AcidicBasicGlitch

Updating with the Newsweek article saying the same thing.

T.l.d.r. any of the information I wrote below, including the words FIGURE OF SPEECH, but you're angry bc you just read the original headline about the internet "wilding," and you started wilding.

The point is that while it is most likely Kratsios was just trying to sound innovative, it is also not surprising that non-native English speakers would be a bit confused and concerned, given the batshit everything else I explain below with references:

If you're an average Joe just giving a speech in TX, it doesn't really matter. When you're the Science and Technology Advisor to the demented leader of the rapidly crumbling free world, which happens to be locked in a tech war with China, while turning on your allies on the ongoing cusp of WWIII and siding with the aggressor, you should probably be a little more careful with how you phrase things, and at least acknowledge in a statement what you actually meant instead of trying to play some kind of mind game like your dumb fucking boss.

Trump Science Advisor Michael Kratsios, gave a speech at Endless Frontiers Retreat in Austin, Texas on April 14. The event was co-hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations, UT Austin, Texas A&M, Rice University, and Baylor University.

In what seems a poor attempt at a Steve Jobs-like imitation, Kratsios seemed to use a figure of speech (I hope/pray?) to grab audience attention:

"Stagnation was a choice. We have weighed down our builders and innovators. The well-intentioned regulatory regime of the 1970s became an ever-tightening ratchet, first hampering America’s ability to become a net-energy exporter and then making it harder and harder to build. We seem to have lost focus and vision, to have lowered our sights and let systems and structures and bureaucracies muddle us along.

But we are capable of so much more.

Our technologies permit us to manipulate time and space. They leave distance annihilated, cause things to grow, and improve productivity.

As Vice President Vance said in a recent speech, the tradition of American innovation has been one of increasing the capacities of America’s workers, of extending human ability so that more people can do more, and, more meaningful work. But unrestricted immigration, and reliance on cheap labor both domestically and offshore, has been a substitute for improving productivity with technology."

Kratsios' comments on time and space manipulation, led to some reports that the U.S. was officially admitting to having the capability.

The president of the European Center for Information Policy and Security warned that the U.S. and Russia's ability to bend time and space, is a threat to Europe's future..

Given Kratsios' boss has been known to make outrageous but vague threats that are often dismissed as jokes, only to be brought up again later as legitimate possibilities, it is unsurprising that some might take Kratsios' words literally and express concern.

Trump has asked Peter Theil's protege to blaze a trail for science and tech supremacy, and Kratsios has made statements comparing Trump's plan for a "Golden Age of American Innovation," to FDR giving his own science advisor a mandate to chart a course for U.S. research and development.

During Trump's first administration, Kratsios served as Chief Technology Officer and was tasked with using cutting edge technology to tackle COVID misinformation and track early cases of the virus in the U.S..

A 2019 interview with Kratsios indicates he also opposed the regulation of controversial facial recognition technology.

The current Trump administration raised eyebrows earlier this year after the U.S. and U.K both refused to join allies signing an international A.I. agreement.

Similar to Kratsios' view on facial recognition technology, Vice President JD Vance indicated the refusal was due to concerns over strict regulations, stating it could "kill a transformative industry just as it's taking off". Vance vowed that the U.S. would not squander an opportunity to grow AI policies over safety concerns.

Who knows what exciting things await us in the upcoming Golden Age of American Innovation?

So I originally made this community as a way to track these DOGE task forces that are popping up all over the U.S. in different states, but it is also to collect and expose any corruption happening at state or local levels.

For example, my state DOGE task force has actually gone pretty silent for now bc they've already drawn too many raised eyebrows and likely violated public transparency laws. Still, my governor continues to sign very corrupt EOs and does all kinds of crap on a regular basis that is directly related to his love of "fiscal responsibility and transparency."

I try to include information about other states when I come across it, but I am pretty overwhelmed just trying to keep up with the neverending corruption in my own state. I need help to create a resource for people to be able to see just how common and widespread this stuff is:

Here is an example of two Florida politicians introducing a bill presented as a way to simply reduce bloat and more efficiently aid states during a natural disaster. However, if the bill became a law, it would actually aid the Trump administration and help achieve their goal of removing FEMA from the Department of Homeland Security. One of the FL representatives introducing the bill, just happens to be a member of Federal DOGE and has been trying to push this bill for quite some time. The other representative on the bill, received an endorsement from Speaker Johnson, for his run for governor, shortly after co-signing.

Here are a few examples of Heritage Foundation affiliates influencing or attempting to influence state policy in Wisconsin, Oklahoma, and Colorado, but I know there is so much more going on that I cannot even begin to keep up with.

I know stuff like this is happening all over the U.S. (and the world) because there are Heritage Foundation affiliates established in all 50 states (even the liberal ones), as well as Canada and the U.K. working to promote local policy that benefits their very wealthy individual and corporate donors.

So whatever local corruption you notice going on around you, be sure to drop it in the community. There's a good chance it might be related to things happening in other parts of the country (and the world) even if it doesn't seem obvious at first glance.

cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/61309889

ITEP provides an 80% tax abatement for up to 10 years. This is supposed to be in exchange for job creation and economic investment in Louisiana. Except Landry removed the requirement for job creation back in Feb.

