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We already had a DOGE, it just wasn't cruel... [1]

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Date: 2025-02-20

Commencing The Reduction Of The Federal Bureaucracy is the title of one of Trump' latest executive orders.

He already ordered the removal of 4 agencies that I covered with In Presidio We Trust - The Latest Casualties. ​​​​But there was way more in the order. In this diary, I'm covering one paragraph.

While the order is written by Project 2025 cohorts to disguise what it really does, this one comes right out and say that they are "eliminating the Federal Executive Boards." FEB.opm.gov.

There are 28 of them, "spanning across 4 regions, and with plans for expansion, FEBs form a bridge between Washington DC and local communities. Focusing on streamlining government functions, the FEBs support the majority of federal employees, over 85%, who live and work beyond the nation's capital."

"Streamlining government functions." We already had a DOGE. But now they want to get rid of it because it was actually functioning and trying to improve government efficiency in a way that didn't suit their criminal conduct and cruelty.

It is spread out across the country, because that's what we have, a federal government that spans the nation, keeping contact with local communities.

The Boards know what manpower is needed for agencies to accomplish their mandate. Probationary employees to expand or replace staff leaving. Not just say, probationary employees are not needed, and fire all of them in the entire federal government as the thing called DOGE has done, without any authority to do so.

Federal agencies had until 8 p.m. on Wednesday to fire 200,000 probationary employees, including hundreds at the FAA that maintain the FAA control towers and equipment. Just when we've seen multiple plane crashes in a short span when there had been no commercial plane crashes since 2009. Who's playing God with your life?

Already, the links to the Federal Executive Board's Annual Report, Strategic Plans and FEB Documents are gone.

Only on the "About" page is there real information about the job, personnel and working expanded information on FEB Impact, FEB Structure, FEB Operations, a secure collaborative platform, and lots of people and divisions to "Contact."

North, South, Eastern and West FEB Regions.

There are currently 4 regions set up, with individual heads, but the point is that their jobs are to communicate what is going on to each other. Constantly improving.

Enhanced Interagency Collaboration: FEBs enable government agencies to tap into an extensive network of peers, encouraging the sharing of insights and joint problem solving. FEB Impact: Strengthened Community Connections. Unified Communication and Action. Empowered Federal Presence Outside of Washington DC. Direct Benefits to Communities and Economy.

Sounds just like what we need, right? This is a decentralized, local contact, beneficial government outreach and support agency.

FEB Structure: Authority The Center for FEB Operations Board Structure Chair and Vice Chairs Executive Steering Committee Board Members At-Large Board Network Field Advisory Committee

FEB Core Functions: Strategic Networking and Collaboration Emergency Preparedness and Response Community Engagement and Service Cross Agency Initiatives and White House Priorities

Sounds like it's really well designed, doesn't it?

So, why is it being completely eliminated? Because it wasn't Musk's idea. The Department of Government Efficiency was never Trump's idea, except in some vague thoughts.

This agency was not only about improving government efficiency, but also keeping the federal government in contact with people at the local level and local government officials.

It was created in November 10, 1961, by President John F Kennedy. In his memorandum, Kennedy said, "I want coordination of government activities outside of Washington significantly strengthened."

I was able to find the fiscal year 2023 FEB Annual Report for fiscal year 2024 put out in November, which gives a complete explanation of their operations. The report subtitle is "A National Network With Local Connections."

In that report is a chart that shows agencies covered by the Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990, which was supposed to improve financial management, performance, and disclosure, and the Federal Executive Boards coverage of that group.

Communication is always good. Everyone putting their brains together to achieve a common goal. DOGE hasn't learned that lesson, and they're making critical errors every day that are costing us more in the long run. If they actually talked to agency heads and human resources within, first, they might accomplish something without destroying an agency over numbers DOGE doesn't understand.

To DOGE, everything is suspect until proven otherwise. That's why they stupidly fired employees at the National Nuclear Security Administration without even knowing they were caretakers for the nation's nuclear stockpile. All they had to do was look at the agency's website.

The good that the Federal Executive Boards have done include cutting down on training costs, avoiding agency litigation, and putting together Government Career Days to have agencies meet students.

FEBs coordinate localized federal responses to natural disasters and other emergencies using the Communicator!NXT system. It's a standardized emergency notification system that speeds communications between agency leaders. They've even organized blood and food drives, as well as doing community service. Think you'll ever hear about DOGE doing that?

The Boards were there in the 2020 Covid-19 crisis, facilitating communication between agencies.

In December of last year, with Joe Biden still running the show, the Office of Personnel and Management highlighted the Boards' work and how they would be doing even more in the future.

Not now.

Instead of a nationwide government agency streamlining actions, we've got a Washington DC swamp thing that is out of control.

Another good agency thrown under the bus because it did do it's job.

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