Wake me up from this nightmare

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I cannot believe that we may be facing double unemployment. I'm a federal contractor and my spouse is a fed. At the end of 2024 we both received promotions and were doing well and happy in our careers. My company is crumbling around me with contracts being terminated and layoffs and all I can do is watch. We are in our 40s with two young kids and a mortgage. We are financially conservative and can live on one income comfortably without childcare, which has always given us piece of mind. However, we are now in what would usually seem like a remote possibility that both of us would be unemployed at the same time for a potentially extended period. I cannot focus on anything--my work, my kids. I'm depressed just thinking about how happy everyone was in December and now the future looks bleak and uncertain. My kids have no idea what is going on.

I really wish someone would shine a light on what is going on, because we can't be the only ones. DOGE has not even started with NIH, FDA, and SAMSHA and RIFs--Montgomery County is going to a disaster. I think the rest of the country doesn't care.

This is so stressful and I'm sorry you're going through it. I hate what Trump and Musk are doing, and I'm so scared for our country. And if they manage to layoff and cut as many workers and contracts as they want, our family faces a similar risk since our jobs rely on that spending.

I will just say that many communities in the US have been decimated in recent history by cuts in manufacturing jobs since the 80s and most recently during the Great Recession. Obama was in office for 8 years and those manufacturing jobs did not recover. I think we need to be sensitive to that when we talk about others not caring about Montgomery County.

Also - Montgomery County Government is hiring! Look into their budget office for jobs.

Re: Great Recession, (1) there were so many bailouts and jobs programs and retraining programs, to say nothing of later efforts like the IRA that have been great for manufacturing, and (2) the 2008 crash was caused by the kind of deregulation that is happening again now.
We are trapped in this cycle of Republican policies crashing the economy, the government bailing them out, and then people complaining about the government not doing enough so let's fire them.

Manufacturing jobs did not recover.

I'm not saying Obama didn't do anything. But the reality is that none of these government programs address the root causes of the loss of jobs in the manufacturing sector, which was driven by globalization that both Republicans and Democrats supported. And I don't know what the answer is, nor am I equating that with Trump and Musk's illegal actions, but if we are talking about elected officials making decisions that decimate communities and then saying nobody cares about the risk to our community - we need to be sensitive to that.

Multiple government bailouts and recovery plans is, by definition, people caring.
I don't see any congressional program to train fired feds to be solar technicians or electricians, like we had for those communities.

It matters because this tone policing is part of the problem. Feds are supposed to shut up and take it on the chin because we always have before, and our elected reps are used to us doing that so they are indifferent.

+1

Also last I checked Obama did create a billionaire commission to send daily emails to manufacturing plants letting the employees know how useless they are, enticing them into a fraudulent resignation offer, fire them for reasons unrelated to market forces or misconduct, gloat all over the media about their job losses, and move their worksites to far flung locations just to make them miserable.

Like you just cannot even begin to compare what is going on now to manufacturing job loss.

None of what you are posting remotely negates any of what I said. I even bolded where I clearly stated that I don't think what is going on is "the same" and you chose to ignore that.

I will repost below for your convenienI agree and sympathize with OP and may even be in the same boat soon. I don't think anybody should shut up but specifically, I think talking about how other people don't care about Montgomery County is going to fall flat in many places, so maybe focus on the numerous other horrific aspects of what is happening right now?

I'm not saying Obama didn't do anything. But the reality is that none of these government programs address the root causes of the loss of jobs in the manufacturing sector, which was driven by globalization that both Republicans and Democrats supported. And I don't know what the answer is, nor am I equating that with Trump and Musk's illegal actions, but if we are talking about elected officials making decisions that decimate communities and then saying nobody cares about the risk to our community - we need to be sensitive to that.

NP - nah. Stop scolding people for having a normal human reaction to deliberate attempts by a vindictive megalomaniac (several of them, actually) to terrorize them. No one was cackling gleefully about closing manufacturing facilities. Moreover, those closures were not done sheerly out of spite. Move along if you have nothing supportive to contribute.

