Let’s Ask Arty uses existing Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to query LLMs about politics in these troubled times.
Query 1: Do DOGE employees have access to classified information, and do they have access to the social security data of private citizens? Who oversees DOGE to make sure they are not breaking laws or violating privacy rights of US citizens?
DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) employees have reportedly gained access to classified information and sensitive data, including Social Security records, through various federal systems. Concerns have been raised about the lack of transparency regarding how DOGE staff are vetted and monitored before being granted such access.
Regarding Social Security data, DOGE has been accused of accessing sensitive information, such as names, birth dates, and earnings, as part of an anti-fraud initiative. This has sparked legal challenges and privacy concerns, with unions and advocacy groups seeking court intervention to block DOGE’s access.
Oversight of DOGE appears to be limited, as it operates under the Trump administration’s directives to streamline government operations. However, lawsuits and congressional inquiries have been initiated to address potential violations of privacy rights and ensure compliance with laws like the Privacy Act of 1974.
The situation has prompted calls for greater transparency and accountability in DOGE’s operations.
Query 2: Please provide a detailed list of the erroneous information posted on the DOGE wall of receipts.
The “wall of receipts” from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been criticized for containing numerous inaccuracies and misleading claims.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of some of the errors:
Overstated Contract Values:
A contract listed as an $8 billion savings for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was actually worth only $8 million.
A $232 million savings claim for the Social Security Administration turned out to be a much smaller $560,000 project.
Duplicate Listings:
A $650 million USAID contract was listed three times, inflating the savings.
A single $25 million Department of Agriculture contract was quadruple-counted, resulting in a false claim of $100 million in savings.
Misrepresentation of Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs):
DOGE included BPAs, which are catalogs of potential purchases rather than actual spending, as canceled contracts. This exaggerated the savings by at least $1 billion.
Credit Lines Misrepresented as Savings:
Some contracts, like the ICE contract mentioned earlier, were credit lines that might never have been fully utilized.
Savings from Previous Administrations:
Certain cuts, such as a $1.9 billion reduction at the Treasury Department, occurred under President Biden’s administration but were claimed by DOGE.
Errors in Real Estate Savings:
DOGE attributed $144.6 million to real estate savings without providing supporting details, making independent verification difficult.
Deleted Claims:
After scrutiny, DOGE removed its top five savings claims, including the ICE and USAID contracts, but did not adjust the total savings figure, which continued to grow without explanation.
These errors have raised significant questions about the credibility of DOGE’s claims and the methodology behind their calculations.
Query 3: Please list the “mistake firings” that DOGE made and the potential impact those firings had on America’s national security.
DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) has faced significant criticism for its mistake firings, which have had serious implications for America’s national security. Here are some notable examples:
Mistake Firings
National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA):
DOGE mistakenly fired hundreds of employees working on nuclear weapons programs, including those responsible for reassembling warheads. These roles require the highest levels of clearance and expertise.
Many of these firings were later rescinded, but the disruption caused confusion and delays.
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA):
DOGE laid off 130 employees from CISA, which plays a critical role in defending against cyber threats. This move weakened the agency’s ability to counter malicious cyber activities, particularly from adversaries like China.
Department of Agriculture:
Employees working on combating bird flu were mistakenly terminated. This error jeopardized efforts to control the outbreak and ensure food safety.
Veterans Affairs (VA):
DOGE planned to cut contracts and lay off workers essential for veterans’ healthcare, including those involved in sterility certification and air quality testing. These cuts risked compromising patient safety and care quality.
Potential Impact on National Security
Nuclear Security: The firings at NNSA undermined the systems securing the nation’s nuclear arsenal, raising concerns about the safety and readiness of these critical assets.
Cybersecurity: The loss of skilled personnel at CISA weakened the U.S.’s ability to defend against cyberattacks, leaving vulnerabilities that adversaries could exploit.
Public Health: The termination of experts working on bird flu and food safety posed risks to public health and the agricultural sector.
Veterans’ Care: Cuts at the VA threatened the well-being of veterans and the operational integrity of healthcare facilities.
Query 4: Compare the dollar amount of savings from the cuts made by DOGE to the deficit increase expected from the proposed budget from the Republican Congress.
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) claims to have saved $105 billion through various measures like asset sales, contract cancellations, and fraud detection. Meanwhile, the proposed budget from the Republican Congress is expected to increase the deficit by $3 trillion over the next decade, primarily due to $4.5 trillion in tax cuts offset by $1.5 trillion in spending cuts.
