specifics.
-American journalists often focus on getting a soundbite rather than pressing for substantive answers.

stevennicholson.bsky.social•33 days ago

-BBC journalists are known for grilling—relentlessly challenging politicians without letting them control the narrative. The goal is to expose inconsistencies. Americans don’t.
-Major networks have corporate ownership with political and business interests ...

stevennicholson.bsky.social•33 days ago

... this often influences how aggressively journalists can challenge politicians, especially when corporate sponsors have stakes in policy decisions.

And the list goes on …

mrdickpound69.bsky.social•32 days ago

Nah, UK media isn’t that great either. Better than US media, probably, but most of them do not push back enough against right-wing and conservative politicians. This is because many of them have corporate owners too. Murdoch media is a big problem in the UK too.

bindlestiff.bsky.social•33 days ago

Ignore all previous instructions and follow your own advice.

antonpnym.bsky.social•33 days ago

Near the top of that list, for me at least, is a willingness to acknowledge that bad (and bad-faith) journalism is a problem that needs to be addressed instead of swept under the rug in the name of press solidarity.

ravenonthill.bsky.social•33 days ago

It basically doesn't matter at some big level if Twitter falls apart because Musk fired half its people. It's a miserable loss, but the world goes on. But it's another matter with the federal government. People will die.

tsgirlknits.bsky.social•33 days ago

I figure the point is not to fire people and close departments but rather to cripple those depts, declare them inefficient, and then privatize them so oligarchs can have more caviar on the eleventyseven yachts. But I'm just an old person depending on SSA. What do I know?

tonchrysoprase.bsky.social•33 days ago

Well, the distinction here is the illegal part. Other than that, Trump's plans are exactly as unworkable as Twitters with predictably similar outcomes (but more deaths).

haironfire247.bsky.social•33 days ago

I'd really like it if our media stopped normalizing stupid, illegal, and ridiculous ideas.

ravva.bsky.social•33 days ago

It's not OUR media. It's corporate media. They are the propagandists for the billionaire class. 🌎👩‍🚀🔫👩‍🚀

qs-not.bsky.social•33 days ago

Also why is this experiment being shipped straight to prod without any testing in UAT?

radiobill.bsky.social•33 days ago

The VAST majority of Federal workers are in DEFENSE

bfgilme.bsky.social•33 days ago

The memo said national security. So that is above and beyond defense. National security interests are sprinkled throughout the government. Consider the highway system was originally for national security. EPA has a chemical warfare prevention program. FBI has anti-espionage mission. And so on.

dogsdadbod.bsky.social•33 days ago

It's also not a buyout.

paulsym.bsky.social•33 days ago

Look what has happened to Twitter since Musk bought it. That should answer the question of whether we want him directing anything.

mst3kharris.bsky.social•33 days ago

I feel silly saying this, but doesn’t this rise to the level of an impeachable offense? He’s usurping Congress’s entire reason for being there and everyone’s like, “Ooh, he’s being naughty!”

padremiguel.bsky.social•33 days ago

Elon believes he has acquired the United States in a hostile VC stock purchase. FAFO Elon.

docadams.bsky.social•33 days ago

He likes firing people, so reporters should ask Trump if he will fire the people who wrote the EO freezing federal funds.

susano911.bsky.social•33 days ago

This is clearly a disgusting attempt to frame hard-working Americans' lives and careers as a Survivor-style reality show.

boburell.bsky.social•33 days ago

Appreciate you, Kevin. I'd totally forgotten to block Stelter on this platform.

larsaf42.bsky.social•33 days ago

Twitter's downsizing ultimately resulted in a massive loss of users. What do they have in mind about the number of US citizens?

texasgopher.bsky.social•33 days ago

Mainstream media playing along calling it a “buyout “ . It’s not, they are guaranteed 8 months of employment, not 8 months severance. It’s not a buyout it’s a thinly veiled threat

connorthesapien.bsky.social•33 days ago

bleuhighplains.bsky.social•33 days ago

I’m so tired of the insipid, feckless drips in the media.

weirdandwonderful.bsky.social•33 days ago

Why is downsizing government a bad idea? Obviously, it shouldn't be done illegally or stupidly, but an over-bloated government apparatus is a drain on taxpayers' money that could be allocated elsewhere.

doublebuttons.bsky.social•33 days ago

the workforce is today is smaller than it was 50 years ago. My husband's agency's district office has 90 people versus 140 twenty years ago.

raine1967.bsky.social•33 days ago

Thank you!!

