#politics

My alert went off this morning. Good times for another executive. From publicly available information…

Chris Koster, Centene’s General Counsel:

2023: $4.84M
2024: $5.06M
2025: $6.51M

On August 18, 2026, Koster sold 47,603 Centene shares for roughly $3.11 million. $16.4M in three years. Cha-Ching sir! Here are the stock trades:

https://www.nasdaq.com/market-activity/insiders/koster-christopher-1108982

Not bad for the top lawyer at a company whose business is largely administering taxpayer-funded healthcare.

Koster went from county prosecutor → Missouri Senator → Missouri Attorney General → Centene executive.

So basically, decades in Missouri government followed by millions a year at one of the country’s largest Medicaid contractors.

At least someone figured out how to make Medicaid profitable. But sure, keep cutting the people doing the actual work. That ought to fix the margins. And congrats, Chris. Don’t spend it all in one place.

There are just too many people between the work and the results. Managers of managers, directors of nothing, and their only real skill is creating more meetings and more politics. They think they're helping, but they're really just slowing everything down. Get rid of them in the next round of cuts and we'll all be better off.

First, this company doe not have "lay off". Instead, they do PIP. I think you all know the drill. They would say something BS and label you as "To be improved". Then your manager will tell you" Oh so sorry, but we have to put you in PIP. This is to help you. And they let you go at the end of PIP.

You probably ask why? Because this firm has been doing this for decades, and it is the cheapest way to let people go considering all the risks.

And they love hiring people with bureaucratic mindset. As long as you are good at politics, you should not miss this place. I believe you will shine here.

NOT FOR ME. Peace out.

Also, more layoff, sorry more PIPs are coming. Be prepared crewmembers. You know, it is in the memos.

Not sure why SLT cannot see their sh---y politics and zero value add to the organization.

Shannon bell wake up.

https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/upheaval-at-fannie-mae-raises-stability-concerns-57535616

• Have an exit strategy
• Dont get baited with gaslighting tactics from old employees. They attempt to trigger you so that they can stay as Good in assessment
• Show meaningful value in your assignments, quantify and use behaviors
• Create a process or system that stands the test of time and provides value
• Dont get caught up in politics, the chosen ones are blessed. Pray that they do well. If you dont get promoted, move on, It just wasnt your time or moment.
• The companys job is to create value, if it cant do that, stock price goes down and we all can get laid off
• Every company is facing the same pressure, find something that makes you happy outside of work.
• High salary, 401k, pension, and benefits. No one leaves a loser after 15 years.

In Finance they declassified 15 execs to protect them from the two strike rule. Now they are competing at 28-29 level and can avoid NSI. Guess how they selected which execs were declassed? Definitely not the older ones. How is that legal?

What happens to Oxy if Trump bombs Oman? We have a big position there don’t we?

https://apnews.com/article/oman-iran-war-us-hormuz-a8298715a51159225d2f37a6d50ce682

Those of us designated NSI, for performance reasons, politics, or just because some freak Project Manager with the stupidest hairstyle hated you, what are your thoughts during this 21 day decision period?
What are you likely to choose and why?

If your career is not owned by GP then you should NEVER accept a role where you will be ranked with GP. For example a project assignment. They will use you to fill the bottom of the rank group and protect their own. They do not value the contributions of anyone who is not from GP.

A bunch of buddies who were politically selected walking around campus pretending they own the company in Belgrade and laughing and walking around all day protecting each other and posting pictures on LinkedIn where each sends a like to one another within 5 minutes. Typical drzavna frima behavior, where the general manager has yet to speak with his employees on the floor .. and not to mention the HR Director that has no clue what she is doing, because basically she is doing what she is told lol, but as everyone can see they cant raise food allowance for employees for 10 dollars in 10 years, but what they can do is post pictures how they are going out to diner with very important people ...

Hows the politicking going on in our most political function?

And things got worst with all the h1bs playing politics and amazingly enough h1bs are being hired by h1bs friends and families.

A good one to write to congress jn support of

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/department-of-homeland-security-plan-that-hints-at-us-government-increasing-fees-for-h-1b-and-l-1-visas-for-large-companies/amp_articleshow/132858904.cms

The Connecticut Education Association's endorsement of Governor Lamont is being questioned due to ongoing school funding issues. Despite the governor's claims of full funding, districts like Bridgeport have experienced significant layoffs and program cuts. The CEA's own testimony highlights underfunding, leading to reduced resources and strained special education services. This disconnect raises doubts about the governor's commitment to educators and students. The article suggests that the endorsement contradicts the reality faced by many school districts.

