Thursday, February 13, 2025
PMT: A bad storm in DC
What's going on in DC? Well, right now, a lot of snow. But that's not all that's coming down fast.
I'd like to make one thing clear: everything in this post is borrowed from others. The photo above I swiped from Steve Tuttle. The ideas are 100% from IPLawGuy, as he has shared over the years from his perspective as a DC lawyer.
It's a terrible time to be a federal employee, especially in DC. I've gotten a cascade of messages from friends from all different parts of my life (college at William & Mary, Yale Law classmates, former Baylor and UST students included) talking about the fear of people in their offices. In part is the attack on the legitimacy of their work, which is wholly unfounded, and also the very real threat of needing to find a new job just as DC is flooded with other unemployed former federal workers.
Sure, there are parts of the federal bureaucracy that could use review, and I'm actually ok with increasing the amount of in-office time people have relative to work from home (though that makes sense in some areas more than others). However, this focus has been entirely on federal workers, and that's not where the real money is going. There are about 2 million federal employees at risk... but there are 5 million employees working on federal contracts, often at salaries that would never fly under the federal schedules if they were directly employed by the government. In other words, we have already out-sourced a lot of what the federal government does, and if real cost savings are to be gained, we have to go after that.
But, of course, those federal contracts are held by the kind of people in Trump's inner circle. And, especially, Elon Musk.
I'm often taken when I visit DC by the affluence of it. There is a ton of money floating around, and it isn't coming through the hands of federal employees.
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Yup, it’s been a ride! I resigned my teaching job giving 6 weeks notice in early January. Was told by my new federal employer that I had to start two weeks early, due to hiring freeze. This led to major disruption at my school and the 150 students I taught. First day I started, fork in the road came out. I’m not taking it, but I’ll be first on the chopping block. I headed back into the government because I was excited about contributing to environmental protection at the federal level again.
I agree that reviewing roles and budgets is a useful exercise. But it’s the disrespect (“bowl of worms “) and extreme disruption of the lives of so many people who are trying to contribute to society that I think is doing the most damage.
I agree that reviewing roles and budgets is a useful exercise. But it’s the disrespect (“bowl of worms “) and extreme disruption of the lives of so many people who are trying to contribute to society that I think is doing the most damage.
# posted by 
: 6:11 AM
: 6:11 AM
Des - I have a friend who just took a federal job and is moving to NoVa. Same situation, her new boss got her working before the freezes went into effect. She is working remotely until they move. Scary times with no guarantees. Best of luck to you.
Thanks Mark! No worries- fortunately we paid the last kid’s final tuition bill in December 😎👍🏻
# posted by : 1:57 PM
: 1:57 PM
Yes, exactly. Federal employees are not paid enormous salaries. Many could make more in the private sector, but they are dedicated to their jobs. Movies that show wealthy federal employees are not based in reality. Its the contractors to whom we have offloaded the business of government, and their lawyers and lobbyists, who live in the huge houses, drive the big Beemers and dine at the fancy restaurants.
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