Summary

David Lebryk, the longest-serving career official at the U.S. Treasury, is resigning after a conflict with Elon Musk’s allies over access to a key government payment system.

Musk’s team has sought control of the system, which distributes $6 trillion annually in Social Security, Medicare, federal salaries, and other payments.

Traditionally, only career officials handle it.

Lebryk’s departure raises concerns, as he served under multiple administrations, including Trump’s, and was widely respected for his nonpartisan leadership.

His exit signals growing instability in financial governance.

    • @Allonzee
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      2 seconds ago

      We didnt show up to stop this at the ballot box to kick the can of neoliberal mediocrity and capitalist servitude for one more cycle.

      We’re too cowardly for necessary revolution to cut the capitalists down and make a constitution that guards against antisocial greed.

      Why is it up to these career civil servants to weekend and Bernie’s a 50 years dead corpse of a nation for us and face clearly extreme consequences for it?

      We could have voted for continued quiet capitalist slaughter, I did but that hardly matters, but we failed to. So loud, braggadocious slaughter it is.

  • @[email protected]
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    142 hours ago

    What could possibly go wrong? I’m sure the richest guy in the world intends to make us the richest country in the world right?

    Wait, didnt we already do that? Wait, why does he need to control this?

  • @fluxion
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    1185 hours ago

    Stop fucking resigning and just handing all this shit over to this nazi

    • @[email protected]
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      346 minutes ago

      But this is the shit that America has voted for.
      It’s been writ large since 2016.
      And America wanted more of it.
      So if I was a career politician, and I saw this bullshit voted in twice, yeh. I’d quit as soon as it was against my ethos. Clearly my ethos isn’t aligned with what Americans want.

      • @SoftestSapphic
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        223 minutes ago

        Most Americans don’t pay attention.

        It’s what we deserve as a country, but very few people actually wanted this

    • Snot Flickerman
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      4 hours ago

      “But but their lives and their families! What about the threats they’ll deal with! They could end up killed like in Russia!”

      And if not a single one of these motherfuckers makes that kind of sacrifice it will be just like Russia here in the US.

      It’s not nice to have to make that kind of sacrifice, but we the people are not in positions to do so. These people took these positions and an OATH OF OFFICE to protect the United States Consitution.

      This is an outright abdication of that responsibility because it might be hard for them and their families.

      I’m sure all the people who get lined up to be executed against the wall will really understand that they just needed to protect themselves and their families, right? Like you guys totally don’t deserve that, only us in positions of power do.

      Further, if they think rolling over is going to stop the harassment and abuse, they’re fucking fools.

      I’m sick of the defenses everyone gives each one of these chuckefucks that just rolls over.

      Why the fuck did you want a Federal job if you didn’t give a damn about the future of the country enough to stand for it you worthless fucks?

      I have fucking cancer, god damn it I wish I was in a position where such a sacrifice wouldn’t be in fucking vain.

      (To any idiots out there, yes, Luigi’s actions were in fucking vain assholes so don’t say it)

      • BeardedBlaze
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        250 minutes ago

        What are you, 12? Working for the feds doesn’t mean you signed up to defend anyone or anything.

      • Flying Squid
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        192 hours ago

        Why the fuck did you want a Federal job if you didn’t give a damn about the future of the country enough to stand for it you worthless fucks?

        I mean… because it comes with a paycheck?

        I’m not sure why you think everyone with a federal government job is motivated by patriotism.

        • @[email protected]
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          42 hours ago

          Yeah it’s all pretty silly. This guy is known for being nonpartisan and fools are demanding he suddenly be partisan. How about treating him like he isn’t an actual person and sympathizing that his career is ending.

          • @SoftestSapphic
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            20 minutes ago

            Being nonpartisan in a democratic country means protecting democracy.

            He’s a coward and got his, then got out.

            He’s the kind of individualist this country is designed to produce

      • @[email protected]
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        82 hours ago

        Big, tough words from another armchair revolutionist. It’s easy to tell other people to put themselves and their families in harm’s way when your “contribution” to the fight amounts to screaming at clouds. You call other people fools when you’ve thoughtfully fooled yourself that all your anger and hate in internet forums is comparable to real sacrifice.

      • @Hawke
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        24 minutes ago

        To any idiots out there, yes, Luigi’s actions were in fucking vain assholes so don’t say it

        Well I’ll be the idiot.