Who here is cackling? Jfc

I agree with OP on everything but one statement that she wrote about other people not about herself. Sorry you don't like that.

DP. Pretty sure the PP was referring to members of the present Admin rather than DCUM posters (omitting that one PP who got reported and deleted for such an attitude and accompanying potty mouth). There is a gleeful and vindictive attitude surrounding these job losses that was never present in job losses in other sectors under other Admins, including previous Republican Admins.

Thanks, PP - yes, I was referring to the current administration and contrasting them in particular with administrations in charge during manufacturing job losses. No one was cheering those on. The cruelty currently on display is a large part of what makes this situation a nightmare.

OP said nobody cares, not members of the current administration are cruel.

I agree with the latter. I think the former is probably true in many places but can you say you really cared that much about the towns and cities that have been decimated by the loss of manufacturing jobs? That's great that Obama tried in the ways that he did, but maybe stop making this about him? The communities are still struggling.

You’re being deliberately obtuse. Elon Musk is on the propaganda spreading website that he owns tweeting about how terrible the civil service is and spreading lies about them in order to drum up support for his revenge seeking on government agencies who have come after him and his companies or that are contrary to his own objectives. Clearly that propaganda has permeated here as well because you refuse to face that fact.

I'm so sorry, I didn't realize the ok only thing your brain can process is "Musk bad! Trump bad'!"

Explain it in a nuanced way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The only one who can change your situation is you, OP. Change is hard and scary but sitting in a sense of powerlessness is pointless and risky. Best of luck in your job hunting.

OP, this person is undoubtedly a (relatively) (financially) successful MAGA Republican who thinks that they are smart and capable because Daddy’s golfing buddy hooked them up with a lucrative bullshit job immediately after they exited the frat house for the final time two decades ago.

This is evident based on the whole lot of “nothing” they said, most likely thinking they were spouting some great wisdom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only one who can change your situation is you, OP. Change is hard and scary but sitting in a sense of powerlessness is pointless and risky. Best of luck in your job hunting.

OP, this person is undoubtedly a (relatively) (financially) successful MAGA Republican who thinks that they are smart and capable because Daddy’s golfing buddy hooked them up with a lucrative bullshit job immediately after they exited the frat house for the final time two decades ago.

This is evident based on the whole lot of “nothing” they said, most likely thinking they were spouting some great wisdom.

Hardly. Lifelong Dem who recently had to find a new job after a layoff in my 50s. Focusing on what you can control is the best way through. Woman, too, misogyny dripped from that post.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I cannot believe that we may be facing double unemployment. I'm a federal contractor and my spouse is a fed. At the end of 2024 we both received promotions and were doing well and happy in our careers. My company is crumbling around me with contracts being terminated and layoffs and all I can do is watch. We are in our 40s with two young kids and a mortgage. We are financially conservative and can live on one income comfortably without childcare, which has always given us piece of mind. However, we are now in what would usually seem like a remote possibility that both of us would be unemployed at the same time for a potentially extended period. I cannot focus on anything--my work, my kids. I'm depressed just thinking about how happy everyone was in December and now the future looks bleak and uncertain. My kids have no idea what is going on.

I really wish someone would shine a light on what is going on, because we can't be the only ones. DOGE has not even started with NIH, FDA, and SAMSHA and RIFs--Montgomery County is going to a disaster. I think the rest of the country doesn't care.

This is so stressful and I'm sorry you're going through it. I hate what Trump and Musk are doing, and I'm so scared for our country. And if they manage to layoff and cut as many workers and contracts as they want, our family faces a similar risk since our jobs rely on that spending.

I will just say that many communities in the US have been decimated in recent history by cuts in manufacturing jobs since the 80s and most recently during the Great Recession. Obama was in office for 8 years and those manufacturing jobs did not recover. I think we need to be sensitive to that when we talk about others not caring about Montgomery County.

