Halls of Shrewd'm / US Policy
No. of Recommendations: 14
A greedy unelected immigrant with a penchant for breaking things gains access to our nation’s sensitive payment system used to pay out more than $6 trillion annually.
Thank God we’re stopping DEI programs.
We are so fucked.
David Lebryk, the top-ranking career U.S. Treasury Department official, will leave following a clash with allies of billionaire and Trump adviser Elon Musk over payment system access, the Washington Post reported on Friday.
The report, citing three people with knowledge of the matter, said Lebryk and Musk's surrogates clashed over access to a sensitive system used to pay out more than $6 trillion a year in Social Security and Medicare benefits as well as federal salaries, government contract payments and tax refunds.
It was unclear why the team tied to Musk, who U.S. President Donald Trump has tasked with overhauling the government, sought access to the payment system.https://www.yahoo.com/news/senior-u-treasury-offic...
No. of Recommendations: 1
It was unclear why the team tied to Musk, who U.S. President Donald Trump has tasked with overhauling the government, sought access to the payment system.
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Damn right. Taxpayers have no right to figure out where all that money is going. Secrecy and obfuscation are the status quo and should never be challenged. Who needs or expects the DOD to ever have to pass an audit.
No. of Recommendations: 21
Damn right. Taxpayers have no right to figure out where all that money is going.
Please, Mike. You’re smarter than that.
We know exactly where the money is going and you can be sure the system is constantly being audited. As a former external auditor, I have audited numerous payment systems to ensure they were functioning properly and as designed (including 3rd party verification). There are many ways to verify the function of payment systems. But no one in their right mind would give anyone access to the system, especially a highly sensitive one. That is just plain unnecessary, extremely stupid, and full of risks.
The question you ignore is why does a greedy unelected immigrant need access to the system.
No. of Recommendations: 2
fascist and a kleptocrat
No. of Recommendations: 1
We know exactly where the money is going and you can be sure the system is constantly being audited. = AW
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BTW, Who is the "we" in your statement. It apparently is not the US Taxpayer.
And it is NOT the payment system itself that is being audited. It is using that system to identify specifically what payments are being made to who in what amounts. The effort is intended to identify, for example, contractors who are receiving massive payments year after year for vague services that could be scaled back or need measurable performance standards imposed, that sort of thing.
To find wasteful expenditures such as this:
Las Vegas City Council accepts $12M grant for pickleball complex at northwest valley park
Or such as this,
Holograms of dead comedians
The National Comedy Center in Jamestown, New York received more than $4.3 million from New York state, plus another $1.7 million in federal grants. The immersive museum will feature a look back at influential comedians—including via holograms showing off classic comedians in their heyday. Jamestown native Lucille Ball is among the comics celebrated at the museum.
BTW, I assume a well informed fellow like yourself is aware that the DOD has failed six consecutive audits. Oops, make that seven!
Nov 18, 2024 The Pentagon on Friday failed its seventh audit in a row, with the nation's largest government agency still unable to fully account for its more than $824 billion budget, though officials stress they are making good progress toward a clean audit in 2028.
No. of Recommendations: 12
As a former external auditor,
As a self described world’s worst auditor, I’ve got to agree. You do not need access to systems to audit them. I did a bunch of auditing early in my career, and was never given access to any systems.
—Peter
No. of Recommendations: 11
Right after the election, Musk put out the word on Xitter for patriotic Americans to come work for him- for free. Their job?
Well, that was left vague, but it had to do with taking on the evil administrative state.
It sounds like those who were demandic access where nobody should have been demanding access…… were precisely from this legion of Musk’s flying monkeys- untrained, savvy only in computer/hacking skills.
In their day jobs, they probably trade crptos
No. of Recommendations: 15
BTW, I assume a well informed fellow like yourself is aware that the DOD has failed six consecutive audits. Oops, make that seven!
As a well informed fellow like yourself, you know that none of the 3 examples in your post have anything to do with the payment systems, other than paying authorized payments.
I the first to examples, pickleball and holograms, were authorized to be made by Congress. It is not the function of the payment system to question decisions authorized by Congress. The payment system was designed to pay the exact party the exact amount that was authorized by Congress, which they did. Perhaps Musk should investigate Congress.
The Pentagon’s failure to get a clean audit (as CFO of a $20 million organization, I regularly received clean audits, but that’s because I had my hands in every facet of the business. Also, I may point out, $20 million isn’t even petty cash compared to $824 billion) has absolutely nothing to do with the payment systems. If the people authorized to approve payments authorize a $6,000 hammer, the payment system would be 100% correct to pay the vendor $6,000. Again, the problem isn’t the payment system, it’s the individual given the authority to approve payments by the Pentagon.
Hope that helps.
