Will DOGE Work? - Civil Servant Types, Anti-humanitarian Budget Freezes, & The Need for Transparency
Government needs transparency and people who do the right thing. Resilient and rational government employees represent the best of our government's civil servants. But three other types of government workers are more common: riders, risers, and rescuers or wannabe humanitarians. The current executive branch appears to be targeting left-leaning humanitarian or rescuer types in order to (1) consolidate power and (2) cut spending. But, would mandatory annual itemized financial reports do the job for them?
0:00 Civil Servant Stereotypes
3:05 The Domestic-Expat Life
7:31 The Rescue-Rider Stereotype
8:12 Too Many Experts & Silos of Excellence
9:07 Systemic Problems
9:44 Following The Money
10:38 Government Financial Reporting
11:20 Department of Government Efficiency
11:50 Consolidating Power?
15:53 Cutting Wasteful Spending
Sources:
Finkler, S. A., Smith, D. L., Calabrese, T. D., & Purtell, R. M. (2017). Financial Management for Public, Health, and Not-for-Profit Organizations. 5th Ed.
Guyer, J. (2024, October 4). The Price of Power America’s chief humanitarian official rose to fame by speaking out against atrocities. Now she’s trapped by one. Intelligencer. https://nymag.com/intelligencer/artic...
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UNAIDS. (1 Feb 2025). UNAIDS urges that all essential HIV services must continue while U.S. pauses its funding for foreign aid. https://www.unaids.org/en/resources/p...
https://www.unaids.org/en/resources/p... Barry-Jester, B. M. M. (2025, January 31). Trump ban on lifesaving humanitarian aid still in place, despite administration claims. ProPublica. https://www.propublica.org/article/tr...
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(Al Jazeera English, 2025)
Al Jazeera English. (2025, February 1). How will the US aid freeze affect countries around the world? | Inside Story [Video]. YouTube. • How will the US aid freeze affect countrie...
(LiveNOW from FOX, 2025)
LiveNOW from FOX. (2025, February 3). President Trump & Elon Musk agree to “shut down” USAID | LiveNOW from FOX[Video]. YouTube. • President Trump & Elon Musk agree to 'shut...
The Big Short (McKay, 2015) Paramount Pictures
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(Bloomberg Television, 2025)
Bloomberg Television. (2025, February 3). Musk and DOGE appear to have access to sensitive Treasury payment systems[Video]. YouTube. • Musk and DOGE Appear to Have Access to Sen...
(CBS News, 2025)
CBS News. (2025, February 3). Elon Musk says Trump agreed to “shut down” USAID, government’s primary humanitarian aid agency [Video]. YouTube. • Elon Musk says Trump agreed to "shut down"...
(CNN, 2025)
CNN. (2025, February 3). USAID workers told to stay home in unexpected, early-morning email [Video]. YouTube. • USAID workers told to stay home in unexpec...
(DW News, 2025)
DW News. (2025, February 2). Trump’s aid freeze sends shock waves across Africa | DW News [Video]. YouTube. • Trump's aid freeze sends shock waves acros...
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Face the Nation. (2025, February 2). Rep. Brian Mast says he supports potential plan moving USAID into the State Department[Video]. YouTube. • Rep. Brian Mast says he supports potential...
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Music:
Mozart, Piano Sonata #11 -1 -Played by Brass Ensemble Music by Trygve Larsen from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/music/search/mozart/
Mozart, Piano Sonata 16 In C Major -2 -Played by Brass Ensemble Music by Trygve Larsen from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/music/search/mozart/