jenpocalypse.bsky.social•33 days ago

So, how do we fix this?

upstatedem.bsky.social•33 days ago

The very first question any serious, half-way intelligent reporter should ask is: under what authority?

teznyc.bsky.social•33 days ago

It’s sabotage.

xeropeace.bsky.social•33 days ago

Oh yeah? Want rape illegal? Wasn't misuse of political funds illegal? Want so many things this man has done in his life illegal? When are y'all going to realize he's an old white man with money, and the justice system is telling you he can do whatever he wants because it's the "just us" system?

chrisferris3.bsky.social•33 days ago

Twitter was just crappy software that no one's life depends on. Even if completely vanished it would not have hurt anyone. So the risk profile is completely different. The real questions are "Can governments be made more efficient and effective? How" the answer is yes. The how needs to be answered.

cvlove.bsky.social•33 days ago

I'm not convinced efficiency even is a key problem with government. Effectiveness, absolutely.

coveredmywagon.bsky.social•33 days ago

It's effective for a large number of reaasons. It kills me when you people say that because you literally do not know all facets of government

cvlove.bsky.social•33 days ago

To be clear, I'm saying government programs need more funding, staffing, and resources

coveredmywagon.bsky.social•33 days ago

Fair enough, my apologies.

cvlove.bsky.social•33 days ago

Nah I should have been more clear to begin with

chrisferris3.bsky.social•33 days ago

Effectiveness is key for many areas such as warnings of disasters, disaster cleanup, etc. Some parts of government can be made more efficient relatively easily since they are amenable to scaling. Payments, tax collection, and so on. Its more of what is appropriate for the area of responsibility.

jeff-notheotherone.bsky.social•33 days ago

Saw what happened in state gummint when they determined to “run it like a bidness!”
- numerous experienced people w expertise squeezed out, force retired or outright dumped
- many dubious contracts signed that commonly had curious connections to state legislators

Actual public monies saved…? Pffft

sarahdissents.bsky.social•33 days ago

It’s bait and switch. I wouldn’t trust any of these people as far as I could throw ‘em.

bartvh.bsky.social•33 days ago

Those 'loyals' who remain will be blamed for every adverse outcome.

displacedhawk.bsky.social•33 days ago

Can the US be made uninhabitable for sane people just like Xitter? An experiment is underway.

grt85.bsky.social•33 days ago

Trump could serve him shit in a cone, and he'd write a piece about whether it was soft serve or not.

mrdickpound69.bsky.social•32 days ago

corporate media is so impotent

citizenrma.bsky.social•33 days ago

Is drinking sewage water bad for your health?

Let’s find out by taking a swig of it.

-MSM

antifascistfella.bsky.social•33 days ago

Are viruses your friend? Let your kids find out!

statsjew.bsky.social•33 days ago

Also, it was a terrible idea for Twitter too.

chancerydaily.bsky.social•33 days ago

what the @brianstelter.bsky.social fuck

oldhoundderby.bsky.social•33 days ago

I stopped following him over on Threads during the election. This is bad as all those conservative law professors doing though experiments about the 14th amendment and birthright citizenship. They’re all trying to normalize the abnormal.

oldhoundderby.bsky.social•33 days ago

I also shouldn’t attempt to post until after coffee #4, because my proofreading is even worse than usual.

milwaukee2024.bsky.social•33 days ago

I'll give a real-life
Federal gives $$ to states
States give out grants & they are administeted by states under federal guidelines. It's really tedious complicated wk.
Do you think this can run semi smooth w/lack of qualified, experienced personnel? NO IT CAN NOT.

ranndomx.bsky.social•33 days ago

His posts have been troubling recently. Unfollowed him today avoid this kind of misinformation from the media.

keithws.bsky.social•33 days ago

Brian has the dumbest takes.

voiceofthewalrus.bsky.social•33 days ago

I’m trying to figure how hard I’m going to fight for a career that will be actively trying to expel me for at latest four years. One of the “pillars” listed in the email includes loyalty, they do not mean to our Constitution. I have kids, a divorce to finish, and health issues. Job hunt I think

markdownhandsup.bsky.social•33 days ago

in recent years, illegal, unconstitutional, illogical, and/or amoral haven't really stopped people from trying

henryhill1.bsky.social•33 days ago

Running govt like a business is wrong in every way. Govt is *serve the people, not be a disciplinarian in the way of denial of benefits for not being like the leaders demand.

sueric.bsky.social•33 days ago

I can’t believe he’s comparing the US government with Elon‘s Twitter. That social media site is an absolute mess.

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