Wake me up from this nightmare

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The people cheering on layoffs, and generally saying things like the "private sector doesn't have protections, why should you" sicken me. It is like the crab that pulls the crab trying to exit the pot. Rather than hate on people who made job stability and/or public service a priority, why not channel that energy toward making conditions better for all workers, public and private? Anger is mis-directed IMO and it makes me sad and disgusted.

They’re not real people. There is a troll who haunts this board posting that same sentiment in every thread. It’s done specifically to sow division and derail conversations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This Rust Belt talking point is furthering the division.

No, it's about self-awareness.

It's one thing to say you're stressed about job loss. And/or you think Trump and Musk are doing irreparable damage. But to be frustrated not enough people outside the DMV care enough about your personal financial situation is weird and tone deaf.

I care about the people being laid off by conditions brought on directly by Trump, regardless of industry, only if they didn't vote for Trump. If they did, they should have expect this.

I care about all Americans as they feed into our collective economy. How selfish am I?

That said, I can't believe Trump supporters didn't see this. I flagged it with my parents this time last year. They are ardent Tumo supporters. Now DH and I are both out of a job. We aren't going to be able to fly to see them for Easter now either. And I'm still not convinced they understand how it's Trump!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The people cheering on layoffs, and generally saying things like the "private sector doesn't have protections, why should you" sicken me. It is like the crab that pulls the crab trying to exit the pot. Rather than hate on people who made job stability and/or public service a priority, why not channel that energy toward making conditions better for all workers, public and private? Anger is mis-directed IMO and it makes me sad and disgusted.

They’re not real people. There is a troll who haunts this board posting that same sentiment in every thread. It’s done specifically to sow division and derail conversations.

Russians? Chinese?

Let's ban them.

[Anonymous]

OP, we just lost dozens of wonderful employees at my agency. I am sick about it. It had nothing to do with performance or efficiency or whatever. It was done to destroy.

I don’t know what else to say except that I’m so sorry we’re all in this mess. We need to support each other right now. We are being treated like the enemy when we’ve been serving the public.

I’m so sick about all of this.

[Anonymous]

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.

Could the fed take the fork offer? That at least offers you (somewhat) guaranteed income for several months while you both look for jobs.

[Anonymous]

Will state and county be affected too? I am so sorry for all being treated in such manner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, we just lost dozens of wonderful employees at my agency. I am sick about it. It had nothing to do with performance or efficiency or whatever. It was done to destroy.

I don’t know what else to say except that I’m so sorry we’re all in this mess. We need to support each other right now. We are being treated like the enemy when we’ve been serving the public.

I’m so sick about all of this.

I am so sorry. It is SO WRONG.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

So maybe they can’t be feds. Maybe her company is reorging- There are tons of companies in this area that will hire them. It is much more doable than it seems before you face it and get through it. It feels so terrifying but then you take stock of the resources you set back for this, you cut where you can, you apply and interview and get back on your feet. It’s not so hopeless OP , even though it is unfair.

There are 375K federal employees in the DC metro area. Each federal government job in the DC metro area creates around 2 non federal government in government contracting. If you cut the number of federal employees in half the number of jobs lost in the DC metro area will be around 563k. The combined total number of job openings currently available in the entire State of Virginia, MD and DC is only 464K! This will create massive unemployment in the DC metro area. The unemployment rate will skyrocket to at least 10% and many people will be unable to find jobs for months if not years.

[Anonymous]

People need to start looking, actively.

This is the new reality, unfortunately.

You may not have the option of staying and it’s easier to find a job while you have one.

Best of luck to all!

[Anonymous]

We feel the same way. It's like our lives were just ripped away in the course of a week without any warning and for no reason. It's surreal and it feels like most Americans have no idea the extent or insanity of what's going on. Please,please wake me up. I love my country but don't feel like it loves me or resembles anything that I loved before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We feel the same way. It's like our lives were just ripped away in the course of a week without any warning and for no reason. It's surreal and it feels like most Americans have no idea the extent or insanity of what's going on. Please,please wake me up. I love my country but don't feel like it loves me or resembles anything that I loved before.

Seriously scrolling through the “news” topics on Reddit and news about these firings are nowhere to be found.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

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?

Here is bottom line. We take in four trillion a year and govt spends six trillion a year. One trillion of that is interest.

Somethings like SS, Medicare, Troops can't touch much.

We have to cut two trillion or raise taxes alot. In any "rightsizing" the low hanging fruit goes first.

Why won’t you address the fact that Republicans are ADDING $4.5 trillion in tax cuts to the deficit?

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We feel the same way. It's like our lives were just ripped away in the course of a week without any warning and for no reason. It's surreal and it feels like most Americans have no idea the extent or insanity of what's going on. Please,please wake me up. I love my country but don't feel like it loves me or resembles anything that I loved before.

Seriously scrolling through the “news” topics on Reddit and news about these firings are nowhere to be found.

Agree- how isn’t this front page news? Why doesn’t anyone care??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We feel the same way. It's like our lives were just ripped away in the course of a week without any warning and for no reason. It's surreal and it feels like most Americans have no idea the extent or insanity of what's going on. Please,please wake me up. I love my country but don't feel like it loves me or resembles anything that I loved before.

Seriously scrolling through the “news” topics on Reddit and news about these firings are nowhere to be found.

Agree- how isn’t this front page news? Why doesn’t anyone care??

Care? They cheer it.

They see taxation as theft. As Feds as the thieves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Youre fine. You can live on one salary. We cannot, and DH just lost his employment. And I'm a fed. Don't borrow trouble for now. Gonna be alright.

+1
Dh and I both lost our jobs. We have 2 kids (8, 15) and a mortgage

I am so, so sorry, PP. Wish there was something I could do to help.