Zach Israel
@ZachBIsrael
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Former ANC 4D commissioner | Advocacy professional | @BardCollege alum | Nats fan | Dad to Elliot & Milo | Opinions are my own
Washington, DC
Joined December 2013
This is the clearest explanation of what’s happening right now:
[Long post, sorry] For all the noise & confusion, I feel like after the last 2 weeks or so I have a much clearer sense of the rough DOGE game plan that @elonmusk has in mind I haven't spoken to Musk so I don't know for sure but my impression is the plan is something like: 1/ Gut & defenestrate the federal workforce, which unlocks: 2/ Control over agency functions and records, which unlocks: 3/ Mass budget/agency cuts, reducing size of government When you see a DOGE headline and are confused by overarching intent, see if it makes sense to fit in any of the following steps Step 1: Defenestrate federal workforce To do this-> - "Buyouts" for some - Purges of civil service leadership - Involuntary mass dismissals (likely on probationary workers/those w/ low performance) - this is coming - Liquidate huge % of federal property AND mandate RTO, forcing workers into bad buildings/commutes --> increase attrition - ? Things coming I don't think we know yet Step 2: Control vital functions/records With civil service out of the way, next steps include -> - Hoover up internal records on personnel that would otherwise be carefully guarded (OPM files, eg) - Feed sensitive government databases & records into AI, try to figure out what could be automated (Happening at Education Dep't, eg) - Put allies in charge of spending chokepoints (Treasury payments system) Step 3: Unilateral budget cuts Now you have DOGE allies in position to implement: - Cuts to all spending viewed outside bounds of Trump's EOs - Automation of core agency functions - Pullback on federal spending deemed fraudulent - Deletion of agencies/departments (USAID, CFPB) - Possibly cuts to many more programs and agencies? (I suspect MUCH more of this is coming soon) To me the biggest outstanding question now is what happens if/when the courts say much of this is illegal, as is widely believed by senior U.S. officials Do Musk/Trump back down? Or do they ask John Roberts what troops he commands?
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RT @JStein_WaPo: Have been arguing for months and months that pundits are discounting the ability of DOGE to cut federal spending. I think…
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“Nevertheless, Atiyeh’s case appears to be part of a disturbing pattern in local contracting. Why try to find the best firm for the job when you can just pick your buddies and move on?”
New: A DDOT engineer blew the whistle on her bosses, claiming they played favorites in handing out a contract to design a $57 million road project. She says she was fired a few days later. Now she’s suing the city…
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RT @AlexKomaWCP: Big I-83 news: DC's appeals court just gave new life to the DC Democrats' lawsuit challenging I-83's legality: https://t.c…
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Looks like the $16,679,459 in NEVI formula funds that the District is supposed to receive over FYs 2022-26 is being paused by Trump’s @USDOTFHWA… @charlesallen @CMCharlesAllen @DC_OCA @DDOTDC
Today I presented on the FY2024 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report: • DC’s financial state is strong • Investments having impacts • Tight agency budgets • Must control spending growth rates • FY26 Budget requires tough choices • Federal funds landscape volatile
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Appreciate @DCDPR’s update this evening on Ward 4’s 9th St. & Illinois Ave. NW Triangle Park project - it appears that @DDOTDC has expressed a willingness to spruce up the closed off portion of 9th St. NW as part of this effort! Community mtgs. set to occur soon! @brendibluitt
Really appreciate @DCDPR increasing the budget for the 9th St. & Illinois Ave. Triangle Park project from $100k to $200k! Looking forward to the first community meeting for this project in early 2025, after many years in the making! @Janeese4DC @CMLewisGeorgeW4 @brendibluitt
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"The 'Bringing Oversight to Washington and Safety to Every Resident (BOWSER) Act' repeals the District of Columbia Home Rule Act one year after passage of the bill."
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(4) Mail-in ballots automatically sent out to all registered Ward 8 voters beginning ~June 16; (5) Mail-in ballot drop boxes open beginning June 27 (through July 22); (6) Early in-person voting from July 14-20; (7) Election Day: Tuesday, July 22
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Every closed off slip lane by @DDOTDC should have planter bollards like this! At 3rd Street & Rock Creek Church Road NW:
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@Vote4DC has scheduled a special Board meeting for 1pm on Friday, February 14, presumably to formally approve a date for the soon-to-be-scheduled special Ward 8 Councilmember election. Under DC law, the special election must be held on a Tuesday between April 15 and July 22, 2025
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#BreakingNews - DC Council votes unanimously to expel Trayon White for violations of council ethics and rules (separate from his legal case.) Historic. It’s first ever vote to expel by the council.
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RT @maustermuhle: NEWS: The D.C. Council just voted to expel Ward 8 Councilmember @trayonwhite from office. The vote was unanimous, making…
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Once the DC Council votes to expel Trayon White later today, @Vote4DC will then be required to schedule a special election in Ward 8 between April 15-July 22, 2025. With 10-15 candidates likely running, I imagine it’ll be scheduled for sometime between late June and early July…
The “Expulsion of Councilmember Trayon White, Sr. Resolution of 2024” (PR26-14) is officially listed on the DC Council’s legislative meeting agenda on Tuesday, February 4. It’s the very last item to be considered…
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Looking forward to testifying tomorrow at @DDOTDC’s performance oversight hearing before the DC Council’s Committee on Transportation and the Environment. I’ve got some thoughts about a few things!
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This is from @OANC_DC’s pre-hearing responses to the DC Council for its performance oversight hearing this Thursday:
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