Federal employees across all agencies are being yanked around by Trump and Musk as if by a pair of two-year-olds throwing a fit.
The resistance to their antics by some inside the government is admirable. There have been multiple cases of principled people resigning rather than complying with orders they consider unconstitutional, immoral or both.
On the other hand, if we are losing bravest and most principled officials, what are we to make of those who choose to stay?
For one thing, these are real people like you and me with obligations and responsibilities, and who may not have alternative ways to jump into new jobs or the means to pay their bills going forward.
Traditionally, federal jobs have paid less than those in the private sector but have been more secure. If as appears to be the case, DOGE is repurposing the government to function like a giant private company, that will cause great harm far beyond the federal workforce.
The reason modern governments propagate so many rules and regulations is to restrain advanced, unfettered monopoly capitalism from inflicting great damage to the environment, the economy and the support systems that help millions of people get by.
Accordingly, the dismantling of the social safety networks will make all of our lives immensely more difficult. Then again, that may be the goal of those bent on replacing democracy with an authoritarian state.
The road to tyranny will be littered with the sacrifices of many fine and decent people who gave up their jobs rather than be part of an evil plan by two men who give two-year-olds a bad name.
HEADLINES:
Zelensky Says There’s a U.S. Minerals Deal—but Many Details Are Unresolved (WSJ)
House Passes Budget Bill: Trump Touts ‘Big First Step’ For Mike Johnson (Forbes)
21 DOGE staffers resign, saying they won't help 'dismantle' public services (NPR)
‘It’s a Psyop’: Inside Elon Musk’s Empty Ultimatum (Atlantic)
Musk’s latest stunt suggests DOGE is running out of ideas (WP)
Nearly 40% of contracts canceled by DOGE are expected to produce no savings (AP)
Judge Questions Constitutionality of Musk’s Cost-Cutting Operation (NYT)
As DOGE seeks personal data, experts warn that potential misuse could affect everyday Americans (WP)
The End of Children (New Yorker)
Why the Left Should Embrace Pronatalism (Atlantic)
A federal judge in Seattle blocks Trump’s effort to halt the refugee admissions system (AP)
T-Day Is Coming. What Will Tariffs Do To The Economy? (Investopedia)
Americans Are Expecting Higher Prices. That Could Unnerve the Fed. (NYT)
After Meeting Donald Trump, France's Macron Reveals The Endgame In Ukraine (NDTV)
'People will starve' because of US aid cut to Sudan (BBC)
‘Technofossils’: how humanity’s eternal testament will be plastic bags, cheap clothes and chicken bones (Guardian)
An unknown illness kills over 50 people in part of Congo with hours between symptoms and death (AP)
Renowned physicist warns of unseen dangers in farming technique: 'Single biggest destructive force on the planet today' (Yahoo)
Measles case count hits 124 in ongoing West Texas outbreak (CNN)
Idaho Woman Violently Removed From GOP-Led Town Hall After Criticizing Lawmakers (Truthout)
Drinking tea has a surprising health benefit. Brewing most types of teas absorbs heavy metals like lead, cadmium and arsenic, a new study found. That naturally filters the dangerous contaminants from water. (WP)
DeepSeek rushes to launch a new AI model. (Reuters)
Apple Vows to Build A.I. Servers in Houston and Spend $500 Billion in U.S. (NYT)
New York Times goes all-in on internal AI tools (Semafor)
Report: Average Male 4,000% Less Effective In Fights Than They Imagine (The Onion)
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