Also - Montgomery County Government is hiring! Look into their budget office for jobs.

Re: Great Recession, (1) there were so many bailouts and jobs programs and retraining programs, to say nothing of later efforts like the IRA that have been great for manufacturing, and (2) the 2008 crash was caused by the kind of deregulation that is happening again now.
We are trapped in this cycle of Republican policies crashing the economy, the government bailing them out, and then people complaining about the government not doing enough so let's fire them.

Manufacturing jobs did not recover.

I'm not saying Obama didn't do anything. But the reality is that none of these government programs address the root causes of the loss of jobs in the manufacturing sector, which was driven by globalization that both Republicans and Democrats supported. And I don't know what the answer is, nor am I equating that with Trump and Musk's illegal actions, but if we are talking about elected officials making decisions that decimate communities and then saying nobody cares about the risk to our community - we need to be sensitive to that.

Multiple government bailouts and recovery plans is, by definition, people caring.
I don't see any congressional program to train fired feds to be solar technicians or electricians, like we had for those communities.

It matters because this tone policing is part of the problem. Feds are supposed to shut up and take it on the chin because we always have before, and our elected reps are used to us doing that so they are indifferent.

+1

Also last I checked Obama did create a billionaire commission to send daily emails to manufacturing plants letting the employees know how useless they are, enticing them into a fraudulent resignation offer, fire them for reasons unrelated to market forces or misconduct, gloat all over the media about their job losses, and move their worksites to far flung locations just to make them miserable.

Like you just cannot even begin to compare what is going on now to manufacturing job loss.

None of what you are posting remotely negates any of what I said. I even bolded where I clearly stated that I don't think what is going on is "the same" and you chose to ignore that.

I will repost below for your convenienI agree and sympathize with OP and may even be in the same boat soon. I don't think anybody should shut up but specifically, I think talking about how other people don't care about Montgomery County is going to fall flat in many places, so maybe focus on the numerous other horrific aspects of what is happening right now?

I'm not saying Obama didn't do anything. But the reality is that none of these government programs address the root causes of the loss of jobs in the manufacturing sector, which was driven by globalization that both Republicans and Democrats supported. And I don't know what the answer is, nor am I equating that with Trump and Musk's illegal actions, but if we are talking about elected officials making decisions that decimate communities and then saying nobody cares about the risk to our community - we need to be sensitive to that.

NP - nah. Stop scolding people for having a normal human reaction to deliberate attempts by a vindictive megalomaniac (several of them, actually) to terrorize them. No one was cackling gleefully about closing manufacturing facilities. Moreover, those closures were not done sheerly out of spite. Move along if you have nothing supportive to contribute.

Who here is cackling? Jfc

I agree with OP on everything but one statement that she wrote about other people not about herself. Sorry you don't like that.

DP. Pretty sure the PP was referring to members of the present Admin rather than DCUM posters (omitting that one PP who got reported and deleted for such an attitude and accompanying potty mouth). There is a gleeful and vindictive attitude surrounding these job losses that was never present in job losses in other sectors under other Admins, including previous Republican Admins.

Thanks, PP - yes, I was referring to the current administration and contrasting them in particular with administrations in charge during manufacturing job losses. No one was cheering those on. The cruelty currently on display is a large part of what makes this situation a nightmare.

OP said nobody cares, not members of the current administration are cruel.

I agree with the latter. I think the former is probably true in many places but can you say you really cared that much about the towns and cities that have been decimated by the loss of manufacturing jobs? That's great that Obama tried in the ways that he did, but maybe stop making this about him? The communities are still struggling.

I wasn’t addressing the OP, I was addressing the PP (you?) who insists that manufacturing cuts are a relevant comparator to the current situation. They’re not, and it’s disingenuous to claim that they are.