No. of Recommendations: 1
If the people authorized to approve payments authorize a $6,000 hammer, the payment system would be 100% correct to pay the vendor $6,000.
This is the blind spot that many owners of small businesses struggle with as they grow. Both Trump and Musk are people I'd put in that category (in spite of Tesla being a public company).
When you're small, the owner has a finger in everything. He (or she) is the one signing checks. The authorization system and the payment system are one and the same. The owner authorizes a payment by actually making a payment.
I've watched this happen in a previous life as the controller for a $20+ million in revenue business, and as the outside accountant for a couple others of similar size. Sure, there was Accounts Payable staff who went through the incoming bills, and entered them into the accounting system, then produced checks once or twice a week. Then the AP person takes a pile of checks with their supporting info and walks it across the courtyard to the President/CEO/Demi-god's office, where he looks over everything and signs the checks. Signing the checks is the only authorization for payment that happens.
But as a business grows large enough, those two processes eventually get separated. The CEO finally figures out that his time is better spent managing the rest of the business. So perhaps he'll give someone the authority to approve payments, and someone else the authority to make payments. So now he just looks at reports of payments authorized and payments made from time to time. Eventually that becomes the job of yet another person, and internal auditing is born.
--Peter
No. of Recommendations: 1
Hope that helps. - AW
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No it doesn't. You are fixated on the access being used to question the veracity of payment system itself. Allow me to stipulate that the payment system is perfect and accurate in every way possible.
What does this sentence mean to you, you apparently missed in my prior post.
"And it is NOT the payment system itself that is being audited. It is using that system to identify specifically what payments are being made to who in what amounts."
Does that help?
No. of Recommendations: 9
"And it is NOT the payment system itself that is being audited. It is using that system to identify specifically what payments are being made to who in what amounts."
That's called a check register. Someone with proper authorization to use the system can run that easily. You don't need to let outside people into the system to obtain that data.
--Peter
No. of Recommendations: 1
That's called a check register. Someone with proper authorization to use the system can run that easily. You don't need to let outside people into the system to obtain that data.
--Peter
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Fair enough as long as the payment information is complete and requests for data are completed without delay.
No. of Recommendations: 2
Fair enough as long as the payment information is complete and requests for data are completed without delay.
And the person asking for the payment information is properly authorized to receive it.
--Peter
No. of Recommendations: 5
No it doesn't. You are fixated on the access being used to question the veracity of payment system itself.
The reason I keep mentioning ‘access to a sensitive system’ is because that is what the article mentions Musk’s surrogates are demanding.
A quote from the article in my original post:
“The report, citing three people with knowledge of the matter, said Lebryk and Musk's surrogates clashed over access to a sensitive system used to pay out more than $6 trillion a year in Social Security and Medicare benefits as well as federal salaries, government contract payments and tax refunds.”
Allow me to stipulate that the payment system is perfect and accurate in every way possible.
Nothing human made is perfect.
"And it is NOT the payment system itself that is being audited. It is using that system to identify specifically what payments are being made to who in what amounts."
If it’s not the payment system itself, then why do they want access to the system? If they want to look at payments (amounts and who got paid), then look at records. I hope they find the owe me more Social Security. Plus interest, of course.
No. of Recommendations: 1
And the person asking for the payment information is properly authorized to receive it.
--Peter
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Is the President of the United States authorized to receive it?
No. of Recommendations: 1
Is the President of the United States authorized to receive it?
He's not asking for the information.
No. of Recommendations: 2
No. of Recommendations: 1
Is the President of the United States authorized to receive it?
He's not asking for the information. = ptheleand
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Fascinating. I think he does but let me phrase the question this way,
Can the President of the United States authorize someone to receive it?
No. of Recommendations: 2
Fair enough as long as the payment information is complete and requests for data are completed without delay.
You want a check register for the 72 million people on Social Security?
No. of Recommendations: 0
Fair enough as long as the payment information is complete and requests for data are completed without delay.
You want a check register for the 72 million people on Social Security?
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No, I am not a spokesman for Trump or Doge but common sense tells me the focus must be on contractors, suppliers, grant recipients, rental space, vehicle lessors, that sort of thing. Example, payments to a business whose D&B says they produce materials or put on seminars for DEI education. If such payments are still being made after lets say April, then some investigation of who in government authorized these payments. BTW the payments were made flawlessly by the Treasury's payment system.
No. of Recommendations: 7
No, I am not a spokesman for Trump or Doge but common sense tells me the focus must be on contractors, suppliers, grant recipients, rental space, vehicle lessors, that sort of thing. Example, payments to a business whose D&B says they produce materials or put on seminars for DEI education. If such payments are still being made after lets say April, then some investigation of who in government authorized these payments. BTW the payments were made flawlessly by the Treasury's payment system.
