Practice Management Member Conversations

Let me guess what political affiliation you belong to?  We've endured decades of obfuscation and lack of transparency and now all of the sudden you're concerned about transparency?  Let's see how this plays out.  Let's follow the money and find out where trillions of our tax dollars have been spent.  This is the true transparancy that has been lacking in our government, as evidenced daily by the findings of DOGE. 

To address your concern about which programs are "targeted", ALL programs are targeted.  Let's try zero budgeting:  justify every dollar your department needs rather than just adding 10% to last years budget.  The current administration has a mandate and was elected for its policy position and DOGE was appointed to execute that policy. 

Mr. Spinola,

Thank you for your opinion. My political persuasion is "Concerned Citizen." My comments were focused on what DOGE is and how, in our democracy, it legally is authority.  You may have missed the following paragraph in my original statement. "Investigative efforts by journalists, watchdog organizations, and concerned citizens have been obstructed by delayed or denied Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests and the classification of critical documents as "presidential records." Such tactics, intended or not, prevent informed public discourse and diminish democratic oversight over decisions that could reshape our work landscape and community projects."

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David Brotman FAIA Member Emeritus
Sunset Consultants
Scottsdale AZ
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-24-2025 06:24 PM
From: James Spinola AIA
Subject: When Budgets Go Dark, Public Spaces Suffer: Architects Must Speak Up

Let me guess what political affiliation you belong to?  We've endured decades of obfuscation and lack of transparency and now all of the sudden you're concerned about transparency?  Let's see how this plays out.  Let's follow the money and find out where trillions of our tax dollars have been spent.  This is the true transparancy that has been lacking in our government, as evidenced daily by the findings of DOGE. 

To address your concern about which programs are "targeted", ALL programs are targeted.  Let's try zero budgeting:  justify every dollar your department needs rather than just adding 10% to last years budget.  The current administration has a mandate and was elected for its policy position and DOGE was appointed to execute that policy. 

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Jim Spinola, AIA, CSI
Specifications / Quality Assurance
Pennsylvania

Let me guess what political affiliation you belong to?  We've endured decades of obfuscation and lack of transparency and now all of the sudden you're concerned about transparency?  Let's see how this plays out.  Let's follow the money and find out where trillions of our tax dollars have been spent.  This is the true transparancy that has been lacking in our government, as evidenced daily by the findings of DOGE. 

To address your concern about which programs are "targeted", ALL programs are targeted.  Let's try zero budgeting:  justify every dollar your department needs rather than just adding 10% to last years budget.  The current administration has a mandate and was elected for its policy position and DOGE was appointed to execute that policy. 

Let me guess what political affiliation you belong to?  We've endured decades of obfuscation and lack of transparency and now all of the sudden you're concerned about transparency?  Let's see how this plays out.  Let's follow the money and find out where trillions of our tax dollars have been spent.  This is the true transparancy that has been lacking in our government, as evidenced daily by the findings of DOGE. 

To address your concern about which programs are "targeted", ALL programs are targeted.  Let's try zero budgeting:  justify every dollar your department needs rather than just adding 10% to last years budget.  The current administration has a mandate and was elected for its policy position and DOGE was appointed to execute that policy. 

Let me guess what political affiliation you belong to?  We've endured decades of obfuscation and lack of transparency and now all of the sudden you're concerned about transparency?  Let's see how this plays out.  Let's follow the money and find out where trillions of our tax dollars have been spent.  This is the true transparancy that has been lacking in our government, as evidenced daily by the findings of DOGE. 

To address your concern about which programs are "targeted", ALL programs are targeted.  Let's try zero budgeting:  justify every dollar your department needs rather than just adding 10% to last years budget.  The current administration has a mandate and was elected for its policy position and DOGE was appointed to execute that policy. 

Thank you for writing this letter David.  You've articulated so many major issues with DOGE that will affect not only our profession but  the institutions of democracy under attack by this unregulated renegade group led by an unharnessed rogue.  Outrage is warranted and I share your deep concern.  Thank you for your voice.

Jay, I think it's necessary to correct a couple of statements: "attack by this unregulated renegade group led by an unharnessed rogue." The "rogue" you're referring to happens to have been constitutionally elected by a significant majority to be the Commander-in-Chief of our military and the Chief Executive of our nation. There are constitutional checks and balances in place, including term limits, judicial oversight, and congressional action, such as budgetary restrictions and impeachment. These checks and balances "harness" the man, obligating him to do the will of the people or face ouster, reversal, or powerlessness. Since he "regulates" his own branch of the government (just as all former Chief Executives did), the functionaries of those branches are also obligated to do the will of the people or be removed. All of the Presidential endeavors we are now witnessing were described during the man's Presidential campaign, further demonstrating that his functionaries are doing the will of the people. "Outrage" and "concern" are too little, too late, and without sufficient popular support to accomplish anything. Since the Left has lost its information hegemony, it will likewise lose this battle and the nation will be better off for it.

