Even if we could set aside the rampant disinformation influencing the current regime‘s justification for ripping the guts out of federal government agencies (which is a very big “if” to take into account), it just doesn‘t make sense to do it the way they‘re doing it. As we‘ve already seen, they fired people they really shouldn‘t have fired.
True budgetary and policy analysis takes weeks if not months to accomplish properly. #longtimefed #psrw
The #longtimefed is back for Public Service Recognition Week. When I was working, this week usually passed with little fanfare other than a nice boilerplate message from POTUS and maybe one from our Director. This year it‘s a joke at best.
As a #longtimefed I never attended a conference that was co-sponsored by an organization that had ceased to exist…but that happened today. I guess that explains why they didn‘t have any staff at the event. 😥
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/02/us/politics/doge-wilson-center.html
Sometimes the memes just write themselves.
As a #longtimefed I would receive regular briefings and training about the importance of OPSEC. During COVID my office had to jump through hoops to be allowed use Zoom.
These people are ridiculous.
ETA: “But her emails…”
While POTUS was cutting IMLS, he was also dismantling Voice of America and Radio Martí. My career as a #longtimefed started at VOA. I later spent a few years at Radio Martí, where I met my husband and my best friend.
These agencies were not without problems, but they didn‘t deserve to be one more tradition thrown on the scrap heap of history. Meanwhile the “champion of Cuban freedom” does nothing.
I have a complicated relationship with Williamsburg. My sister went to college there, and I was determined to go anywhere else (contrary teenager syndrome) but ended up there anyway. As a #longtimefed I sent colleagues all over the world but never traveled myself, for the first 10+ years.
Then my first work trip was to…Williamsburg! My very last work trip was to nearby Chesapeake, to learn more about processing travel reservations and vouchers.⬇️
As a #longtimefed I‘ve seen staff cuts before. Now I‘m seeing some stunning “whataboutism,” comparing the Clinton-Gore cuts to what DOGE is doing.
Though my agency at the time was minimally affected, I had issues with the initiative.
-Government as a business
-OPM staff laid off during the process
-Increased reliance on contractors
However, there was a logic and process to it. Employees were treated with empathy, which is apparently now a sin.
It looks like the awful CR was passed. Thanks, traitor Dems!
I don‘t have the spoons to write a #longtimefed post today, so I‘ll be back tomorrow with a fresh take.
Meanwhile, I‘ll leave you with this. I was running errands today and saw the most ridiculous cybertruck ever. (Even more than the one wrapped in a realtor‘s ads.) It was painted bright green on the bottom and jet black on the top. I guess it‘s supposed to look like a convertible?
As GSA is the federal government‘s property management agency, OPM is the HR agency. Perhaps I don‘t have a clue, but it seems to me that when you‘re massively cutting your workforce, you don‘t want to cut the staff that will be processing all those retirements and terminations. At least let the dust settle first!
As a #longtimefed I can verify that retirement actions take months to process in the best of times.
For what it‘s worth, this morning I used 5Calls to contact my senators and ask them to vote against the pending continuing resolution.
In “normal” times, I wouldn‘t favor this approach. But we‘re not in normal times. Republicans have proven themselves to be untrustworthy. As a #longtimefed I found the kick-the-can budget process to be disruptive, especially when it would drag on until March. However, we‘re already living under massive disruption.