The speculation for that access is that Musk wants the ability to selectively turn off payments. Now Congress holds the purse, so that would be an unconstitutional move. Reagan wanted the line item veto and couldn't get it. Nixon didn't spend some money that Congress authorized, but I don't think anything came from that - it was small. Investigate all you want - but they want ACCESS, you can find out without ACCESS. If someone has been given a contract by us they are still due the money, can file breach of contract, and win with accompanying damages and penalties.
No. of Recommendations: 0
The speculation for that access is that Musk wants the ability to selectively turn off payments. = Lambo
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If that is your assumption, then I can see why you are opposed and I would be too. It is the underlying payment data that the Office of the President wants to analyze.
No. of Recommendations: 6
" If someone has been given a contract by us they are still due the money, "
I hear ya, and know that you know this, Trump has lived his life breaking
contracts, and not paying for work performed. Musk and Trump are surely looking to
stiff everybody not on their "team".
No. of Recommendations: 1
It is the underlying payment data that the Office of the President wants to analyze.
How do you know this? What public statements have any government official made that bring you to this conclusion?
--Peter
No. of Recommendations: 2
>>It is the underlying payment data that the Office of the President wants to analyze.<<
How do you know this? What public statements have any government official made that bring you to this conclusion?
--Peter
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I accept the premise that Trump ran on and elected on. in this case to respect tax payers and assess how their money is money is spent, and initiate further investigation into questionable expenditures, possibly leading to reforms that will reduce costs. This information also supports holding the various executive branch agencies accountable for their decisions.
No. of Recommendations: 4
If that is your assumption, then I can see why you are opposed and I would be too. It is the underlying payment data that the Office of the President wants to analyze.
Doesn't look like it Mike. Musk had been a CEO and knows how to get it without access. Yet he wants access. And no, that is not my assumption, please don't put words in my mouth. What is the source of your certainty that he only wants access to analyze it? Remember, what happened before when you believed Trump and Vance. I really mean that, when I say he can get the information without access, and that he *KNOWS* that. So why would he want access when he can get the info without access? It's a reasonable question to ask how you are certain.
No. of Recommendations: 2
It's a reasonable question to ask how you are certain. = Lambo
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I am not certain. That said, how are you certain about this,
Musk had been a CEO and knows how to get it without access.
No. of Recommendations: 1
I accept the premise that Trump ran on and elected on. in this case to respect tax payers and assess how their money is money is spent, and initiate further investigation into questionable expenditures, possibly leading to reforms that will reduce costs.
He didn't run on that - he ran on draining the swamp. Migrants are all rapacious killers after your daughters, etc., etc., etc.
Though at a campaign stop in Wisconsin on Saturday, Trump went much further -- despite the fact that U.S. citizens commit crimes at higher rates than undocumented immigrants.
"And you remember when they say no, no, these are migrants and these migrants, they don't commit crimes like us," Trump said. "No, no, they make our criminals look like babies. These are stone cold killers. They'll walk into your kitchen, they'll cut your throat."
And there's this:
"We have the outside enemy, and then we have the enemy from within. And the enemy from within, in my opinion, is more dangerous than China, Russia, and all those countries, because if you have a smart president, he can handle them."
It's something Trump talks about a lot. He doubled down on his remarks a few days later in a Fox town hall, describing these so-called enemies as "Marxists, communists, and fascists."
And investigate?
...Trump has said his rivals, critics and even private citizens should be investigated, prosecuted, put in jail or otherwise punished...
...just a few:
First, there are his political rivals: he has promised to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Joe Biden and has said Kamala Harris should be prosecuted.
Trump has reposted Truth Social posts, calling for former President Barack Obama, and former congresswoman Liz Cheney to be sent to military tribunals.
On social media and at rallies, Trump has threatened prosecutors, some judges, courtroom staff and even a grand juror involved in his criminal and civil cases.
He has also said election workers, journalists and private citizens who criticize the Supreme Court should be jailed...
You think it's limited to DEI? I think you'll be finding that you're defending a horror show that is an assault on Democracy and an attempt to consolidate power.
No. of Recommendations: 10
I accept the premise that Trump ran on and elected on.
Fair enough. Two observations.
One. That means you have no actual basis to believe that Trump/Musk/Musk underlings intend to do what you believe. They haven't said that they want to analyze payment data. They only want access to it. They didn't say they want to analyze the data. That is your creation.
Two. You believe that a known liar, known con man, known fraudster is going to do what he ran on - what he said he would do.
I'm more than willing to trust people to do what they say they are going to do. But if they don't, my trust is eroded. And if they don't time after time after time, at that point I don't trust them at all. Not one bit.
Trump has lied so many times on just about every topic imaginable that I don't trust him to do what he said he would do on the campaign trail.
--Peter