Jay, I think it's necessary to correct a couple of statements: "attack by this unregulated renegade group led by an unharnessed rogue." The "rogue" you're referring to happens to have been constitutionally elected by a significant majority to be the Commander-in-Chief of our military and the Chief Executive of our nation. There are constitutional checks and balances in place, including term limits, judicial oversight, and congressional action, such as budgetary restrictions and impeachment. These checks and balances "harness" the man, obligating him to do the will of the people or face ouster, reversal, or powerlessness. Since he "regulates" his own branch of the government (just as all former Chief Executives did), the functionaries of those branches are also obligated to do the will of the people or be removed. All of the Presidential endeavors we are now witnessing were described during the man's Presidential campaign, further demonstrating that his functionaries are doing the will of the people. "Outrage" and "concern" are too little, too late, and without sufficient popular support to accomplish anything. Since the Left has lost its information hegemony, it will likewise lose this battle and the nation will be better off for it.

Thank you for writing this letter David.  You've articulated so many major issues with DOGE that will affect not only our profession but  the institutions of democracy under attack by this unregulated renegade group led by an unharnessed rogue.  Outrage is warranted and I share your deep concern.  Thank you for your voice.

Sean, I agree with you wholeheartedly. This is a health , safety , and welfare issue that has to be addressed in order for government to stay in business and assure the country does not go bankrupt. If fraud and waste are not addressed there will be no money or capital outlay for GSA or any other government entity to hire architects. We should not be fooled by those fearful of DOGE.

Jay, I think it's necessary to correct a couple of statements: "attack by this unregulated renegade group led by an unharnessed rogue." The "rogue" you're referring to happens to have been constitutionally elected by a significant majority to be the Commander-in-Chief of our military and the Chief Executive of our nation. There are constitutional checks and balances in place, including term limits, judicial oversight, and congressional action, such as budgetary restrictions and impeachment. These checks and balances "harness" the man, obligating him to do the will of the people or face ouster, reversal, or powerlessness. Since he "regulates" his own branch of the government (just as all former Chief Executives did), the functionaries of those branches are also obligated to do the will of the people or be removed. All of the Presidential endeavors we are now witnessing were described during the man's Presidential campaign, further demonstrating that his functionaries are doing the will of the people. "Outrage" and "concern" are too little, too late, and without sufficient popular support to accomplish anything. Since the Left has lost its information hegemony, it will likewise lose this battle and the nation will be better off for it.

Jay, I think it's necessary to correct a couple of statements: "attack by this unregulated renegade group led by an unharnessed rogue." The "rogue" you're referring to happens to have been constitutionally elected by a significant majority to be the Commander-in-Chief of our military and the Chief Executive of our nation. There are constitutional checks and balances in place, including term limits, judicial oversight, and congressional action, such as budgetary restrictions and impeachment. These checks and balances "harness" the man, obligating him to do the will of the people or face ouster, reversal, or powerlessness. Since he "regulates" his own branch of the government (just as all former Chief Executives did), the functionaries of those branches are also obligated to do the will of the people or be removed. All of the Presidential endeavors we are now witnessing were described during the man's Presidential campaign, further demonstrating that his functionaries are doing the will of the people. "Outrage" and "concern" are too little, too late, and without sufficient popular support to accomplish anything. Since the Left has lost its information hegemony, it will likewise lose this battle and the nation will be better off for it.

Thank you for writing this letter David.  You've articulated so many major issues with DOGE that will affect not only our profession but  the institutions of democracy under attack by this unregulated renegade group led by an unharnessed rogue.  Outrage is warranted and I share your deep concern.  Thank you for your voice.

Ok, Sean, I see this was written about 6 weeks ago.  I assume you feel the same way in mid-April 2025. (?)  The stock market and all......  Hey, he is moving fast and breaking things.  That's the idea right.  "All of the Presidential endeavors we are now witnessing were described during the man's Presidential campaign, further demonstrating that his functionaries are doing the will of the people."  I just don't remember the DOGE thing during the campaign.  I don't remember him saying that "if you have a government job, you better be getting your resume out."  I guess I remember tariffs because he thinks they are "beautiful."  Not sure he said we should prepare for a recession (or depression, or stagflation), which are all good things for architects (insert sarcasm here).  How's that deportation of 11 million undocumented people doing?  Maybe sending 250 to El Salvador and filming the event as if it's on Netflix is better for his image.

We need to retire our National Debt.  I agree.  Should he take that money from Social Security and Medicaid to do it ?

Demolition contractors Move Fast and Break Things; architects evaluate, plan, design, detail, execute, and verify.  I think of myself as an architect.

Jay, I think it's necessary to correct a couple of statements: "attack by this unregulated renegade group led by an unharnessed rogue." The "rogue" you're referring to happens to have been constitutionally elected by a significant majority to be the Commander-in-Chief of our military and the Chief Executive of our nation. There are constitutional checks and balances in place, including term limits, judicial oversight, and congressional action, such as budgetary restrictions and impeachment. These checks and balances "harness" the man, obligating him to do the will of the people or face ouster, reversal, or powerlessness. Since he "regulates" his own branch of the government (just as all former Chief Executives did), the functionaries of those branches are also obligated to do the will of the people or be removed. All of the Presidential endeavors we are now witnessing were described during the man's Presidential campaign, further demonstrating that his functionaries are doing the will of the people. "Outrage" and "concern" are too little, too late, and without sufficient popular support to accomplish anything. Since the Left has lost its information hegemony, it will likewise lose this battle and the nation will be better off for it.