Moreover, my actual job includes identifying needs and directing funds to communities with limited access to healthcare, many of which are the rural communities decimated by the loss of manufacturing jobs. So, please, STFU with your speculative insults.

So you're saying you are personally aware of how these communities suffered and you think it's okay to whine about how they don't care enough about you? Seriously? That's even worse.

I really don't know how many different ways I can say that I don't support Trump or Musk, I think what they are doing is horrible and NOT THE SAME THING as the massive losses of manufacturing jobs in many communities, AND that it's insensitive to complain about people from those places not caring enough about Montgomery County, one of the wealthiest counties in the nation, given what they have been through over the last four decades.

You sound like a right-winger trying to make federal workers look bad by saying stupid sh&t online.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I am so, so sorry OP. It is indeed a nightmare (fellow contractor here). And what makes it worse is that they are intentionally doing this to inflict pain. This is not a situation (like in some private company layoffs) where they simply have to make business decisions.

Everyone keeps saying this on here. Yes there are some quotes with officials/politicians saying they want to inflict pain. But the main point is to reduce the size of the government and save money.

There are ways to save money rather than firing Americans who serve other Americans. This isn’t private sector where the where to measure success is profit margins and bottom lines.

Yes, it’s 100% unneeded. A scalpel is needed not a chainsaw.

Well, to this point I doubt most feds would even admit a scalpel was needed. That’s what’s been done to this point and it’s evidently not working.

Please. Spending on federal employee compensation is lower than it was 15 years ago. The number of employees is lower than during the Reagan administration, even though the country has 100 million more people in it. So spare us your complaints about too many federal workers.

Back then there were employees, now there are employees and the more expensive government contractors. This culling is intended to cut out both expense centers.

[Anonymous]

I can sympathize OP. My husband has been laid off / RIFed I believe 4 times in his career (fed contracting). The first time, our kids were little and I was a SAHM. I was PETRIFIED. And it worked out. Every time after that, we have weathered it. It’s one of those things that feels so scary until it happens and you realize - you will manage. You are more prepared than you think. You are qualified for employment and will find new jobs. You WILL weather it if it comes to pass.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m sorry, OP. And it’s all for nothing— it is just to be cruel.

I am sorry.

We are nearly $37 trillion in debt - I wouldn't call that nothing. We can go bankrupt as a country and destroy our children's future, or we can start making some tough choices as a country. I chose the tough choices now.

How does cutting tax revenue by $4.5T, lifting the debt ceiling to allow for $4 T more spending and spending $300 M on immigration/military help that equation? He's only going to cut 1.5 T in spending. Sounds like he's pushing us towards bankruptcy much sooner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m sorry, OP. And it’s all for nothing— it is just to be cruel.

I am sorry.

We are nearly $37 trillion in debt - I wouldn't call that nothing. We can go bankrupt as a country and destroy our children's future, or we can start making some tough choices as a country. I chose the tough choices now.

How does cutting tax revenue by $4.5T, lifting the debt ceiling to allow for $4 T more spending and spending $300 M on immigration/military help that equation? He's only going to cut 1.5 T in spending. Sounds like he's pushing us towards bankruptcy much sooner.

He's just going to push tax cuts for billionaires. So he and Elon will get richer, and the rest of us will get poorer and in a few years the fiscal situation of the USA will be so dire, we'll be a true banana republic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m sorry, OP. And it’s all for nothing— it is just to be cruel.

I am sorry.

We are nearly $37 trillion in debt - I wouldn't call that nothing. We can go bankrupt as a country and destroy our children's future, or we can start making some tough choices as a country. I chose the tough choices now.

Once again, federal employee compensation costs the government less than it did 15 years ago. We have the same number of federal employees as we did in 1975, despite there being 100 million more people in the United States. Federal employees are not the source of our debt. And firing them is not going to reduce it.