As Landry explains, "It is not about job creation. It is about capital investment."

To sweeten corporate welfare as an incentive to business, Landry is now giving businesses with existing ITEP contracts the ability to "opt-out" of previous requirements binding them in their current contracts.

So come to Louisiana, exploit whatever you need, benefit from corporate welfare and now you don't even have to create jobs to do it.

The Louisiana Comeback campaign created by GNO Inc. and the Pelican Institute, has been pushing this idea that Louisiana must be freed from over dependency on Federal aid for several years.

They want to incentivise big businesses to come to Louisiana by allowing them to take advantage of ITEP, and claim this will allow Louisiana to be less dependent on Federal aid. However, if there are no jobs being created, and no state taxes going towards state level benefits how would that possibly benefit any Louisiana resident and actually make them less dependent?

It doesn't offer any incentive to Louisiana residents to make them less dependent, it just makes wealthy individuals more wealthy.

Also, I've mentioned this before, but will keep mentioning it every time I come across more of this corrupt BS screwing over the state and telling us we should be happy about it:

The Pelican Institute is part of a nationwide network of think tanks (SPN). SPN is a Heritage Foundation affiliate and receives funding from some very wealthy individuals.

SPN is known for using these think tanks to push for state level policy that benefits their wealthy donors, and disguising the policy as representative of residents living in the state.

As in, these giant corporations are coming to Louisiana, not paying taxes, and not creating jobs because, we the people somehow believe it's in our best interest.

ITEP provides an 80% tax abatement for up to 10 years. This is supposed to be in exchange for job creation and economic investment in Louisiana. Except Landry removed the requirement for job creation back in Feb.

As Landry explains, "It is not about job creation. It is about capital investment."

To sweeten corporate welfare as an incentive to business, Landry is now giving businesses with existing ITEP contracts the ability to "opt-out" of previous requirements binding them in their current contracts.

So come to Louisiana, exploit whatever you need, benefit from corporate welfare and now you don't even have to create jobs to do it.

The Louisiana Comeback campaign created by GNO Inc. and the Pelican Institute, has been pushing this idea that Louisiana must be freed from over dependency on Federal aid for several years.

They want to incentivise big businesses to come to Louisiana by allowing them to take advantage of ITEP, and claim this will allow Louisiana to be less dependent on Federal aid. However, if there are no jobs being created, and no state taxes going towards state level benefits how would that possibly benefit any Louisiana resident and actually make them less dependent?

It doesn't offer any incentive to Louisiana residents to make them less dependent, it just makes wealthy individuals more wealthy.

Also, I've mentioned this before, but will keep mentioning it every time I come across more of this corrupt BS screwing over the state and telling us we should be happy about it:

The Pelican Institute is part of a nationwide network of think tanks (SPN). SPN is a Heritage Foundation affiliate and receives funding from some very wealthy individuals.

SPN is known for using these think tanks to push for state level policy that benefits their wealthy donors, and disguising the policy as representative of residents living in the state.

As in, these giant corporations are coming to Louisiana, not paying taxes, and not creating jobs because, we the people somehow believe it's in our best interest.

While the economy is still trying to recover from the nosedive it took due to Trump's failed(?) AI tariffs math, Guidehouse will be getting paid to tell the Army how they should be spending money.

In August of 2024, on behalf of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Financial Management and Comptroller) (ASA(FM&C)) issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for Army Financial Improvement (AFI).](https://sam.gov/opp/1e1313d86ead46db83316abdea7c1661/view#20240828)

The RFP was a "full and open competition for a single award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract, with a maximum value of about $250 million over three years."

Weird how so many of these contracts just happen to be going to Guidehouse over and over again while the government is supposedly eliminating as many consulting contracts as they can in order to cut costs.

cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/60798175

cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/60797998

The state actually hired 2 consulting firms to help with oversight and management of the funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

Obviously Guidehouse was one firm. The other was 929 Strategies, a public policy and "government relations consulting company." 929 Strategies was founded by former state labor commissioner, Melissa McLawhorn Houston.

McLawhorn Houston served on the current Governor of Oklahoma, Kevin Stitt’s transition team. You can read more about Oklahoma's ARPA money and McLawhorn Houston in this article written by Oklahoma's SPN affiliate.

Once again, I find it so odd that multiple "small government" loving elected politicians across multiple states, are not only all connected by the same Heritage Foundation affiliate network, SPN which is dumping money into policy design for these state affiliates, they're also all using the same D.C. area consulting firm, which has been partnering with the F.B.I. for decades.

I honestly don't think most state citizens would be ok with so many outside influences trying to influence or purchase the policies that determine every day life for citizens of the state. I found out my own local government in Louisiana violated transparency laws and met in secret with Guidehouse, and I know I'm in no way ok with it. You cannot demand transparency and oversight, and then pretend it's somehow ok to hide shady business dealings paid for with tax dollars just because you're pointing the finger at other people.

