The Department of Government Efficiency run by Elon Musk last week published an initial list of 1,125 contracts that it terminated in recent weeks across the federal government. Data published on DOGE’s “Wall of Receipts” shows that more than one-third of the contract cancellations, 417 in all, are expected to yield no savings.

That’s usually because the total value of the contracts has already been fully obligated, which means the government has a legal requirement to spend the funds for the goods or services it purchased and in many cases has already done so.

That’s usually because the total value of the contracts has already been fully obligated, which means the government has a legal requirement to spend the funds for the goods or services it purchased and in many cases has already done so.

“It’s like confiscating used ammunition after it’s been shot when there’s nothing left in it. It doesn’t accomplish any policy objective,” said Charles Tiefer, a retired University of Baltimore law professor and expert on government contracting law. “Their terminating so many contracts pointlessly obviously doesn’t accomplish anything for saving money.”

  • solsangraal@lemmy.zip
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    a retired University of Baltimore law professor and expert on government contracting law. “Their terminating so many contracts pointlessly obviously doesn’t accomplish anything for saving money.”

    it’s hilarious how these high ranking highly educated experts are all completely baffled by everything the fascists are doing. when the actual objective of obliterating us democracy is complete, will they still be saying “butbutbutbut they said they were trying to save money!!!”

    fucking come on.

    fuck ap too. find someone to talk to who will address what these chucklefuck fascists are doing, rather than their 100% bullshit explanations for what they’re doing

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      fuck ap too. find someone to talk to who will address what these chucklefuck fascists are doing, rather than their 100% bullshit explanations for what they’re doing

      Well some circles call this kind of non-biased reporting journalism.

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        Avoiding a direct statement of fact that contradicts known liars to appear non-biased is shitty journalism.

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        This shit is not “non-biased!” By taking Musk’s claimed intent at face value even though the AP knows Project 2025 is a thing, they are blatantly spinning the coverage in the regime’s favor.

        What would actually be non-biased would be to accurately report what’s actually happening, not to uncritically accept and repeat bald-faced lies!

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      Where are you getting that he’s baffled? Elon says he’s saving us money, this guy points out that Elon is full of shit. Where is the confusion?

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    Cool story, bro 👍

    Too bad it’s irrelevant because saving money was never anything but a red herring in the first place. The purpose of DOGE is to purge the Federal government of relatively-impartial career bureaucratic and install MAGA loyalist stooges in their place. “Efficiency” has fuck-all to do with it, except in the sense of efficiently inflicting their extremist agenda on us all.

    Wake me up when the AP quits naively pretending Musk is acting in good faith and starts doing its damn job.

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    I kept asking this question because I am familiar with contracts, and it made no sense.

    Even if all the funds aren’t fully obligated, you still have to settle with the contractor if you terminate a contract for convenience. They likely have supplies or comtract related overhead you need to pay for, so the savings will be minimal… Oh and in a lot of cases it means you have paid a bunch of money for no benefit if the project gets scrapped.

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    Dozens of them were for already-paid subscriptions to The Associated Press, Politico and other media services that the Republican administration said it would discontinue. Others were for research studies that have been awarded, training that has taken place, software that has been purchased and interns who have come and gone.

    They turned off auto renew and deleted a few rows and columns from some spreadsheets. Top notch bussiness-ing there Elon.