Americans rarely consider the extent to which we depend on functioning government. When we board an airplane, we rely on air traffic controllers–employed by government–to ensure that our aircraft won’t smash into another; when we go to the grocery, we assume that the foods we purchase have been inspected–by government–and are safe to consume. When we deposit our paychecks in the bank, we’re confident the funds will be available when we need them, thanks to government oversight and the FDIC.
When we need to drive somewhere, we’re not only aware that speeding might attract unwanted attention from a government-employed police officer, but (assuming we think about it at all), we understand that the citations issued to other motorists keep us safer.
And so on…
Although the news media provides us with daily evidence of the incompetence, corruption and insanity of the Trump administration, there has been significantly less coverage of the degree to which that administration has eroded our ability to trust government to discharge multiple mundane but essential functions. As a recent report from Can We Still Govern has documented, the destruction of government’s ability to perform the myriad functions we all depend upon has been ongoing–the reckless damage didn’t stop when Elon Musk’s DOGE departed.
In the United States today, it’s hard to know whether the food you buy will land you in the hospital. There are currently dozens of active recalls—precisely the sort of outcome foretold by current and former federal government workers who warned against President Donald Trump’s shredding of our food safety net. It’s one example of where the public would have been better off if Trump listened to public servants rather than berating and firing them.
Unfortunately, the increasing uncertainty about the safety of our food supplies is only one example, and–as the linked report asserts– far from the only consequence of Trump’s ongoing decimation of the federal workforce.
The White House’s war on what it dismissively terms “the administrative state” is being orchestrated by Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought, the major author of Project 2025, whose fever dream is to take the country back to a time when Black folks were slaves, women were in the kitchen preparing a chicken they’d raised, and that pesky government wasn’t harassing “job creators” just because they were dumping industrial waste into the river that supplied the town’s drinking water….
Since Trump is too stupid, lazy and senile to oversee much of anything, Vought has had free reign–indeed, he’s been called the “shadow President.”
As the linked article notes, it can be difficult to explain to the public how significantly Trump’s damage to public service harms us all. One reason is that– to a larger extent than most of us realize– government’s job is risk reduction. These mundane functions are intended to keep bad things from happening. When the agencies that are supposed to prevent and minimize harms are dismantled, we are all but ensured an increase in what the article delicately calls “adverse outcomes.”
And because the people most aware of the harms being done–and most able to explain those harms to the general public– are government workers, Trump and Vought have gone after those workers and their unions with special ferocity. Early in March of 2025, Trump signed Executive Order 14251, stripping about one million federal workers of unionization and collective bargaining rights. The percentage of federal workers represented by a union declined from 56% at the beginning of Trump’s second term to 34% in July.
The mass firings of people charged with protecting America’s food supply have been most severe at Health and Human Services, where RFK, Jr. slashed about 20% of the entire staff of the Food and Drug Administration, firing more than 4,600 workers. He also fired at least 25% of the CDC staff (more than 3,200 workers). You will not be surprised to learn that the lab tasked with identifying cyclospora was not spared.
As the federal government has been emptied out of people with expertise, the number of political appointees has soared.
I don’t know about the rest of you, but recent air traffic mishaps have made me leery of boarding a plane, and this “senior citizen” breathes a sigh of relief when my social security check arrives…along with a brooding concern about how long I will be able to depend upon its receipt.
There’s an old saying that “You don’t appreciate things until they’re gone.” I wonder whether all those anti-government trolls will rethink their animus when they hesitate to buy lettuce, board a plane or make a bank deposit…
There was no thought by DOGE of the continuity of knowledge when the Musk-man brought in his cadre of people- experienced in IT but stupid about government services. It was an Alice in Wonderland moment – chop off their heads.. Take for example the VA where my husband and I have a lot of contact due to his disability -staff reductions are obvious. The turnover of doctors is terrible. People who work there are very dedicated but the nursing staff is working too many hours to make up for staff shortages . The lack of continuity by specialists is reduced due to the turnover of docs like cardiologists, etc DOGE did a lot of damage to various agencies. Where are those federal employees now and how much money was saved only to be poured into the biggest waste of all time – war with Iran. One more thing not related to this column but has to be noted:
And let me add something that was the most shameful thing I have ever witnessed in a Senate hearing – the Republican senators vilifying Jack Smith…come on Cruz, Hawley, Kennedy et al – they crossed the line in their sycophancy for Trump in this hearing
Why are we rehashing something that didn’t come to fruition in its own time? I am so sick and tired of this administration and all its cohorts touting the BIg Lie! Truth and honesty missed its chance to get the man responsible for J6. As many have said, Why isn’t the party in majority working on solutions to the current hardships our citizens are enduring, instead of going ahead full stop to persecute perceived enemies of drumpf? Nope they would rather kiss the arse of the most ignorant, immmoral, narcissist, pedophile felon this country has ever seen! Payback is hell, as some say.
A recent NY Times article said that the CDC has lost 38% of its employees! 18 of 30 departments are being headed by temporary “acting directors”, many of whom have been promoted from multiple levels below their current pay grade. After pullout from the World Health Organization, the department that communicated and coordinated with the rest of the world has been completely eliminated!
It was pretty obvious it was stupid in 2019 when Trump cut just 30 jobs in the pandemic readiness team Obama created because it was a “waste of money”. It was even more obvious how stupid it was in 2020 when we really did have a pandemic!
