🚼 DOGE Hates Kids

☀️ April 15, 2025 ☀️

🐾 Now Let’s Sic ‘Em! 🐾

DOGE hasn’t just infiltrated most every agency in the federal government, at least a handful of DOGE bros are holding jobs at multiple federal agencies at once. It’s a cross-agency power grab that even career officials say they’ve never seen before, and makes tracking their actions an insidiously difficult task.

Obviously this is problematic for lots of reasons, including questionable legal standing, zero Senate vetting, no oversight, and with direct access to some of the government’s most sensitive systems and citizens’ private info.

It seems clear that the future plan is for these minions to do Musk’s dirty work after he theoretically “steps back” in a few weeks.

Here’s a few highlights from the Washington Post’s detailed article…

• DOGE bro Gavin Kliger showed up with 5 laptops — a separate one for each agency he was embedded in — and was still asking for a sixth. He’s now in at least 7 agencies including IRS, OPM, USDA, CFPB, and USAID.

• DOGE bro Edward “Big Balls” Coristine, a shady and controversial 19-year-old software engineer, was posted to State, DHS, and DOGE simultaneously.

• DOGE bro Luke Farritor, a former SpaceX intern, was also assigned to five agencies at once, according to court records.

• Even sham-placeholder-figurehead DOGE director Amy Gleason is also listed as an “expert/consultant” at HHS.

• DOGE bros have been given access to tax data, workforce records, and consumer files without Senate confirmation. (Lawsuits related to this access has been in and out of various courts.)

Marking His Territory. Public Messaging, Private Profit: Musk Embeds X into Federal Operations.

The Social Security Administration is undergoing a dramatic operational shift — gutting its communications staff, centralizing control, and replacing traditional press releases with official updates via Twitter (currently called X). How convenient.

The change comes amid a broader DOGE-led restructuring that’s reassigning hundreds of SSA employees from regional and headquarters roles into front-line field offices, often in lower-status positions. With press teams dissolved and responses to public inquiries now routed through a centralized filter, even SSA employees admit the fallout will be messy: slower service, rising fraud risk, and public confusion.

At the same time, SSA is rolling out new anti-fraud rules for phone applications. Claims flagged by a new algorithm will be delayed for three days, with flagged users required to verify their identity in person. Direct deposit changes by phone have been banned entirely.

What’s emerging is a streamlined, stripped-down Social Security Administration that now communicates through Elon Musk’s privately owned platform — effectively turning a critical government agency into a captive client of Twitter.

These changes don’t just reflect internal restructuring; they represent a clear case of political self-dealing. As Musk uses his role inside the administration to cut communications staff and push federal messaging onto his own app, he’s not just saving money — he’s channeling taxpayer reliance into propping up one of his struggling businesses. For a man who once bought Twitter to influence politics, Musk is now doing the inverse: using political power to cement Twitter’s relevance.

Legal Beagles. Musk & Jack Dorsey would like to ‘Delete All Intellectual Property Law’.

Jack Dorsey, co-founder of Twitter (currently called X), casually posted: “delete all IP law” then Elon Musk, quickly replied, “I agree.”

While it may seem like online bluster, the exchange comes amid mounting lawsuits over AI copyright violations — issues that directly affect Musk’s xAI project, which trains on mass web data and is positioned to win federal contracts.

Critics blasted the remarks as a direct attack on artists and creators, with one saying it marks “all-out war on creators who don’t want their life’s work pillaged.” Dorsey argued current IP systems favor “gatekeepers,” while Musk has long claimed “patents are for the weak.”

Now that Musk helps shape actual government policy, this isn’t just tech talk — it’s a roadmap for deregulating IP just as his companies stand to benefit most.

Mauled. DOGE Abruptly Cut Program for Teens with Disabilities.

Just three weeks after launching an education initiative called Charting My Path — a federally funded pilot program designed to help high school students with disabilities prepare for life after graduation — DOGE abruptly canceled the program.

The reason? They hate kids. Well, that, and also the usual “efficiency” nonsense.

But for families and educators on the ground, this loss was personal and profound. The program offered rare one-on-one mentoring, goal-setting support, and transition planning for students with disabilities.

The cherry on top… DOGE touted these cruel cuts on its infamous "Wall of Receipts," claiming $38 million in savings — despite evidence that the actual number is closer to $20 million. Talk about kicking a dog when it’s down.

