All these government staff cuts are amazing

5,249 Views | 87 Replies | Last: 58 min ago by taxpreparer
flown-the-coop
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94chem said:





I asked you not to do that. I was giving you a chance to not expose further ignorance about how basic R&D works. I was being gracious.

A friend of mine shared with me this morning just one example, and a dated one at that. MIT conducted research in 2014 that determined that government-funded research had contributed to the formation of 30,000 companies, employing 4.6 million people, generating $1.9 trillion in annual revenues, over 2.5% of the world economy.

Musk actually knows this stuff. He's been one of the biggest beneficiaries. He probably wouldn't want to admit it right now. I mean, the Tesla isn't that innovative. I suppose Dean Cayman did a lot of the battery R&D ("Segway"), and the science was done by Goodenough and others (Nobel prize, of course developed with public funding).
In other words, 97.5% of the world economy is driven by private-sector research and development.

If Tesla was not unique in its technology and production process, then why are they by far the most widespread and successful EV company?

Did the government fund his research into how to create a successful car company and market it to the target audience? Did they fund the developments in LIDAR and cameras and processing to create the autonomous driving features? Did they fund the research on reducing inefficiencies and costs to make the company profitable?

We get it, you rely on that 2.5% or otherwise think it is more important than the other 97.5%. Now I will be gracious and simply ask you not to refer to my ignorance. I happen to think I have a pretty good understanding of how R&D works.
infinity ag
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infinity ag said:

Ciboag96 said:

These ****ers losing their jobs and acting like it is the most cruel thing in the world, despite everyone else in the world having to deal with layoffs in life, is like gravy on top of biscuits. Nom nom nom

Good luck with that women's studies masters degree from NYU

People with Computer Science and Mechanical Engineering degrees are also losing their jobs and having a hard time finding new ones. Good hard working people with degrees from good US schools and with experience. My son goes to a Top 5 US school for Computer Sc and he is having a hard time getting a good internship. He just got a call (after being rejected by them earlier) yesterday saying "more positions opened up" so I am hopeful. He is male, and companies still are hiring females for DEI (a girl dad himself told me this at a party last weekend, his daughter and my son are classmates).

And don't say "then work hard and be the best in the world". That argument means nothing in reality other than the "let them have cake" retort. There just aren't enough jobs available and Musk/Trump want to bring in H1B monkeys for cheap.

My son just called. I am thrilled to say that he got the internship offer!!
He had 2 internship offers including the place he interned last summer, and a new one (name brand recognizable 100+ year old multinational tech company). Good, but not what he really really wanted.

He got rejected from a hotshot San Fran tech company that everyone has heard of and most of us use its product in our lives. He worked VERY hard for the interview and said it went well. But he got rejected and they "went with a candidate better suited". Disappointment for all of us. But then yesterday he got an email from the same recruiter saying more positions opened up and if he was still looking. He said yes.

This morning - OFFER! The job he wanted.
Life works in mysterious ways.

Woo hoo!!!
infinity ag
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flown-the-coop said:

infinity ag said:




Bro. Are you for real. You are talking like Biden.
If you are trained in a certain field, you will look for jobs in that field. How would you do a job in a different field? You won't even get a call. I am in a certain area of tech, I am not able to get Engineering Manager jobs though I was in software engineer (not as manager) 10 years ago. Yes, baggers and greeter jobs at Walmart are available but people with engineering degrees from top US schools and 10 years of experience don't want to do those jobs.

Please get real.

H1B is a visa type that US companies exploit to bring in workers from India, China etc to work in the US and undercut the locals. These are hired for cheap and treated like slaves and exploited. They are okay with it as conditions in their countries are worse and they make dollars. US CEOs like it as they inflate their bonus.

Musk hires these types too as he makes money. Trump seems to side with Musk on this but nothing has been done either way so the jury is still out.


Damn, that is about the most cold-hearted ad hom someone could make to me. But seriously, knee-jerk reacting by going to the "learn to code" nonsense is just taking a cheap shot.

I specifically mentioned jobs / projects applicable to the mentioned degrees. But if one was having long-term employment difficulty then changing professions is sometimes a rewarding development.

I started in Big 4 accounting then spent some time in corporate for several large companies, two of them international with one of those being foreign based (UK) who outsourced several back office functions to Genpact in India, which I visited personally.

Worked with H1Bs at those stops and even had an H1B in my wedding. tl;dr I know what I am talking about.

Yes, there is a perception that the H1Bs are paid poorly and overworked. That perception has some basis in reality as there are indeed companies that take advantage of someone's H1B status to pay them less and work them harder. However, my experience is the work harder was part of their ethos and from their own self-determination to take advantage of the opportunity to live and work in the United States and maybe become a citizen one day.