HHS is home to the NIH. This administration’s cutting of medical research has also been devastating to medical school staffing. Research dollars pay for the staff doing the research, including at least a portion of the principal investigator, who would be a teacher at the school. The VA also picked up part of the salaries, as well. That insured that the doctors veterans saw at the VA, were at the top of their fields. I’m not sure what’s happening now, but I know it can’t be good. Those budgets were tight before this destruction.
So many of our laws and regulations are being flagrantly violated. If you wonder why professionals are being replaced by political appointees, think Hatch Act. Previously, no one who worked for government would be legally able to do many of the things being asked by Orange Jesus and his friends.
THINK,
VOTE!!!!!!!
The most clear, final analysis of this social debacle is that slime balls like Vought, Musk, Trump, Kennedy, et. al., don’t give a single damn about the people at the ass-end of their fascist ideology. Their whole professional lives are predicated on cruelty – the more harm the better.
And this is what happens when 81 million voters stay home and a criminal enterprise is put in power. This current episode in history is yet another reminder that non-participating citizens allow the worst of the human condition to flourish at the expense of everyone else.
One would think that history would be enough to teach the so-called educated American society what is required to save itself. I guess not.
And, unfortunately, due to the influence of BIG MONEY at state and local governments, similar lack of “risk reduction” is spreading. This and the DC antics are eroding all trust in “government”, an underlying reason why many don’t vote. It is a deadly ecosystem feeding on itself.
The term “administrative state” is a unique term I first heard used by the philosopher whom Peter Thiel and JD Vance follow: Curtis Yarvin. He actually called Trump a complete flop because he didn’t go far enough with DOGE-style cuts. He believes we’d be better off with a Monarch or CEO-style executive running the country. This fits into Musk’s tech-states or technocracy. His grandfather in Canada wrote the book on Technocracy.
Meanwhile, Nazis like Russel Vought labeled the government bureaucracy as communists or a “lack of freedom” and then heralded deep cuts to eliminate this burdensome overlord. However, that was just a disguise for KOch’s deregulation wants. It’s the underlying motive. It’s also classic propaganda.
It’s why Trump, Johnson, and Vance are trying to scare people from allowing Democrats into office. I heard Johnson say in a speech that we will have a bunch of “Little Mamdanis” running around trying to socialize America if the Democrats win in November. You know they are desperate when they start launching the “C” word.
For many of them surrounding Trump (sycophants), this election is existential, so they are scared when they read the polls. They may be facing charges, so they are a little scared. I would love to see Mikey perp-walked into a federal prison. (he might even like being in prison) 😉
As the pieces start to fall together, we may need the military to remove Trump from his bunker in 2028. If he’s such a big fan of Hitler, maybe he wants to die like him too. I think Don Pedo is too big a coward to fall on his sword.
Why aren’t all you who have such wisdom in these areas of governance talking about the power of the Computer Billionaires to undermine the upcoming, and future elections via technology?
And did you all notice that these persons and many of the DOGE crew had few years of adult life experience. Most of them grew up with the thrill of gaming before they ever had a mortgage, a family who depended upon them, or faced the challenges of the years of aging.
Thanks to all for your takes on our current situations.
And Forever Thanks to Sheila who gives us all a place to say our piece.
Unfortunately, the result of this administration’s cuts and cronyism appointments gets to the point where trust in any information released automatically garners distrust and skepticism. That doubt includes not only food and drugs, but financial, economic and military reports.
When a liar and thief is wielding power like a mob boss with willing henchmen actually doing the dirty work, we can never trust anything they say. The likelihood of lies and threats to those reporting information means the truth gets distorted to fit the grift and con. Too many of the agencies remain untrustworthy when those with expertise and ethics leave, voluntarily or otherwise.
Our status as a world leader in academia, finance, medicine and diplomacy has fallen into failed state/fascism.
I weep for my children and theirs. What a legacy we leave to them. No matter the outcome of the next elections, the loss of rights and freedoms, the loss of allies in all democracies around the world may never be what we have enjoyed for my lifetime, won by massive loss of life by so many before us. Trust is the most difficult to regain.
Hey Barb, here’s something to think about regarding technology, and it IS scary:
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/29/us/anthropic-claude-morals-ai.html?unlocked_article_code=1.FFE.FgDM.e4X0LwxGJloL&smid=url-share
In a nutshell, the folks at Anthropic believe that Claude, and fils, are conscious!
I am getting on one of those planes, later today, hoping for the best!
Yes, we can add another concern/fear to our lists of what next will happen in the lawless world of trump. Many have wondered just what powers the techno bros have in hijacking voting machines and throwing the whole election into a tailspin. Who would be in charge of straightening out that mess? Supreme Court? I don’t have much faith in their majority not favoring their political stances and personal enrichment.
Hope the States techno people are preparing defenses for that kind of assault. Remember to check your paper ballot for accuracy.
HCR recently spoke/wrote about the disregard for the Pendelton Act of 1883 that required government positions to be filled on merit and not as political reward (Spoils System). trump’s administration completely ignores that law and it’s full of sycophants, doners and unqualified job holders. The results are full of waste, fraud and abuse in every Federal Government department, and the American taxpayer is deprived of trusted, legit services and left holding the bill.