Bridgeport, CT

https://ctexaminer.com/2026/08/01/cea-endorsement-is-baffling-to-me/

Source: Justin Bateh, PhD

Tactical advice for managers running teams, projects, & operations in the AI era | CEO @ AI Operators Lab | Led 40 AI Rollouts | PhD & PMP | Top 100 Maven Educator | Leadership • AI • Project Management • Career Growth.

They didn’t teach me this in school:

1/ Perception beats performance
→ People promote who they trust,
→ Not just who deliver
→ How you're seen > what you do

2/ The real decisions happen before the meeting
→ Most rooms are just theater
→ Influence happens behind closed doors

3/ Loyalty is transactional
→ It’s not personal, it’s positional
→ Don’t confuse company values
→ With job security

4/ Power protects power
→ People in charge defend their seat first
→ Be aware of the hierarchy
→ Even when it's unspoken

5/ Silence is strategy
→ Sometimes the smartest play is no play
→ You don’t need to join
→ Every argument you’re invited to

6/ Allies matter more than arguments
→ Influence flows through relationships
→ The right support can move mountains quietly

7/ Information is currency
→ What you know can help, or hurt, you
→ Share wisely, not widely

8/ Your reputation moves faster than your resume
→ People talk, good or bad
→ Make sure the version of you in the room
→ Matches the one outside it

9/ Not everyone wants you to win
→ Growth triggers discomfort in others
→ Keep rising anyway

10/ Politics are unavoidable
→ It’s not dirty. It’s real.
→ Navigating power is part of leadership

Don’t ignore politics. Understand it. Then use it to protect your team and your growth.

With the cuts to stuff by the trump admin this was going to happen. For most of us, long term finding work not directly affected by d-mb populist government decisions is probably going to be a good thing.

Funny to see Imperial posting about supporting the Stampede while pulling so many jobs out of Calgary. Yeah, way to support the community. Not.

I've never worked somewhere with worse working environment than L3H.

Serious question for current and former Nike employees:

At what point does internal politics become corruption?

Do you think Nike has crossed that line? If so, where do you see it most, promotions, hiring, performance reviews, vendor relationships, executive decision-making, or somewhere else?

Looking for thoughtful discussion based on firsthand experience.

By politicians to address layoffs and limiting h1b visas or suspending those for at least a year or more.

I hate it here. I hate the politics, the chaos, and the daily stress, among many other things. But every time I update my LinkedIn, I get messages from recruiters who only see the brand. That's the strange bargain I've made - suffer through the dysfunction so I can leverage the PayPal name for my next move while it still means something. At least it should be good for something.

For the normal ppl on here if if you have ever wondered what it's like to feel like a retiree watching Fox news 24/7 here you go.

As I was browsing through LinkedIn today I couldn’t help but noticing how many P66 employees have what appear to be just made up positions. These are not necessarily highly paid positions but it does seem certain people are being “taken care of”.
In too many cases it not what you know or what you can do but rather what connections you have.
This is happening while Go-Go and Tractor Man are laying off legitimately good employees.

So AC is leaving. And VA consolidating power under him and empire building by adding VPs under him.
Honestly though what were ACs accomplishments? Heck what were his R&Rs? I never really understood what he did.

All through my years I was just delivering something for Oracle based on company /team requirements from top. Most of these are non-innovative, mundane, repetitive tasks occupying my time, energy, efforts. I have done some valuable things but are not rewarded for those. I was happy with 2% increments.

Here is the problem, your friends in other companies are seeing hyper growth for what you are doing now. Even in small company they grow big and paid more.
Its a hare and tortoise game. We run fast and want to rest in shade of Oracle tree thinking management directions will help us grow and move forward. Where the tortoises are winning.

Oracle is/has become a Political Junk yard.