Lead DOGE. DOGE Cuts CDC Lead Contamination Team, Leaves Milwaukee in the Dust.

Milwaukee’s battle with lead contamination in its public schools just got harder, because the CDC’s top childhood lead prevention team was abruptly let go by order of DOGE.

The city had been preparing for an on-the-ground response from CDC experts to help investigate lead exposure risks in over 100 schools and among 68,000 students. But without warning, the CDC pulled the plug on April 1, leaving Milwaukee’s Health Department stunned and scrambling. “We don’t know who to call anymore,” said Health Commissioner Mike Totoraitis. “This is a pretty unprecedented scenario.”

So far, several schools have closed, hundreds of students have been tested, and repair crews are working overtime. But local officials say they’re missing the national-level expertise needed to interpret data, assess chronic risks, and plan next steps.

The city also recently lost $11 million in COVID recovery funding — another blow, courtesy of Trump, just as lead remediation needs are surging.

Milwaukee had counted on help from the federal government — instead, they’ve been ghosted mid-emergency. Again, DOGE hates kids. 

"White House Wants to Claw Back $9B+ in Approved Spending"
Co-President Trump is preparing to formally ask Congress to cancel $9.3 billion in already-approved funding for foreign aid, public broadcasting, and agencies like the State Department and USAID. The rescission package would gut funding for diplomacy, food aid, and global peace initiatives. The administration is also eyeing deeper cuts to future budgets, though some GOP senators are unhappy about the impact on U.S. farm exports tied to international aid. But will they actually make a stand, or continue to bow to Trump?

“Pentagon May Scrap Its Sexual Assault Rules”
The Pentagon is weighing whether to gut the military’s core sexual assault prevention program (SAPR), as per a Trump executive order pushed through DOGE. The move would dismantle survivor support, data collection, and prevention training that Congress mandated nearly two decades ago. With over 29,000 assaults estimated in 2023 alone (likely far undercounted), experts warn scrapping SAPR would "sweep the issue under the rug" and send a dangerous signal — especially as key figures like Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth (who’s faced his own misconduct allegations) lead the charge.

“Trump Administration Says It Lacks Authority To Get Abrego Garcia Back"
During a high-profile Oval Office meeting with Co-President Trump, El Salvador President Nayib Bukele flatly refused to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia — a Maryland father wrongfully deported by the U.S. — despite a Supreme Court ruling ordering his return. Bukele dismissed the request as “preposterous” and labeled Garcia a “terrorist,” even though no charges exist against him. The Trump administration, which admits Garcia was deported by mistake, now claims it has no power to compel El Salvador to send him back. Constitutional Crisis Achievement unlocked.

“China Admits Their Role in Cyber Attacks Against U.S. Infrastructure”
During a closed-door summit in Geneva, Chinese officials tacitly admitted to cyberattacks on U.S. infrastructure, linking them to rising tensions over Taiwan. The campaign “Volt Typhoon” has quietly infiltrated U.S. ports, utilities, and airports using stealthy techniques to establish long-term access, not for theft, but for future leverage. U.S. officials interpreted the comments as a strategic warning: back off Taiwan, or expect consequences. Another op “Salt Typhoon” breached telecom networks, exposing texts and calls from political figures including Trump and Harris campaign staff. Even as these threats mount, DOGE has slashed cybersecurity staff and ousted NSA leadership — leaving the watchdogs asleep while foreign threats dig in.

“Harvard Rejects Trump’s Loyalty Test, Risks $9B in Federal Cuts”
The Trump administration is threatening to strip Harvard of nearly $9 billion in federal funding after the university rejected a list of demands that included dismantling its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and screening international students for political beliefs. President Alan Garber said Harvard “will not surrender its independence,” warning that cutting federal funds would harm medical and scientific progress and endanger national well-being. The White House, escalating its war on elite universities, accused Harvard of supporting “racially motivated violence” and suggested it is now ineligible for federal support — just as it already pulled funding from Columbia, Cornell, and Northwestern for similar reasons. Finally, a university with guts.

Well, that was a lot to chew on… Again.

So as your reward, here are a few treats.

Some doggy goodness to calm your nerves… lift your spirits… and get you through to tomorrow…

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🙌 Thanks for reading. See you on Wednesday.  

🐾 And until then, do your best to stay pawsitive!