The talk I have seen mostly on H1Bs is that our talent pool in some of those areas is shallow thus there is a need to nerdy engineers who love staring at a keyboard all day versus living back in their home country without indoor plumbing and limited options to build wealth and have a comfortable life.

I have compassion for your situation but reacting with a broad brush hate on H1Bs seems off target to me.

I am sorry about that, didn't mean to offend!
Since we just see text, there is no way for me to understand your background, you may be Joe Shmo, or you may be Elon Musk!!!

Will reply to this later.
MCMXCVII
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4stringAg said:

Stat Monitor Repairman said:

When Trump and Elon have said that cuts are imperative to save the country from bankruptcy do people think they are kidding or that doesn't apply to them?

They've explained that the interest on debt is simply unsustainable and action must be taken to save off bankruptcy.

Everyone knows we printed $8 trillion during a single year during covid. Everyone was there.It's no like they are making that up.

I get it that people are mad, but what the alternative. Run a nation state to default with no attempt to course correct?

OMG we'll have 10% less meteorologist at NOAA.

There's 20% less forest rangers now to protect forests that have stood for a million years.

Kinda crazy this everyone but me attitude and that some professions are 'essential.' They weren't essential during covid, what changed?


They are mad because it's Trump. Most on the right are with him and Elon and their mission here. When it comes to anything Trump, leftists and never Trumpers lose all reason and rationality
This. We have all seen the soundbites from R's and D presidents talking about he need to address the debt and shrink government. The two fundamental differences here are: (1) Trump is serious and actually following through - not just offering up rhetoric; and (2) Its Trump

Anything Trump does will be demonized and vilified - The man could run into a burning building and rescue 10 people himself and he would be blamed for something...

It's been said before...the people who are howling the loudest are the one on the take with with the most to lose.
heteroscedasticity
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Harry Stone said:

And its amazing how people are reacting to it. Look imbeciles, the government is a business, and in a business, when you're losing money you start fixing things by cutting employment, which is always the biggest expense. And in the case of our government it's the worst performing business in history. The administration should cut at least 60% at a minimum.
1 The government IS NOT a business. The purpose of government is to work for the common public good, not make a profit.

2. No doubt there are significant inefficiencies in government and personnel cuts can be part of the solution. You do that through forensic audits by people who are qualified to identify potential inefficiencies and fraud. You then downsize according to the specific inefficiencies that have been identified - and you do it in a sensible and graduated manner to avoid disruptions of key governmental functions and minimize creating vulnerabilities to national security. If evidence of fraud (a crime) is found, you report that to the authorities for prosecution and proper routing through the justice system. You don't address these issues by having an incompetent billionaire with deep conflicts of interest and plenty to gain for his businesses go in and obliterate whole programs without knowing what all they do and what all the consequences will be. You don't intimidate and indiscriminately fire people en masse - and then unjustifiable smear them all as frauds or slackers. This is illegal, unconstitutional, and cruel.
mallen
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Fightin_Aggie said:

Just had Spectrum news on and they were interviewing fired usaid workers.

I have sympathy for good people who lose their jobs

I have no sympathy for someone who tries to wrap themselves in charity by giving away other people's money. They did evil and tried to disguise it as good. When I see this it reminds me why Jesus advised to give without praise or self righteousness.

Matthew 6:1-34 ESV / 66 helpful votes

"Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. "Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. "And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. ...

Since you seem to be an expert on scripture, I'll just leave this here for you to explain.
heteroscedasticity
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mallen said:

Fightin_Aggie said:

Just had Spectrum news on and they were interviewing fired usaid workers.

I have sympathy for good people who lose their jobs

I have no sympathy for someone who tries to wrap themselves in charity by giving away other people's money. They did evil and tried to disguise it as good. When I see this it reminds me why Jesus advised to give without praise or self righteousness.

Matthew 6:1-34 ESV / 66 helpful votes

"Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. "Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. "And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. ...

Since you seem to be an expert on scripture, I'll just leave this here for you to explain
aTm2004
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94chem said:

aTm2004 said:

94chem said:

aTm2004 said:

94chem said:

aTm2004 said:

It sucks people are losing their jobs, but this happens in the private sector everyday when a company is in massive debt and it's expenses are greater than its revenue.

What is funny is how the reaction is always the same...PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!! Social media is full doom and gloom today after the NOAA cuts. Everyone from Jim Cantore to our own Travis Herzog.

Give me a break. Very few in the government outside of the military, LEO, and the FD are doing work each day that saves lives. Most are there doing meaningless work to get to their 20 so they can draw a pension. If what they do is that important, a private company will pop up to fill the void while providing a much better product, and if they actually are really good at their jobs, they'll land in the private sector doing the same work.


