Ben Golder
@bgolder.bsky.social
Engineer, former designer. I want public services to be better. Cooking, boxing, and throwing clay in Oakland.
Reposted by Ben Golder
Wow, huge credit to Katie and the rest of the nutrition team at @centeronbudget.bsky.social. USDA has now issued revised numbers because CBPP caught them either accidentally or intentionally making huge errors that would severely underfund SNAP, in direct violation of court orders.
November 6, 2025 at 3:47 AM
Wow, huge credit to Katie and the rest of the nutrition team at @centeronbudget.bsky.social. USDA has now issued revised numbers because CBPP caught them either accidentally or intentionally making huge errors that would severely underfund SNAP, in direct violation of court orders.
I’m happy to see dialogue between OFD and safe streets advocates on street design. It feels like there’s a lot room for the shared goal of reducing deaths and injuries oaklandside.org/2025/11/05/f...
Fire Department debates safe street advocates on Oakland road design
Fire staff want to protect wide open roads to speed response. Safe street advocates want rules that allow for speed bumps and protected bike lanes that slow traffic for safety.
oaklandside.org
November 6, 2025 at 4:57 AM
I’m happy to see dialogue between OFD and safe streets advocates on street design. It feels like there’s a lot room for the shared goal of reducing deaths and injuries oaklandside.org/2025/11/05/f...
Reposted by Ben Golder
Reposted by Ben Golder
As if the NOFO weren't bad enough, take a look at the grant agreement 🤬
Sections B ii and C ix are horrific, and appear to require AC Transit give ICE unfettered access to facilities and personnel and act as kidnapping collaborators, possibly breaking California law
www.dhs.gov/sites/defaul...
Sections B ii and C ix are horrific, and appear to require AC Transit give ICE unfettered access to facilities and personnel and act as kidnapping collaborators, possibly breaking California law
www.dhs.gov/sites/defaul...
September 9, 2025 at 12:59 AM
As if the NOFO weren't bad enough, take a look at the grant agreement 🤬
Sections B ii and C ix are horrific, and appear to require AC Transit give ICE unfettered access to facilities and personnel and act as kidnapping collaborators, possibly breaking California law
www.dhs.gov/sites/defaul...
Sections B ii and C ix are horrific, and appear to require AC Transit give ICE unfettered access to facilities and personnel and act as kidnapping collaborators, possibly breaking California law
www.dhs.gov/sites/defaul...
Reposted by Ben Golder
Free transportation gets endless funding. Paid transport must be run like a business.
July 25, 2025 at 12:25 AM
Free transportation gets endless funding. Paid transport must be run like a business.
Reposted by Ben Golder
"The answer came back days later in an email from Spencer Chretien, the highest-ranking official in the State Department's refugee and migration bureau, saying the program is intended for white people."
Zero other refugees are being settled. So that makes our refugee program literally whites-only.
Zero other refugees are being settled. So that makes our refugee program literally whites-only.
Exclusive: US diplomats asked if non-whites qualify for Trump refugee program for South Africans reut.rs/3H6mYnH
Exclusive: US diplomats asked if non-whites qualify for Trump refugee program for South Africans
In early July, the top official at the U.S. embassy in South Africa reached out to Washington asking for clarification on a contentious U.S. policy: could non-whites apply for a refugee program geared toward white South Africans if they met other requirements?
reut.rs
July 25, 2025 at 6:56 PM
"The answer came back days later in an email from Spencer Chretien, the highest-ranking official in the State Department's refugee and migration bureau, saying the program is intended for white people."
Zero other refugees are being settled. So that makes our refugee program literally whites-only.
Zero other refugees are being settled. So that makes our refugee program literally whites-only.
Reposted by Ben Golder
A Borges story about a guy who gets AI to summarize all the world’s information for him, and then summarize the summary, until the AI has the whole world summarized into a single word. He sits alone at his desk, staring at the word, repeating it endlessly, certain he is experiencing everything
July 14, 2025 at 3:02 PM
A Borges story about a guy who gets AI to summarize all the world’s information for him, and then summarize the summary, until the AI has the whole world summarized into a single word. He sits alone at his desk, staring at the word, repeating it endlessly, certain he is experiencing everything
@phlairport.bsky.social it looks like your wifi has an invalid security certificate
July 11, 2025 at 7:51 PM
@phlairport.bsky.social it looks like your wifi has an invalid security certificate
Reposted by Ben Golder
There was essentially zero coverage of the disabled protest to stop Medicaid cuts. Capitol police dragged protesters out, many in wheelchairs, and arrested 34 people. It was barely a blip on the news because nobody really cares about the disabled.
