I Feel for These Guys

I was handed the feared termination “pink slip” at a federal agency in 1996. I kicked the trash can on my way out of the room. Luckily, I was able to use the civil service appeal system, to convince the administrative law judge (ALJ) that I was providing a unique, essential service. So three months out of work, with a nice trip to San Fran in the middle. But all the fed workers fired now will swamp the appeal system, & probably some of those ALJ’s have been fired too. What will folks feel when it takes months longer to get an intake at the VA? What will folks think when it takes longer to get essential benefits (e.g., Social Security) and no one picks up the phone? And then that IRS question that you end up paying someone to answer, because again the wait on phone is interminable. I can’t see how mindless gutting of the fed government will help us or our economy. Nor do I see the value of taking away some of the competence within this government, which relies on staffing adequacy. Why should we strip FAA of staff assisting flight supervision ? Why should we think we don’t need federal workers—in FDA or CDC—to monitor bird flu or monkey pox? (Though they are now seeking to get some of those knowledgeable re bird flu re-hired—what incompetence on the part of Musk and Trump!) I had a secure career for many years after the layoff. I feel for these fired feds who are in economic limbo, and pray for saner times in the future.