Fresh Air Inside DOGE, Post Elon Musk
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Jun 11, 2025 Hannah Natanson, a Washington Post reporter renowned for her Peabody-winning work on school gun violence, discusses the troubling effects of DOGE on federal efficiency and employee morale. She raises alarms about the security risks of vast data consolidation under the Trump administration, highlighting potential misuse. The conversation also delves into the chaos of mass layoffs and the shift from merit to loyalty-based hiring, emphasizing how these policies threaten the integrity of federal service. Personal narratives add depth, confronting both systemic issues and cultural resilience.
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Risks of Centralized Data Consolidation
- Consolidating data from different federal agencies creates a centralized database that can cross-reference personal information efficiently.
- This contrasts with previous siloed data storage, raising concerns about cybersecurity risks if breached.
Data Used to Target Immigrants
- The Trump administration uses consolidated data to identify and pressure undocumented immigrants, including labeling some as dead.
- This weaponization risks extending to political enemies, raising fears about misuse of federal power.
Social Security Faces Chaos and Shortages
- Social Security cut staff and reassigned administrative workers to phones, causing processing delays and office chaos.
- Employees had to crowdfund essentials like a broken fridge, illustrating severe resource shortages under DOGE.