June 30, 2025 at 9:16 PM
There was essentially zero coverage of the disabled protest to stop Medicaid cuts. Capitol police dragged protesters out, many in wheelchairs, and arrested 34 people. It was barely a blip on the news because nobody really cares about the disabled.
This is a big deal, happy to see it!
One of the biggest obstacles to building new housing in California has now vanished
After a decade of battling, lawmakers just exempted infill urban development from the California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA.
calmatters.org
July 1, 2025 at 3:04 AM
This is a big deal, happy to see it!
Reposted by Ben Golder
Have you:
• Filed a complaint with the CFPB in the past year?
• Had problems with a company whose case the CFPB dismissed or stopped investigating?
• Been in touch with the CFPB regarding investigations or resolutions in the past year?
Tell us how the gutting of the CFPB has impacted you ⤵️
• Filed a complaint with the CFPB in the past year?
• Had problems with a company whose case the CFPB dismissed or stopped investigating?
• Been in touch with the CFPB regarding investigations or resolutions in the past year?
Tell us how the gutting of the CFPB has impacted you ⤵️
Have You Recently Sought Help From the CFPB? ProPublica Wants to Hear From You.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is walking away from cases that might have helped return money to consumers across the U.S. We want to hear from people who feel left behind.
www.propublica.org
April 29, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Have you:
• Filed a complaint with the CFPB in the past year?
• Had problems with a company whose case the CFPB dismissed or stopped investigating?
• Been in touch with the CFPB regarding investigations or resolutions in the past year?
Tell us how the gutting of the CFPB has impacted you ⤵️
• Filed a complaint with the CFPB in the past year?
• Had problems with a company whose case the CFPB dismissed or stopped investigating?
• Been in touch with the CFPB regarding investigations or resolutions in the past year?
Tell us how the gutting of the CFPB has impacted you ⤵️
Reposted by Ben Golder
Current and former CFPB staffers: We want to hear from you.
👉 Get in touch with our reporter Jake Pearson securely on Signal at 917-512-0276.
👉 Get in touch with our reporter Jake Pearson securely on Signal at 917-512-0276.
NEW: A DOGE staffer who is helping carry out the downsizing of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau owns stock in companies that could benefit from the agency’s dismantling, ProPublica has found.
A DOGE Aide Involved in Dismantling Consumer Bureau Owns Stock in Companies That Could Benefit From the Cuts
Gavin Kliger helped oversee mass firings at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau while holding stock in companies that experts say likely stand to benefit from dismantling that agency — a potentia...
www.propublica.org
April 29, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Current and former CFPB staffers: We want to hear from you.
👉 Get in touch with our reporter Jake Pearson securely on Signal at 917-512-0276.
👉 Get in touch with our reporter Jake Pearson securely on Signal at 917-512-0276.
Freaky Tales is a very fun movie. This is a great weekend to go see it at Grand Lake if you can
April 6, 2025 at 1:29 AM
Freaky Tales is a very fun movie. This is a great weekend to go see it at Grand Lake if you can
Reposted by Ben Golder
And if your NIH research grant has been terminated: www.propublica.org/getinvolved/...
Or if you recently sought help from the CFPB: www.propublica.org/getinvolved/...
Our reporters want to hear from you.
Or if you recently sought help from the CFPB: www.propublica.org/getinvolved/...
Our reporters want to hear from you.
Did You Work on a Terminated NIH Grant? ProPublica Wants to Hear From You.
The National Institutes of Health is canceling grants that are seen as conflicting with the Trump administration’s priorities. We want to hear from researchers who have been affected.
www.propublica.org
March 31, 2025 at 5:19 PM
And if your NIH research grant has been terminated: www.propublica.org/getinvolved/...
Or if you recently sought help from the CFPB: www.propublica.org/getinvolved/...
Our reporters want to hear from you.
Or if you recently sought help from the CFPB: www.propublica.org/getinvolved/...
Our reporters want to hear from you.
