GSA Eliminates 18F (nextgov.com)

Article summary

The General Services Administration (GSA) has eliminated 18F, a government tech consultancy that helped other agencies with technology, citing it as 'non-critical'. The decision was made with explicit direction from the top levels of leadership within the Administration and GSA. The team of around 90 employees had worked on various projects, including the redesign of a website for the Justice Department and a free IRS tax filing system. The elimination of 18F is part of a larger effort to reduce the federal workforce.

Main themes

• Government Tech
• Workforce Reduction
• GSA
• 18F Elimination
• Tax Filing
• Government Efficiency

What commenters say

• The elimination of 18F is a loss for efficient and cost-saving government technology initiatives.
• The decision to eliminate 18F is seen as a politically motivated move to dismantle Obama-era legacy projects.
• The destruction of 18F is part of a larger effort to reduce government regulation and taxation, which will ultimately benefit the wealthy.
• Some argue that the elimination of 18F is not a surprise, given the Trump administration's goal of reducing the federal workforce and cutting 'non-essential' functions.
• Others believe that the private sector should not provide services that the public sector can offer, and that 18F's work on free tax filing was a threat to companies like Intuit.
• The elimination of 18F is seen as a blow to government transparency and accountability, and a victory for special interests.
• Some commenters argue that the focus on billionaires as the problem is a diversion from the real issue of government dismantling, and that the conversation should focus on the current administration's actions.
• The decision to eliminate 18F is also seen as a reflection of the administration's priorities, which favor private interests over public good.