Former USDS Leaders Launch Tech Reform Project to Fix What DOGE Broke

A small team of veteran federal tech officials is pushing for a comprehensive overhaul of the way the US government delivers services to its citizens. Led by Mikey Dickerson, a former Google engineer and first leader of the defunct United States Digital Service (USDS), they aim to create a blueprint for rebooting government services.

Their initiative, called Tech Viaduct, is in its early stages but has already gained significant attention from tech reformers who are disillusioned with the Trump administration's handling of government technology. The team, which includes Denis McDonough, former Obama chief of staff and Biden's secretary of Veterans Affairs; Alexander Macgillivray, Biden's deputy CTO; Marina Nitze, former CTO of the VA; and Hillary Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook, is proposing a master plan to remake government services.

The first aim of Tech Viaduct is to establish an unbiased procurement process, create a merit-based hiring system, and ensure oversight to prevent similar failures in the future. The team plans to devise and test a framework that could be implemented immediately in 2029, without requiring consensus building. They believe that getting buy-in from lawmakers will be crucial to the plan's success.

The second aim is to roll back what they see as the damage caused by the Trump administration's handling of government technology, particularly under the "DOGE" initiative. This includes reversing the de-siloing of personal information and addressing the long-term consequences of previous missteps.

Tech Viaduct's work is heavily dependent on the election of a Democrat to the presidency in 2028. While Dickerson acknowledges that there are no guarantees, he believes that if an opportunity arises, they will be better prepared to capitalize on it.

The plan's prospects for success are uncertain, given the challenges posed by Trump's continued influence and the complexity of government bureaucracy. However, Dickerson remains optimistic and willing to accept the possibility of further setbacks or even being forced into hiding in his Arizona desert observatory if needed.

I'm low-key excited about this Tech Viaduct thing ! It feels like they're getting some serious power users on board, you know? Like Denis McDonough and Alexander Macgillivray are both super connected and respected in the tech world. And I love that they're proposing a merit-based hiring system - no more nepotism or crony capitalism ! The idea of rolling back those "DOGE" initiatives is also a huge win for me, especially since Trump's still influencing the government. I mean, it's not like they can just erase all that damage overnight, but at least they're trying. And who knows, maybe with a Democrat in the presidency, they'll actually have some real power !

I'm all for this kind of initiative, you know? A refresh for the government services would be a massive improvement. The current system is like a big mess, and it's not surprising that we're seeing some of these issues pop up from time to time. I mean, come on, it's been over 10 years since the Trump admin was in power... how much longer can we keep going with the same old ways? I'm curious to see if this Tech Viaduct thing really takes off and makes some real changes. A merit-based hiring system sounds like a great idea, and I'd love to see them tackle that "DOGE" initiative head-on. Maybe we'll finally start to get our government tech in order

idk how much longer we can keep putting off revamping our gov tech, its like they're stuck in the dark ages think about it, google was able to revolutionize search and now they had a team of experts trying to apply that same innovation to fed gov services? why not?! its time for some bold changes, might need to take some risks, but at least we'll be moving forward

I gotta say, it's about time someone takes on those government tech officials . I mean, can you believe what they've done under Trump? It's like they're trying to make us think the internet is for cat videos and memes only . But seriously, this Tech Viaduct thing has me excited. The idea of creating a new system that prioritizes fairness and transparency over politics is music to my ears .

I've seen too many instances where government tech decisions are made based on party loyalty rather than what's best for the people . It's time for some real reform, not just lip service. I'm keeping an eye on this one, and if it sticks, we'll be singing a different tune .

One thing that's got me curious is how they plan to get past Trump's influence . It's gonna take more than just a few tech-savvy folks to make some real changes around here . Still, I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt and see where this Tech Viaduct thing takes us .