If you are genuinely concerned about debt, you should be complaining about the party in power, who today released their draft budget with $4.5 trillion in tax cuts for the wealthy. And no, even with their proposed cuts, it doesn’t even come close to offsetting $4.5 trillion. They are adding far more to the deficit than the less than $0.3 trillion that is the entire federal payroll. Why aren’t you complaining about this proposal?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I cannot believe that we may be facing double unemployment. I'm a federal contractor and my spouse is a fed. At the end of 2024 we both received promotions and were doing well and happy in our careers. My company is crumbling around me with contracts being terminated and layoffs and all I can do is watch. We are in our 40s with two young kids and a mortgage. We are financially conservative and can live on one income comfortably without childcare, which has always given us piece of mind. However, we are now in what would usually seem like a remote possibility that both of us would be unemployed at the same time for a potentially extended period. I cannot focus on anything--my work, my kids. I'm depressed just thinking about how happy everyone was in December and now the future looks bleak and uncertain. My kids have no idea what is going on.

I really wish someone would shine a light on what is going on, because we can't be the only ones. DOGE has not even started with NIH, FDA, and SAMSHA and RIFs--Montgomery County is going to a disaster. I think the rest of the country doesn't care.

This is so stressful and I'm sorry you're going through it. I hate what Trump and Musk are doing, and I'm so scared for our country. And if they manage to layoff and cut as many workers and contracts as they want, our family faces a similar risk since our jobs rely on that spending.

I will just say that many communities in the US have been decimated in recent history by cuts in manufacturing jobs since the 80s and most recently during the Great Recession. Obama was in office for 8 years and those manufacturing jobs did not recover. I think we need to be sensitive to that when we talk about others not caring about Montgomery County.

Also - Montgomery County Government is hiring! Look into their budget office for jobs.

Exactly, this type of devastation has hit the US Rust Belt states, and nobody in DC gave a shit about what happened to those jobs/employees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can sympathize OP. My husband has been laid off / RIFed I believe 4 times in his career (fed contracting). The first time, our kids were little and I was a SAHM. I was PETRIFIED. And it worked out. Every time after that, we have weathered it. It’s one of those things that feels so scary until it happens and you realize - you will manage. You are more prepared than you think. You are qualified for employment and will find new jobs. You WILL weather it if it comes to pass.

You had a stable democracy back then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I cannot believe that we may be facing double unemployment. I'm a federal contractor and my spouse is a fed. At the end of 2024 we both received promotions and were doing well and happy in our careers. My company is crumbling around me with contracts being terminated and layoffs and all I can do is watch. We are in our 40s with two young kids and a mortgage. We are financially conservative and can live on one income comfortably without childcare, which has always given us piece of mind. However, we are now in what would usually seem like a remote possibility that both of us would be unemployed at the same time for a potentially extended period. I cannot focus on anything--my work, my kids. I'm depressed just thinking about how happy everyone was in December and now the future looks bleak and uncertain. My kids have no idea what is going on.

I really wish someone would shine a light on what is going on, because we can't be the only ones. DOGE has not even started with NIH, FDA, and SAMSHA and RIFs--Montgomery County is going to a disaster. I think the rest of the country doesn't care.

This is so stressful and I'm sorry you're going through it. I hate what Trump and Musk are doing, and I'm so scared for our country. And if they manage to layoff and cut as many workers and contracts as they want, our family faces a similar risk since our jobs rely on that spending.

I will just say that many communities in the US have been decimated in recent history by cuts in manufacturing jobs since the 80s and most recently during the Great Recession. Obama was in office for 8 years and those manufacturing jobs did not recover. I think we need to be sensitive to that when we talk about others not caring about Montgomery County.

Also - Montgomery County Government is hiring! Look into their budget office for jobs.