What do you mean by "private company?"
A non-government owned company. I mean, you should know what a private company is.

If the government is selling cheese to people and decides to stop selling cheese, if cheese is that important, somebody would start a company that sells cheese to the public.


Good. Now do a treatment for an orphan neurodegenerative disease.

And come up with something better than "it only kills 1300 people per year."
So, because you're personally impacted by something, the government shouldn't take a look at it's costs and make necessary cuts? If it's that important to you, go lobby billionaires and massive corporations to donate money and fund necessary research in the private sector. Don't get on a message board and try to make me feel bad because your personal issue may be impacted by the fact that money is finite.


Nothing to do with me.

How about non-orphan diseases? Ever hear of the Saint Jude's protocol. I 100% guarantee that you know someone who's child had been cured of leukemia. Why didn't a private company solve that problem?
You're not worth the long response.

St. Jude's is a private hospital, so a private company did solve that problem.
94chem
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aTm2004 said:

94chem said:

aTm2004 said:

94chem said:

aTm2004 said:

94chem said:

aTm2004 said:

It sucks people are losing their jobs, but this happens in the private sector everyday when a company is in massive debt and it's expenses are greater than its revenue.

What is funny is how the reaction is always the same...PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!! Social media is full doom and gloom today after the NOAA cuts. Everyone from Jim Cantore to our own Travis Herzog.

Give me a break. Very few in the government outside of the military, LEO, and the FD are doing work each day that saves lives. Most are there doing meaningless work to get to their 20 so they can draw a pension. If what they do is that important, a private company will pop up to fill the void while providing a much better product, and if they actually are really good at their jobs, they'll land in the private sector doing the same work.


What do you mean by "private company?"
A non-government owned company. I mean, you should know what a private company is.

If the government is selling cheese to people and decides to stop selling cheese, if cheese is that important, somebody would start a company that sells cheese to the public.


Good. Now do a treatment for an orphan neurodegenerative disease.

And come up with something better than "it only kills 1300 people per year."
So, because you're personally impacted by something, the government shouldn't take a look at it's costs and make necessary cuts? If it's that important to you, go lobby billionaires and massive corporations to donate money and fund necessary research in the private sector. Don't get on a message board and try to make me feel bad because your personal issue may be impacted by the fact that money is finite.


Nothing to do with me.

How about non-orphan diseases? Ever hear of the Saint Jude's protocol. I 100% guarantee that you know someone who's child had been cured of leukemia. Why didn't a private company solve that problem?
You're not worth the long response.

St. Jude's is a private hospital, so a private company did solve that problem.


Uhh, no. Look up their NIH funding. Don't be so obtuse. I mean, really. You could actually learn something.
94chem,
That, sir, was the greatest post in the history of TexAgs. I salute you. -- Dough
94chem
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flown-the-coop said:

94chem said:





I asked you not to do that. I was giving you a chance to not expose further ignorance about how basic R&D works. I was being gracious.

A friend of mine shared with me this morning just one example, and a dated one at that. MIT conducted research in 2014 that determined that government-funded research had contributed to the formation of 30,000 companies, employing 4.6 million people, generating $1.9 trillion in annual revenues, over 2.5% of the world economy.

Musk actually knows this stuff. He's been one of the biggest beneficiaries. He probably wouldn't want to admit it right now. I mean, the Tesla isn't that innovative. I suppose Dean Cayman did a lot of the battery R&D ("Segway"), and the science was done by Goodenough and others (Nobel prize, of course developed with public funding).
In other words, 97.5% of the world economy is driven by private-sector research and development.

If Tesla was not unique in its technology and production process, then why are they by far the most widespread and successful EV company?

Did the government fund his research into how to create a successful car company and market it to the target audience? Did they fund the developments in LIDAR and cameras and processing to create the autonomous driving features? Did they fund the research on reducing inefficiencies and costs to make the company profitable?

We get it, you rely on that 2.5% or otherwise think it is more important than the other 97.5%. Now I will be gracious and simply ask you not to refer to my ignorance. I happen to think I have a pretty good understanding of how R&D works.


Umm, that was just for MIT. I'm just guffawing at the willful ignorance. You really, really want to be right. We're getting kinda flat-earthy here. What is your degree in?
94chem,
That, sir, was the greatest post in the history of TexAgs. I salute you. -- Dough
dmart90
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Harry Stone said:

And its amazing how people are reacting to it. Look imbeciles, the government is a business, and in a business, when you're losing money you start fixing things by cutting employment, which is always the biggest expense. And in the case of our government it's the worst performing business in history. The administration should cut at least 60% at a minimum.