Same old one Pearson project. Same old story. Different stupid trollop hiring her mates to underachieve.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/third-world-aliens-are-coming-through-h1b-visas-texas-activist-targets-hindu-temple-in-viral-post/amp_articleshow/128351350.cms

https://thefederal.com/category/business/us-senator-eric-schmitt-hyderabad-visa-temple-h1b1-critique-243194

Recently there are lots of news floating around H-1b being mis-used for promotion, hiring, layoff,vendor consultant hiring, politics inside Citigroup. Here is the press release for reporting these issues and you will get compensated:

https://www.oig.dol.gov/public/Press%20Releases/OIG-Press-Release-070826.htm

Reports may be submitted to the U.S. Department of Labor OIG Hotline: 1-800-347-3756 or https://www.oig.dol.gov/hotline.htm

If you have a peer who is H-1b, then you can claim your layoff was fraudulent if you can prove it with your contribution details and hierarchy details. Your management is also held responsible for invalid promotions, salary increments to H-1b

What happened to the Trump loco? It’s like it has disappeared. Not at any celebrations for the 250th. Not really any coverage about it. Seems odd after all that was done to get this thing made. No mention of it by The White House or Trump himself, and you would have thought he would have been slobbering all over that, narcs love it when things are dedicated to them.

Sounds like a lot of mediocre male Shell lifers nearing the end of their time on farm and lashing out that the world no longer revolves around them.

https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/trump-admin-launches-its-first-major-h-1b-visa-fraud-investigation.amp

“He said the Trump administration's goal is to make sure hardworking Americans are not seeing their jobs taken away by foreigners or people who are gaming the system or financially benefiting from bringing these individuals into America and putting them into jobs that, quite frankly, they are not qualified to do."

Here is some new development - Trump admin launches its first major H-1B visa fraud investigation.

In US' Major H-1B Fraud Probe, Trump Official's Cognizant Mention
https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/in-us-major-h-1b-fraud-probe-trump-officials-cognizant-mention-11746201

The culture here is literally disgusting. I work in a matrix environment where my manager knows nothing of what I do. All my work is distributed by a ‘product owner’ who is the most incompetent person ever and always throwing the team under the bus for her own gain and could not make decision or do anything for the team to save her life. All she knows how to do is kiss a-s and play games. Constantly I am dealing with nasty politics from people like her. People make things so needlessly difficult here. No one wants to do their job they’re rather play petty games that it’s like pulling teeth getting anything done and makes every day miserable. It’s so exhausting and sometimes it makes me disgusted by the corporate rot. Yes every company has politics and can be nasty but this is pretty bad

After June 17 announcement, i picked the pieces and now realizing what they did to me and im actually in a more better and pleasant position being surplussed.

I think you will have an idea who is my AD and the Director.

I am located in New England. 2nd qtr of 2025 i have been tapped by my AD says, “me and the AD agreed that instead of NY/NJ market hire for a new person, it is better if you can help them”

They threw me in the fire! And proud to say i did managed the most important role to get their 720+ Allagi swapped small cells in 2025.

I am very vocal that keep asking my AD how i can be graded in 2025 in workday? And when will i get back to New England? He said ill talk to my Director. Long story short, nothing happens. NJ/NY kept me and continuing the role what i did in 2025.

2026, allagi stopped die to this new equipment they arw trying to brings in and of course the internal thing happening about layoff.

I have to defend myself about all these things you are going to be layoff first about lacking performance.

I have a lot of team mates in new england that many of them just forwading emails and no clue what to do. I am being mishandled.

Politics in this company is breathtaking.

POTUS’ words not mine. I wonder how he’ll be “repaid”? The great philanthropist is a fraud.

Amanda Garcia-Snell, a top Portland official, resigned with a severance package. She received over $91,000 and six months of health insurance. Garcia-Snell is the sixth agency director to leave with a payout in the last year. Total severance costs for these six leaders now exceed $1 million. The city has a long-standing policy for such generous payouts.

Portland, Oregon

https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2026/06/portland-pays-another-top-official-to-resign-as-costs-of-recent-severances-surpass-1m.html

McKinsey is the devil and Jonathan Riguad is their Dutch plug. They are the epitome of if GPS told them to turn right into a lake they are surely drowning. Abysmal

To those people who somehow benefited from this broken system and still call it totally fair: of course, it looks fair when you manipulate the system to get the outcome you want. Sitting in that room and assigning a rank to individuals is the very last step of the show management directed. Let’s break it down: you purposely put certain people on specific projects or tasks, you protect some individuals no matter what, and you advocate for the golden ones while someone with no membership in the cult works their a-s off and still gets nothing. God forbid not protected ones have had a tough year; does management apply the same compassion they apply to the golden ones? I doubt it.

Ugh eyes roll… late joiner comes in and takes credit for “engineering 2.0” and now gets appointed head of applied AI with zero qualifications. This place runs on PowerPoint decks apparently