Did CNN really think about this before publishing it? Because I thought it was from a satire site when I ran across it on Yahoo News first.
‘It’s bedlam’: Federal workers left in limbo as clock ticks down to Musk’s email deadline
Federal workers spent Monday trying to figure out how – or even whether – to respond to Elon Musk’s weekend email blast telling them to explain their work last week or risk losing their job.
A day of confusing and often contradictory guidance left many federal workers still unclear ultimately how to handle Musk’s request. Some were told to comply, others were advised not to, and still others were awaiting instructions from their agency’s leaders until late in the day.
Speaking from the Oval Office on Monday afternoon, President Donald Trump called Musk’s email demand “ingenious” and said that anyone who didn’t respond is “semi-fired or fired.”
Then, a couple of hours later, Trump’s own administration directly contradicted him, when the Office of Personnel Management formally notified agencies that response was voluntary and that any failure to respond would “not equate to a resignation.”
“Our chief said it was mandatory. Then OPM said it became voluntary. Then I guess Trump just told us it was mandatory again,” said one career employee with the Department of Veterans Affairs. “No one knows who is in charge and who to listen to.”
“It’s bedlam,” added one IRS employee.
Do federal employees not realize that Americans working in the private sector a laughing at them? Speaking derogatorily about them? Have zero sympathy? It’s 5 things. Over the course of a week. If you cannot think of 5 things you did last week and write it in 5 quick bulletin points then you aren’t really doing anything. It is not hard. Not hard at all.
The leftover bosses in the Permanent Federal Bureaucracy do not need to confuse things. How about finding out what your employees are doing? It’s rather your job. If this was the private sector there would be a lot of people on the chopping block for the inability to come up with 5 things, and for fighting against it. It really was brilliant to make this requirement, because it shows just how unhinged and intransigent the federal bureaucracy is. They live in a completely different world from the rest of Americans.
Not too belabor the point, if your boss, your bosses the boss, a person who assists the CEO, said “give me 5 quick things you did last week”, would you fight it? Or, would you jump on the computer and take 5 minutes to write the email and move on with your day?
More: ran across this at Real Clear Politics
…
“An organization that wants to take stock of what its employees are doing is a healthy thing, but this was not that,” Carl Cannon commented. “This was one step above trolling, really…It wasn’t a good faith effort to do what President Trump and Elon Musk say they’re trying to do, which is make sure the federal government workforce is working efficiently.”
“The tone was insulting and demeaning… Also, what person is going to read 2.3 million responses?”
Is this the new Talking Point? The email sent to require 5 things Was Mean? Frankly, Margaret, I don’t care. You are a worker bee. You do not run the federal government. There are requirements to have the job.
‘A federal worker had time to go on CNN, but not send a 30 second email.'
????@ScottJenningsKY schools hostile CNN panel over “what did you get done this week” email:
“The amount of outrage melting down and sort of an outpouring of emotion over this ought to tell you everything… pic.twitter.com/7xaTHG3kF6
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) February 25, 2025
“…you need to know.”
“We had a lady on CNN today, a supposed federal worker who said she was infuriated by the getting this e-mail. She had time to go on CNN, but she didn’t have time to send a 30 second email saying, here’s what I was working on last week.”
“This is what people in the private sector have come to hate about how they view the public sector.”
Yeah. Are federal employees saying they cannot be held accountable?
My apologies to Bachman-Turner Overdrive, to the song Takin’ Care of Business: “It’s the work that we avoid ’cause were government employed, we love to shop on Temu all day….”
Bedlam, panic and chaos IS the objective! Project 2025. “Federal workers should feel trauma. Every day.” Who are they firing? For legal reasons they can fire the probationary employees – the young, cheaper and energetic! Who took the buyouts? Those who were retiring or with job offers or expecting job offers.
Donnie and Elonnie are bosses in charge of all!! Are the custodians in the White House cleanig the toilets correctly? Donnie will straighten them out. It’s how insecure bosses operate. The org is limited to the ideas of the bosses!! Top down, baby!
Any large organization run by the whims of “the chief” is limited by the thoughts and beliefs of the chief, and is doomed to fail. Examples are Donnie’s casinos and start-ups. He would be richer if he had just invested his daddy’s money in stocks and bonds! Elonnie ruined Xwitter and is suing advertisers for leaving!! Loser.
If not for China, Tesla would be in trouble. No wonder Elon built a factory there!
Globally, the company sold fewer cars in 2024 than 2023, it’s first drop in history. Other major manufacturers are now competing – BMW, Honda, Toyota, Ford, Nissan, Chevy, Kia, Hyundai, Mercedes, Chrysler… Tesla has received (and still receives) BILLIONS in federal and state subsidies! China too subsidizes Tesla!!
Will Elon and Don HALT the EV subsidies?? Since global warming is a SCAM, they should. Will Tesla pull out of China?
Tesla’s P/E is 166!! Toyota’s is 7. And Toyota makes valuable vehicles!! Much of Elon’s apparent wealth market hype! SpaceX IS actually valuable, especially with the long-term government contracts worth over $20 BILLION!!
While laughable, Rimjob’s comments are somewhat encouraging.
Jeff,
The requiring one to justify your job is a very old technique used by CEOs dating back to the early 1900. Anyone who aspires to be relevant as a manger uses the technique. It finds out what your employees think their job might be as well as if they are doing it. Also, the Federal Government is not the direct employer. Various agencies provide workers for the government, even in medical care. Are you sure that these agencies are not trustworthy? I know the medical ones are not.
Porter,
But this is 2025, not 1900. No, you do not have to bully your employees. Yes, in most cases the US Government IS the employer. Not Elon. He is unelected and unvetted.
Elon is not their boss. In addition, and this is also important, the fraudulent “CEO”, Musk, is reaching through layers of managers and supervisors (including Hegseth, RFK Jr, Gabbard, Rubio, Kashyap and other Cabinet leaders) to attack the employees. It is not to gather useful information, it is to traumatize workers. A secondary effect is to let those Cabinet leaders know who’s boss!! Who will review the 2 million responses from the employees? TrumpElon would pick a few to publicize for PR. Will Elon fire the Cabinet Secretaries that opposes his convoluted orders??
Jeff,
Man for someone to put together such a string of stupidity is truly amazing.
Not really. He just cut-pastes what the Party tells him to.
It should be easy for “perfesser” to do a quick search and find the source. But he has found lying to be easier. He learned that from NSDAP.
A couple of months ago the perfesser would make arguments. Now he had given up and is a slave to Big Brother. Sad.
Prof,
Are you suggesting that there is another person in the US that dumb? Well, maybe Joy Reid.