If the government were a business it would have been shuttered years ago.
taxpreparer
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B-1 83 said:

flyrancher said:

B-1 83 said:

Harry Stone said:

And it's amazing how people are reacting to it. Look imbeciles, the government is a business, and in a business, when you're losing money you start fixing things by cutting employment, which is always the biggest expense. And in the case of our government it's the worst performing business in history. The administration should cut at least 60% at a minimum.
Cutting 60% of the military, DoD, CBP, etc……really doesn't seem that smart right now.

You make the basic flawed assumption that the present levels of personnel are the proper levels. Nothing could be further from the truth. The only thing our federal government does well is expand and spend money, which makes it necessary that they must be good at screwing the taxpayer.

Government employment in our country at all levels has become close to a welfare program because government jobs at every level provide unusual job security with medical coverage, cost of living raises, and good retirement. This is especially true at the federal level.

There is a reason we can't get people to leave congress until they are 100 or in a casket. Those in the bureaucracy are worse, it takes an act of congress to fire them even for cause
You think those agencies mentioned and the military could be cut 60%? I know it's F16 and it sounds so "edgy" to throw such numbers around, but be real.


I think cutting the workforce by 60%, might mean cutting your dept by 80%, average Joe's by 90%, and the military by 10%.
flown-the-coop
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94chem said:

flown-the-coop said:

94chem said:





I asked you not to do that. I was giving you a chance to not expose further ignorance about how basic R&D works. I was being gracious.

A friend of mine shared with me this morning just one example, and a dated one at that. MIT conducted research in 2014 that determined that government-funded research had contributed to the formation of 30,000 companies, employing 4.6 million people, generating $1.9 trillion in annual revenues, over 2.5% of the world economy.

Musk actually knows this stuff. He's been one of the biggest beneficiaries. He probably wouldn't want to admit it right now. I mean, the Tesla isn't that innovative. I suppose Dean Cayman did a lot of the battery R&D ("Segway"), and the science was done by Goodenough and others (Nobel prize, of course developed with public funding).
In other words, 97.5% of the world economy is driven by private-sector research and development.

If Tesla was not unique in its technology and production process, then why are they by far the most widespread and successful EV company?

Did the government fund his research into how to create a successful car company and market it to the target audience? Did they fund the developments in LIDAR and cameras and processing to create the autonomous driving features? Did they fund the research on reducing inefficiencies and costs to make the company profitable?

We get it, you rely on that 2.5% or otherwise think it is more important than the other 97.5%. Now I will be gracious and simply ask you not to refer to my ignorance. I happen to think I have a pretty good understanding of how R&D works.


Umm, that was just for MIT. I'm just guffawing at the willful ignorance. You really, really want to be right. We're getting kinda flat-earthy here. What is your degree in?


I have a couple, but it I absolutely none of your business and completely irrelevant to this thread. What is relevant is that your replies continue to try and attack me for ignorance and you seem to be unwilling or unable to engage in discussion and ignore question proffered to you whilst also ignoring information counter to your position.

Regarding MIT, are you saying MIT projects funded by the government is responsible for 2.5% of the global economy and $1.9 TRILLION annually? Maybe we should require MIT and those government funded companies to pay what they received back since they have been so successful.

Would also want to see a breakout of defense related R&D.

When you are willing to engage in discussion and not resort to questioning my degrees or ignorance (really lack thereof), then let's have a chat.
taxpreparer
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No Spin Ag said:

BadMoonRisin said:

does anyone else feel "threatened and harassed" by your superiors asking what you've gotten done?

These people are worthless ******s.


Agreed.

I will say, though, if your boss needs to ask what you're working on they're not doing their job right and they should have their employment status looked into.


Of course, if your boss is a new hire from outside the system, they have a good reason to ask.
flown-the-coop
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Great point. Imagine these folks complaining that if they were sitting in a cubicle and the CEO walked in and asked for their last five tasks completed and the response was to lose your mind, complain to HR, call your union rep, hold a news conference then complain on TexAgs, you would be fired in short order.

You probably would get your entire team and boss fired for allowing your dumbarse to even be working at the company.

So many folks not living in reality. Best of luck to those folks, they are destined for mediocrity.
captkirk
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BadMoonRisin said:

does anyone else feel "threatened and harassed" by your superiors asking what you've gotten done?

These people are worthless ******s.
Obviously, no one has ever asked her that before. That's the problem
BBRex
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And you were told right. Government is not a business. I'm not saying it shouldn't be run efficiently, or that we don't need to get the national debt under control. But the idea that government is business is entirely wrong.
taxpreparer
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That is good news!
 
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