        I think it’s hard to say that it was in vain. I feel like it demonstrated some important points clearly:

        • people are very upset with insurance companies and by extension the healthcare system. (Note the lack of negative reaction from the public even as the media tried hard to demonize Luigi)
        • megacorps arent invulnerable against those with nothing to lose. (I think it’s easy to draw the line between Luigi and companies backing off from a few over the top policies)
        • how much the media are in bed with and/or controlled by those same megacorps. (Again, the blatant attempt to demonize Luigi followed by dropping coverage as the public didn’t react the way they wanted)

        If it was going to have true impact it needed to be followed up by more incidents and copycats. Without that it’s only a nudge, and maybe not a wake-up call, let alone the full-on revolution that may be needed to force change. (Not speaking of political overthrow of the government, that’s a whole other topic)

        Luigi may not have been the pebble that launched an avalanche but neither was he nothing.

        • @YarHarSuperstar
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          110 seconds ago

          They’re not saying that you’re an idiot for believing that, they’re warning against anyone suggesting that they follow in his (alleged) footsteps.

      • @[email protected]
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        124 hours ago

        Yeah, it’s been a major disappointment seeing how utterly cowardly Americans are. Europeans take to the streets for far less.

      • @YarHarSuperstar
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        12 minutes ago

        On point.

        I have fucking cancer, god damn it I wish I was in a position where such a sacrifice wouldn’t be in fucking vain.

        Damn. I hope you get the best outcome possible.

        (To any idiots out there, yes, Luigi’s actions were in fucking vain assholes so don’t say it)

        I know exactly what you’re talking about, I have been poked and prodded by those idiots pretty much any time I post about how hopeless I have felt in certain moments during the past few months. I am not going to comment on his alleged actions but people going around encouraging others to copycat is not the way, it’s harmful and disrespectful.

  • 18-24-61-B-17-17-4
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    415 hours ago

    What the fuck do they have over these people that they keep resigning instead of telling Elon and Co to fuck off?

    • @ultranaut
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      415 hours ago

      Fear. They don’t want to become a target of the hate machine Elon will wield against them if they stand in his way.

      • ThePowerOfGeek
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        4 hours ago

        Yup. He has a legion of frat bros who follow him like he’s the Messiah. I suspect Lebryk was nearing retirement anyway, and he understandably just thought “fuck this shit, I’m out!”, before Elon Xitler started spewing hateful memes to his cult about him.

        Can’t blame him at all. I hope he has a long and peaceful retirement, because it sounds like he deserves it.

        But this is just one example in a deluge of other departures that is going to really fuck up the daily operation of this country. If you ‘drain the swamp’ too hard it’ll turn into a hellish desert. And that’s exactly what Musk and others coming in want. They want to bless everything dry and reform it in their own stupid, shitty image.

        The one thing standing between us and that complete shitshow are the federal employees who have the passion, stubbornness, and resources to quietly resist. Regardless of whether they succeed or fail, I cannot express my gratitude for them enough.

    • @Magister
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      54 hours ago

      They could fell off the window accidentally, you know, it happens

  • Avid Amoeba
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    3 hours ago

    Is the US trying to shock therapy itself?

    If this is where things are going, prepare for … checks notes … GDP crashes and hyperinflation.

  • YaksDC
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    94 hours ago

    Funny how now after years of comments and digs at federal employees being lazy and overpaid, all of a sudden people are like “oh no, please save us”. This cull is a direct result of those outright false comments, allowing people to think that the tiny budget savings if the entire federal workforce went away is a good thing.

  • @MeekerThanBeaker
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    295 hours ago

    Get ready for the return of the barter system… or bartender system, whichever.

    • @[email protected]
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      165 hours ago

      It’s cool, friend. If you need a reliable currency there’s always the loonie, buddy. Feel free to use a more stable medium of exchange if you’d like, pal.

      • ThePowerOfGeek
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        24 hours ago

        The Canadian dollar isn’t tied to the US dollar in any way, right?

        • @[email protected]
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          54 hours ago

          Kinda? It isn’t tied to the US dollar but it’s backed by the US dollar.

          Once upon a time all currencies were backed with gold then the US dollar seemed so stable that most currencies switched to using trade deficits to back their local currencies.

          A total collapse of USD wouldn’t be great for any currency or economy but other national banks could likely pivot.

  • Chainweasel
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    3 hours ago

    Anyone who resigns over this is complacent.
    Lebryk is dishonorable in my opinion. This was the wrong choice.
    Don’t roll over for Nazis, stand and fight.