In comparison, DOGE’s savings amount to just 3.5% of the projected deficit increase from the Republican budget. This stark contrast highlights the scale of the deficit challenge and the relatively modest impact of DOGE’s savings in addressing it.
My Input
Imagine the collective apoplectic outrage from MAGA morons had a democrat President hired a private citizen (like George Soros) with deep partisan ties to the democratic party and no expertise in government to go on a slash-and-burn operation, with no concern about the impact on individual privacy rights, national security, and the health and wellbeing of American citizens. That is happening today with Elon Musk’s inexperienced, incompetent, unaccountable, and callous DOGE team.
There is a right way to audit government agencies for waste, fraud, and abuse, and then there’s the DOGE way.
The right way is to rely on non-partisan Inspectors General (IGs), which serve as watchdogs investigating waste, fraud, and abuse within federal government agencies. Trump undermined the independence of IGs when he fired (without cause) 17 of them early in his presidency and replaced them with loyalists. Trump’s claim that it is standard practice for an incoming president to fire and replace IGs is a lie (shocking, I know).
IGs are meant to transcend political transitions.
DOGE is supposed to collaborate with IGs in their federal agency audits. The Treasury Department’s office of the IG has already raised concerns about the collaboration. It recently launched an audit to investigate DOGE’s access to federal systems and handling of sensitive data. This audit of DOGE by the Treasury Department IG was fueled by concerns about DOGE’s potential misuse of government resources and the lack of transparency in DOGE operations (as mentioned by Arty).
The anti-government sentiment that propels DOGE is so prevalent and infective with MAGA that millions of MAGA followers don’t seem to care about the truthfulness of DOGE claims, the damage to America’s national security, the human cost to our fellow citizens, or that DOGE has no oversight or accountability for their actions.
And finally, the cartoonish display from Elon Musk at CPAC with his chainsaw encapsulates the lack of empathy and the dangerous and Social Darwinistic direction America is heading.
When it comes to DOGE, let’s be courageous and call out the outrageous.
Let’s Ask Arty uses existing Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to query LLMs about politics in these troubled times.
Query 1: Is the measles virus dangerous?
Yes, measles can be quite dangerous. It’s a highly contagious viral disease that can lead to serious complications, especially for young children, pregnant women, and individuals with weakened immune systems. Some of the complications include pneumonia, encephalitis (swelling of the brain), and even death.
In the U.S., measles was declared eliminated in 2000, but outbreaks still occur, often due to unvaccinated individuals. Vaccination is the best way to protect against measles and prevent its spread.
Query 2: Robert Kennedy Jr (the head of HHS) says that the measles outbreak in Texas is not unusual. Is that true?
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. did indeed say that the measles outbreak in Texas is “not unusual”. However, health experts disagree with his assessment. The outbreak has resulted in the first measles death in the U.S. since 2015, and the number of cases is significant, with 124 confirmed cases since late January.
The outbreak is primarily affecting unvaccinated individuals, particularly in the Mennonite community in Gaines County. While measles outbreaks do occur, the severity and spread of this particular outbreak make it more concerning than Kennedy’s statement suggests. Vaccination remains the best way to prevent measles and its complications.
Query 3: Is Robert F Kennedy Jr a doctor or scientist? Does he have expertise in the field of health and medicine?
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is not a doctor or scientist. He has a background in law, with degrees from Harvard University, the University of Virginia School of Law, and Pace University. His expertise lies in environmental law and policy, and he has worked extensively as an environmental lawyer and activist.
While he has been a prominent voice in public health debates, particularly regarding vaccines, his educational background and professional experience are not in the medical or scientific fields.
Kennedy has been a controversial figure due to his promotion of vaccine misinformation and public-health conspiracy theories. Despite his lack of medical or scientific qualifications, he was confirmed as the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services in February 2025.
Query 4: Tell me about Robert Kennedy Junior’s involvement in the Soma Measles outbreak several years ago
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. played a controversial role during the measles outbreak in Samoa several years ago. In 2019, Samoa was facing a crisis due to a significant drop in vaccination rates after an improperly prepared vaccine led to the deaths of two infants. This incident caused widespread fear and skepticism about vaccines among parents, leaving many children unprotected against measles.