Hiring the consultants was allegedly justified by the state because of the Federal restrictions on how the money could be spent.

As McLawhorn Houston points out, "This is not funding for pensions... This is not for funding ‘rainy days..."

She said the "basic purpose” of the federal funds was “to respond to the public health emergency” of COVID-19 and its associated impacts.

However, according to this Treasury webpage that outlines eligible uses for the funds, there were actually several ways that money could have been put directly into the pockets of some Oklahoma citizens.

This includes:

Respond to the far-reaching public health and negative economic impacts of the pandemic, by supporting the health of communities, and helping households, small businesses, impacted industries, nonprofits, and the public sector recover from economic impacts

Provide premium pay for essential workers, offering additional support to those who have and will bear the greatest health risks because of their service in critical sectors

I'm curious to know if that's how Guidehouse and 929 strategies advised it be spent? Did citizens of Oklahoma benefit from these billions of dollars?

cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/60797998

The state actually hired 2 consulting firms to help with oversight and management of the funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

Obviously Guidehouse was one firm. The other was 929 Strategies, a public policy and "government relations consulting company." 929 Strategies was founded by former state labor commissioner, Melissa McLawhorn Houston.

McLawhorn Houston served on the current Governor of Oklahoma, Kevin Stitt’s transition team. You can read more about Oklahoma's ARPA money and McLawhorn Houston in this article written by Oklahoma's SPN affiliate.

Once again, I find it so odd that multiple "small government" loving elected politicians across multiple states, are not only all connected by the same Heritage Foundation affiliate network, SPN which is dumping money into policy design for these state affiliates, they're also all using the same D.C. area consulting firm, which has been partnering with the F.B.I. for decades.

I honestly don't think most state citizens would be ok with so many outside influences trying to influence or purchase the policies that determine every day life for citizens of the state. I found out my own local government in Louisiana violated transparency laws and met in secret with Guidehouse, and I know I'm in not ok with it. You cannot demand transparency and oversight, and then pretend it's somehow ok to hide shady business dealings paid for with tax dollars just because you're pointing the finger at other people.

Hiring the consultants was allegedly justified by the state because of the Federal restrictions on how the money could be spent.

As McLawhorn Houston points out, "This is not funding for pensions... This is not for funding ‘rainy days..."

She said the "basic purpose” of the federal funds was “to respond to the public health emergency” of COVID-19 and its associated impacts.

However, according to this Treasury webpage that outlines eligible uses for the funds, there were actually several ways that money could have been put directly into the pockets of some Oklahoma citizens.

This includes:

Respond to the far-reaching public health and negative economic impacts of the pandemic, by supporting the health of communities, and helping households, small businesses, impacted industries, nonprofits, and the public sector recover from economic impacts

Provide premium pay for essential workers, offering additional support to those who have and will bear the greatest health risks because of their service in critical sectors

I'm curious to know if that's how Guidehouse and 929 strategies advised it be spent? Did citizens of Oklahoma benefit from these billions of dollars?

The state actually hired 2 consulting firms to help with oversight and management of the funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

Obviously Guidehouse was one firm. The other was 929 Strategies, a public policy and "government relations consulting company." 929 Strategies was founded by former state labor commissioner, Melissa McLawhorn Houston.

McLawhorn Houston served on the current Governor of Oklahoma, Kevin Stitt’s transition team. You can read more about Oklahoma's ARPA money and McLawhorn Houston in this article written by Oklahoma's SPN affiliate.

Once again, I find it so odd that multiple "small government" loving elected politicians across multiple states, are not only all connected by the same Heritage Foundation affiliate network, SPN which is dumping money into policy design for these state affiliates, they're also all using the same D.C. area consulting firm, which has been partnering with the F.B.I. for decades.

I honestly don't think most state citizens would be ok with so many outside influences trying to influence or purchase the policies that determine every day life for citizens of the state. I found out my own local government in Louisiana violated transparency laws and met in secret with Guidehouse, and I know I'm in no way ok with it. You cannot demand transparency and oversight, and then pretend it's somehow ok to hide shady business dealings paid for with tax dollars just because you're pointing the finger at other people.

Hiring the consultants was allegedly justified by the state because of the Federal restrictions on how the money could be spent.

As McLawhorn Houston points out, "This is not funding for pensions... This is not for funding ‘rainy days..."

She said the "basic purpose” of the federal funds was “to respond to the public health emergency” of COVID-19 and its associated impacts.

However, according to this Treasury webpage that outlines eligible uses for the funds, there were actually several ways that money could have been put directly into the pockets of some Oklahoma citizens.

This includes:

Respond to the far-reaching public health and negative economic impacts of the pandemic, by supporting the health of communities, and helping households, small businesses, impacted industries, nonprofits, and the public sector recover from economic impacts

Provide premium pay for essential workers, offering additional support to those who have and will bear the greatest health risks because of their service in critical sectors

I'm curious to know if that's how Guidehouse and 929 strategies advised it be spent? Did citizens of Oklahoma benefit from these billions of dollars?