Exactly, this type of devastation has hit the US Rust Belt states, and nobody in DC gave a shit about what happened to those jobs/employees.

welllllll, I can't speak for individual people in DC, but certainly there have been a ton of policy attempts to funnel money to people and areas that have lost manufacturing and fossil fuel jobs. Hell, Biden had bonus tax credits for energy projects that were in places with coal mines that have closed. Will Trump provide similar relief/incentives for the DC area?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I cannot believe that we may be facing double unemployment. I'm a federal contractor and my spouse is a fed. At the end of 2024 we both received promotions and were doing well and happy in our careers. My company is crumbling around me with contracts being terminated and layoffs and all I can do is watch. We are in our 40s with two young kids and a mortgage. We are financially conservative and can live on one income comfortably without childcare, which has always given us piece of mind. However, we are now in what would usually seem like a remote possibility that both of us would be unemployed at the same time for a potentially extended period. I cannot focus on anything--my work, my kids. I'm depressed just thinking about how happy everyone was in December and now the future looks bleak and uncertain. My kids have no idea what is going on.

I really wish someone would shine a light on what is going on, because we can't be the only ones. DOGE has not even started with NIH, FDA, and SAMSHA and RIFs--Montgomery County is going to a disaster. I think the rest of the country doesn't care.

This is so stressful and I'm sorry you're going through it. I hate what Trump and Musk are doing, and I'm so scared for our country. And if they manage to layoff and cut as many workers and contracts as they want, our family faces a similar risk since our jobs rely on that spending.

I will just say that many communities in the US have been decimated in recent history by cuts in manufacturing jobs since the 80s and most recently during the Great Recession. Obama was in office for 8 years and those manufacturing jobs did not recover. I think we need to be sensitive to that when we talk about others not caring about Montgomery County.

Also - Montgomery County Government is hiring! Look into their budget office for jobs.

Exactly, this type of devastation has hit the US Rust Belt states, and nobody in DC gave a shit about what happened to those jobs/employees.

Misery loves company. Thanks for confirming that this is all this is
about. Also you have no way to know that nobody in DC cared about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can sympathize OP. My husband has been laid off / RIFed I believe 4 times in his career (fed contracting). The first time, our kids were little and I was a SAHM. I was PETRIFIED. And it worked out. Every time after that, we have weathered it. It’s one of those things that feels so scary until it happens and you realize - you will manage. You are more prepared than you think. You are qualified for employment and will find new jobs. You WILL weather it if it comes to pass.

You had a stable democracy back then.

OP needs to focus on an economic floor for her family and on building resilience. Maslow’s hierarchy and all.

OP, it is scary, but you can do this! Taking action will help with managing anxiety.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I keep hoping too I’ll wake up from this nightmare. A complete destruction of our standing in the world and our economy and zero respect for the constitution. They’re messing with the systems that hold our country together. I can feel the buzzing/unrest in the air.

We all lost this election. Some people just don’t know it yet.

You stated my thoughts exactly. I feel like I'm screaming underwater and no one can hear me. My parents don't seem to know or care. My MIL is the same; actually, she is worse. She had the utter lack of empathy and temerity to tell my USAID husband that she knows there's corruption and waste at USAID. Unfortunately for her, we are now unable to help move her out here as my husband had planned.

Is there not?

Probably some, but think about it. If this were a sincere effort at finding waste, fraud, and abuse, DOGE would be run by someone who understands the mission of the agencies and how the government operates at every stage of the process. It would be staffed with forensic accountants and experts in the field. Everyone would have proper vetting and clearances to ensure the security of the nation and the data of American citizens.

Whatever else he's good it, Musk knows nothing about any of this. His team of techies may be brilliant young coders, but that's not the required skill set. (Why coders?) Musk is rife with conflicts of interest, has failed to meet the requirements of the security clearances he already has, and his team has not been vetted. (In fact, we've now learned that one of them was fired from a previous job for divulging company secrets.)

Ask yourself what purpose does match up with the experience, views, and skills of Musk and his staff.

This is probably one of the most insightful things I've read. Just as FORK is a scam, DOGE is too.