Kennedy, who was then the chairman of the anti-vaccine group Children’s Health Defense, visited Samoa in June 2019. He saw an opportunity to promote his anti-vaccine agenda and proposed a system to track the health outcomes of unvaccinated children. Despite the resumption of vaccinations, Kennedy’s influence and the spread of misinformation contributed to the hesitancy among parents.
Months after Kennedy’s visit, a deadly measles outbreak swept through Samoa, resulting in thousands of infections and 83 deaths, mostly among small children. Kennedy continued to stay connected with the island, providing medical guidance to local anti-vaccine activists and raising concerns about the vaccination campaign.
My Input
Robert F Kennedy Junior is just one example of the dangerous weaponization of ignorance and stupidity by the Trump administration.
In the past, Donald Trump has bragged about having “the best people” in his cabinet and administration. In the first Trump administration, there were some bright and accomplished people in cabinet positions and in the administration. They were experts in their fields. Many of those experts have since spoken out against their boss, warning Americans of his incompetence and fascist tendencies.
In the first administration, these experts provided guardrails for our democracy and government institutions by pushing back against an increasingly autocratic President who often drifted outside his extremely narrow lane of expertise.
This time around, Donald Trump is not concerned with appointing experts with deep experience to cabinet positions — instead, he appoints loyalists with little to no experience who will toe the line and disregard the rule of law, facts, and truth when Trump asks them to.
Trump’s disastrous pick for HHS will prove dangerous for the health and well-being of Americans, especially in cases of outbreaks like the Measles outbreak in Lubbock, Texas. His appointees to the FBI, Intelligence Service, and Justice Department will also prove dangerous to the health and well-being of our Democracy.
This time around, the purpose of Trump’s appointments is to appease the conspiratorial nature of his base voters – the anti-science, deep-state fearmongers, and Qanoon cultists, as well as Christian Nationalists and Trump’s Pro-Russian puppet handlers.
Bright light behind the slightly ajar door. Abstract background
The glow from the television gathers in the doorway at the end of the hall.
“I can’t believe what he just said.”
“Honey! Come listen to what the asshole just said.”
“Jesus Fucking Christ.”
“Can someone please just get rid of this motherfucker already?”
His words crash through the door into the hallway, bouncing off the walls like a whisky-soaked drunk double-dipped in anger.
“What the fuck is wrong with this country? We fought a goddamn world war to prevent this crap from spreading. Now we’ve got this mother fucker proselytizing fascist propaganda from the goddamn motherfucking White House.”
“Honey!!!”
She grabs a beer from the fridge and takes a long, hard swig before retrieving a half-smoked pack of Winstons from the junk drawer. She started smoking again after the election.
“Yeah, I heard,” she yells towards the hall.
“But what can we do?” she whispers surrenderingly and takes a drag.
Let’s Ask Arty uses existing Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to query LLMs about politics in these troubled times.
Query1: What strategies are used to turn a democracy to an autocracy and how many of those strategies has Donald Trump used in his second campaign for the US presidency?
Turning a democracy into an autocracy typically involves several strategies, often used in combination. Here are some common tactics:
Extending Executive Power: Strengthening the executive branch’s power while weakening checks and balances, such as parliaments and judiciaries.
Suppressing Dissent: Restricting freedom of speech, assembly, and press to silence opposition and criticism.
Controlling Information: Manipulating media and spreading misinformation to shape public opinion and maintain power.
Capturing Elite Support: Gaining the backing of influential groups and individuals by offering political favors and economic benefits.
Undermining Democratic Institutions: Weakening institutions that uphold democratic principles, such as electoral commissions and courts.
Exploiting Populism: Appealing to nationalistic and populist sentiments to rally support and create divisions.
Crippling Opposition: Discrediting, intimidating, or legally targeting political opponents to reduce their influence.
Regarding Donald Trump’s second campaign for the US presidency, he has been accused of employing some of these strategies. For example, he has been known to challenge democratic norms, criticize the media, and promote conspiracy theories. However, it’s important to note that the US political system has strong institutions and checks and balances that make it difficult for one individual to transform the system into an autocracy completely.
My input
You’d have to be pretty dense not to see that Donald Trump is following the autocracy playbook pretty closely.
In terms of the following statement from Arty, I have some thoughts:
However, it’s important to note that the US political system has strong institutions and checks and balances that make it difficult for any one individual to completely transform the system into an autocracy.
