Nothing screeches louder than the brakes on the gravy train.

Like kicking an autistic bee hive

Are we actually getting a Constitutional Republic?

Better make sure of that one. Fact.

100%. Not 80%. Not 95%. 100% Constitutional is what we must be.

Watch the right harder than you watch the left. False light is harder to distinguish than darkness. Infiltration is everywhere

That would be wonderful.

Yes! Cut deep and get rid of them all!

I asked AI (brave) and here's what it said. Not sure if its right or ai slop as some of you would call it

The current government shutdown, which began at 00 EDT on October 1, 2025, after Congress failed to pass a spending bill, has created a funding gap that halts non-essential federal operations and furloughs non-essential workers. While shutdowns traditionally involve temporary furloughs with guaranteed back pay once funding resumes, the Trump administration is using this moment to pursue permanent workforce reductions through Reduction in Force (RIF) actions, a departure from past practices.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB), under Director Russell Vought, directed federal agencies to consider issuing RIF notices to employees whose programs lack mandatory funding or alignment with the President’s priorities. This directive was issued ahead of the shutdown deadline, instructing agencies to prepare for permanent layoffs in addition to furloughs. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) reinforced this by stating that work related to implementing RIFs is considered “excepted” activity during a shutdown, meaning it can continue even without appropriated funds.

However, this approach faces significant legal challenges. Federal law generally requires a 60-day notice before RIFs can take effect, and courts have previously ruled that OMB and OPM lack unilateral authority to mandate agency workforce decisions. Critics, including lawmakers and legal experts, argue that a shutdown does not grant the administration new legal authority to fire employees. As Rep. James Walkinshaw stated, “A shutdown gives the administration no additional legal authority to fire or RIF federal employees”.

Despite these constraints, the administration claims the Supreme Court has recently cleared a path for such directives, allowing OMB and OPM to exert greater control over agency staffing. The administration has already reduced the federal workforce by about 200,000, with plans to cut up to 300,000 jobs, targeting agencies like USAID and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Legal experts note that many of these actions—such as closing congressionally established agencies or removing inspectors general without cause—may be unlawful, as only Congress can dissolve federal agencies or amend statutory protections.

In summary, while the shutdown itself does not legally empower the President or OPM to cut agencies, the administration is leveraging the crisis to advance pre-existing plans for downsizing, using RIF processes it claims are now legally permissible. The legality of these actions remains contested, with ongoing debate over executive overreach and adherence to civil service laws.