OMG you guys I am lowkey obsessed with this Tech Viaduct thing Mikey Dickerson is like a total genius I mean can you believe that he was part of the US Digital Service and now he's leading a team to reboot government services? It's like, how did it come to this? The way they're talking about creating an unbiased procurement process and merit-based hiring system is like, totally on point And reversing the damage caused by the Trump admin's handling of tech is like, so necessary I mean we've all heard stories about the "DOGE" initiative and how it messed everything up So yeah I'm totally rooting for Tech Viaduct to make a difference We need more people like Mikey who are passionate about making government services better

I'm a bit skeptical about this whole thing... I mean, it sounds like they're trying to fix all these problems, but isn't that just a bunch of tech folks coming at government with their solutions? I get where they're coming from, we need better services and more efficiency, but can they actually make it work? And what about the politicians? Will they even care about what this team comes up with?

It's also kinda interesting to see these veteran officials getting involved. Denis McDonough is a big name, and I guess having people like him on board might bring some credibility to the table... But what if they can't get anyone to listen? What if it all just falls apart because of bureaucracy or something?

I do think we need change, though. The whole "DOGE" initiative was a disaster, and we need better ways to handle personal info. But I'm not sure if this team's plan is the magic solution. It feels like more of the same old thing...

I don't know about this whole Tech Viaduct thing... sounds like a bunch of idealism to me . Creating a blueprint for rebooting government services without actually having it implemented is just delaying the inevitable, you know? It's gonna take time and effort to make real changes happen.

And what's with all these old faces coming together to push this agenda? Denis McDonough was chief of staff under Obama, and now he's on board with Tech Viaduct. Where's the young blood in this group? You'd think they'd want some fresh perspectives to really shake things up.

I mean, I'm all for making government services more efficient and user-friendly, but let's not get ahead of ourselves here . This sounds like a whole lot of wishful thinking to me. We need concrete actions and steps being taken now, not just pie-in-the-sky ideas that might never see the light of day.

And what about Trump's influence? You think they're gonna be able to outmaneuver him? It seems like a whole lot of hubris to me. Maybe it's time for them to focus on building some actual momentum behind their plan, rather than just relying on hope and optimism

idk what's going on with this tech viaduct thingy... sounds like a bunch of ppl trying 2 fix the government's tech mess . mikey dickerson and co think dey can just waltz in 2 reboot everythin' without gettin any buy-in from lawmakers? lol . i mean, ain't that how it always goes down? . they're tryna address the trump admin's mess but its like they're hopin on a unicycle while balancin on a tightrope . what if dey get caught in the middle of all the bureaucratic red tape? .

can you imagine a gov't where tech is actually used for good ? a team of experts trying to reboot services is super inspiring! tech viaduct's focus on procurement and hiring systems makes total sense, we've seen how messed up it got under trump . the idea of addressing the damage caused by "DOGE" is also much needed - personal info shouldn't be exploited for politcal gain . i'm curious to see how this whole thing unfolds, and i hope they're able to get that democratic prez in 2028 . fingers crossed it's not all just talk, but a real change for the better

This whole thing is gonna be super interesting to watch. I mean, can you imagine a whole new way of doing gov tech? It's about time we had some fresh blood in there. I'm curious to see how it all plays out, especially with this election in 2028. I guess only time will tell if they'll actually get their plans implemented, but at least it's something different for once

man this is so inspiring I mean can you imagine a government that's actually listening to its people and using tech for good? it feels like a pipe dream but at least there are people like Mikey Dickerson out there who are trying to make it happen their idea of Tech Viaduct seems like a solid starting point, the idea of creating an unbiased procurement process and merit-based hiring system is like a breath of fresh air

I'm loving how passionate Mikey Dickerson is about revamping the way the US gov delivers services ! I mean, can you blame him? The whole "DOGE" fiasco under Trump was a total mess . I think it's awesome that he's not shying away from taking on the challenge and wants to create a blueprint for rebooting government services . Denis McDonough, Alexander Macgillivray, Marina Nitze, and Robby Mook are all bringing their A-game too ! Of course, there's gotta be some skepticism about whether this plan will actually work with Trump still in the mix ... but I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a smoother transition in 2029 . Can't wait to see what Tech Viaduct has in store for us!