In theory, this is correct. The US political system is indeed set up with checks (judicial and legislative) that are designed to prevent a malevolent person in the executive branch from dismantling democracy and instituting an autocratic dictatorship. But these systems are only as effective as the people in them. When members of the judicial and legislative branches lack the courage to check the executive branch — or if they support the autocratic goals and objectives of the executive, the system does not work.
When someone is true to themselves, it doesn’t automatically mean they’re a good person. You can be authentic and an asshole – just look at Donald Trump.
There’s a strange phenomenon in the MAGA world where authenticity trumps character, where how Trump talksis more important than what he’s saying.
That’s why we see Trump supporters laugh and applaud at all the crass crap spewing from that moron’s mouth – to them, it’s like sitting next to their racist buddy at their favorite bar. It speaks to how shallow and lazy a large portion of the American electorate has become – that a simplistic view of Trump’s authenticity resonates more than his utter lack of substance and character.
I can hear the twang of a Trump supporter now: “That Arnold Palmer schlong story was hilarious; that guy has my vote.”
Since the 2024 VP debate, we’ve all watched JD Vance sidestep whether Trump lost the 2020 election. Most recently, Vance was asked five separate times in the same interview but refused a yes or no answer.
Anyone with an iota of intelligence understands that JD Vance knows Trump lost but was instructed never to say it. Trump won’t allow any of his people to utter the word “loser” when talking about him—he’s too fragile. So, like the good soldier, JD refused to answer, sidestepping more than Al Jolson and Fred Astaire in a game of dodgeball.
Yesterday, Vance got a message from his boss that sidestepping wasn’t cutting it and to fall in line with the election denial. So, when asked AGAIN if Trump lost the 2020 election, he said “No,” which we all know is complete bullshit.
How do we know it’s complete bullshit? Because it’s been almost 4 years since the votes for the 2020 election were tabulated, litigated, and re-tabulated, yielding the same result – an overwhelming victory in the popular vote and electoral college by Joe Biden, with no evidence of vote rigging or cheating, in what the lead Trump election official called the fairest election in a generation and in which Trump’s attorney general called Trump’s assertions of a stolen election “total bullshit.”
Zero evidence that Trump won.
If I were a reporter, I’d follow up with JD Vance and ask why he has refused to answer the question for the last several weeks. Why didn’t he say “No” the first time he was asked? Now that JD Vance has officially joined the Election Deniers club, I would press him to explain precisely why he thinks Trump won. What evidence does he have to come to his conclusion?
It was almost comical watching JD Vance refusing to answer the question about Trump’s 2020 loss because we all understood (to an extent) the Vance Dance – He didn’t want to piss off his boss by being honest, so, sidestep shuffle-shuffle, sidestep, no answer.”
Embracing the lie is anything but comical because it shows us that JD Vance cannot be trusted with the most basic of things: facts, math, counting, and recounting.
If he denies something so clear and definitive, how can he be trusted to be truthful to the American people?
Everyone knows Donald Trump can’t be trusted—that if he loses AGAIN, he’ll refuse to accept the result. Some of us might have had an inkling of hope for Vance—that when faced with basic math that proved he and Trump came out on the short end of the election, he would man up and say, “We lost.” That hope is now gone with his one-word answer, “No,” and it’s the biggest reason to vote against this ticket.
Vance’s election denial is the latest example of the public humiliation by association that anyone close to Trump goes through. The cowardice of simply going along to get along will stick to Vance long after the stench of Trump fades.
It’s challenging to poll the minds of Republican voters in 2024.
Some are undoubtedly embarrassed their party re-nominated an incompetent, narcissistic, and megalomaniacal liar who they deeply regret voting for in 2016 and AGAIN in 2020 and will no way in hell vote for again in 2024.
Others wobble on a farcical fence of feeling that says they must vote Republican because they are Republican, even though their candidate has long abandoned Republican principles in favor of authoritarianism.
There are large sacks of numb-nuts incapable of independent and critical thought who still believe the 2020 election was stolen and will undoubtedly vote for the orange jack-wagon again.
And then all those barely closeted racists who won’t openly say they’re voting for Trump for fear of being publicly shamed, but deep down in their black hearts, have every intention of doing so.
Tough to quantify that fuck-tangled mess, even with the best polling in place.
bendingtheneedle 