Reposted by Ben Golder
The govt is shutting down its nascent text messaging program used to mass distribute reminders about Medicaid benefits and other programs, as I reported a while ago
The website now says that "Notify. gov Service Ending"
The website now says that "Notify. gov Service Ending"
March 17, 2025 at 6:54 PM
The govt is shutting down its nascent text messaging program used to mass distribute reminders about Medicaid benefits and other programs, as I reported a while ago
The website now says that "Notify. gov Service Ending"
The website now says that "Notify. gov Service Ending"
Reposted by Ben Golder
Ever wonder why apartment buildings look the way they do? I wrote an article on the building and zoning codes - such as height limits in the US and daylight access in China - that determine the design of apartments.
worksinprogress.co/issue/chines...
worksinprogress.co/issue/chines...
March 14, 2025 at 1:29 AM
Ever wonder why apartment buildings look the way they do? I wrote an article on the building and zoning codes - such as height limits in the US and daylight access in China - that determine the design of apartments.
worksinprogress.co/issue/chines...
worksinprogress.co/issue/chines...
Reposted by Ben Golder
The General Services Administration appears to be dismissing at least 100 tech employees. GSA helps agencies across govt with their tech.
“The cuts to technical talent today are going to hurt the American people,” one GSA employee told me
www.nextgov.com/people/2025/...
“The cuts to technical talent today are going to hurt the American people,” one GSA employee told me
www.nextgov.com/people/2025/...
GSA to cut at least 100 employees, feds inside the agency say
Employees within the agency’s Technology Transformation Services received calls from supervisors Wednesday informing them of their impending dismissals.
www.nextgov.com
February 13, 2025 at 4:01 AM
The General Services Administration appears to be dismissing at least 100 tech employees. GSA helps agencies across govt with their tech.
“The cuts to technical talent today are going to hurt the American people,” one GSA employee told me
www.nextgov.com/people/2025/...
“The cuts to technical talent today are going to hurt the American people,” one GSA employee told me
www.nextgov.com/people/2025/...
Reposted by Ben Golder
My local library automatically renews borrowed items and gives me a notice. Imagine a world where many safety net benefits get the same treatment. For Medicaid, the ex-parte renewal rate is 55% nationwide as of October 2023: www.kff.org/policy-watch...
Understanding Medicaid Ex Parte Renewals During the Unwinding | KFF
As states unwind the Medicaid continuous enrollment provision, they must comply with federal renewal requirements, including the requirement to conduct ex parte, or automated renewals. This policy wat...
www.kff.org
May 13, 2024 at 9:47 PM
My local library automatically renews borrowed items and gives me a notice. Imagine a world where many safety net benefits get the same treatment. For Medicaid, the ex-parte renewal rate is 55% nationwide as of October 2023: www.kff.org/policy-watch...
Reposted by Ben Golder
TIL AC Transit is cutting 20% of its service in part because it has to subsidize SF Transit Center to the tune of $4.2M every year because Caltrain and CAHSR backed out of their commitments
January 25, 2024 at 7:27 AM
TIL AC Transit is cutting 20% of its service in part because it has to subsidize SF Transit Center to the tune of $4.2M every year because Caltrain and CAHSR backed out of their commitments
Reposted by Ben Golder
fyi if you would like to receive plotter drawing map postcards in 2024: wares.lifewinning.com/products/202...
Been sending out plotter postcards depicting various sites along the semiconductor supply chain all year and getting this last one in under the wire
December 27, 2023 at 11:37 PM
fyi if you would like to receive plotter drawing map postcards in 2024: wares.lifewinning.com/products/202...
Is there such a thing as a cocktail bar where I can do an arts and crafts project? I wanna go out but I also want to make something
November 18, 2023 at 4:38 AM
Is there such a thing as a cocktail bar where I can do an arts and crafts project? I wanna go out but I also want to make something
Today's earthquake alert in the Bay Area was a good reminder to make sure I have an earthquake kit ready. It also reminded me about disaster narratives and the book "A Paradise Built in Hell" by Rebecca Solnit
www.goodreads.com/book/show/64...
www.goodreads.com/book/show/64...
October 19, 2023 at 12:08 AM
Today's earthquake alert in the Bay Area was a good reminder to make sure I have an earthquake kit ready. It also reminded me about disaster narratives and the book "A Paradise Built in Hell" by Rebecca Solnit
www.goodreads.com/book/show/64...
www.goodreads.com/book/show/64...