Jeff Zients throws a hissy fit in a memo about RTO

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve met Jeff Zients and he’s as bad as they say, but he’s right about this issue. Empty federal offices is a huge political loser.

So sell the property and save money. How is this a loser?

I’ll say it again - the dems are reaping what they sowed.

Look at all of the giant hideous federal office buildings with historic designations that can’t be torn down or even modernized much. Who would buy them? Do you know what’s going on in the commercial real estate market these days?

The only rational answer is to send federal employees back to their offices. I’m guessing the White House / OMB / OPM / GSA has thought about this from all sides more than those on this message board.

So the mission of the federal government is to prop up real estate?

No, but as the largest industry in the city of DC the federal government and its workers should be participating in the local economy, using public transportation, local restaurants, etc. It’s not the only reason to return to the office but it’s an important one.

[Anonymous]

Corrupted DC politicians have allowed it to become such a hellhole. The crime and massive rat population are keeping us out. —Native Washingtonian

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All the lazy feds are shaking in their boots! Can’t wait till you have to go back to the office!! Lol

I’m already there, idiot. Wake up. Cut the conspiracy theories and join the real world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have always been in person or 3 days in the office since the beginning of Covid, I do not expect that to change. Just saying a lot of federal employees have been working in person all along. I hope you all don’t ruin what little flexibility we were able to gain during Covid.

Same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is Biden's Chief of Staff. He is carrying out the President's direction here. Sure, he likely had a lot of flexibility in exactly what was said. But people who write him off as "a choad" should realize that this is not some random person ranting. This is direction from the White House.

(Taking no stance whatsoever on the debate over WFH/hybrid/onsite.)

“Direction from the WH”? Sure, but certainly not from “the President”. What a joke.

Weird. I don’t see why you think the president doesn’t agree with the email. He said something similar in the state of the union.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve met Jeff Zients and he’s as bad as they say, but he’s right about this issue. Empty federal offices is a huge political loser.

So sell the property and save money. How is this a loser?

I’ll say it again - the dems are reaping what they sowed.

Look at all of the giant hideous federal office buildings with historic designations that can’t be torn down or even modernized much. Who would buy them? Do you know what’s going on in the commercial real estate market these days?

The only rational answer is to send federal employees back to their offices. I’m guessing the White House / OMB / OPM / GSA has thought about this from all sides more than those on this message board.

Since when do federal employment decisions get made on the basis of public opinion? Many Rs would just fire us all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve met Jeff Zients and he’s as bad as they say, but he’s right about this issue. Empty federal offices is a huge political loser.

So sell the property and save money. How is this a loser?

I’ll say it again - the dems are reaping what they sowed.

Look at all of the giant hideous federal office buildings with historic designations that can’t be torn down or even modernized much. Who would buy them? Do you know what’s going on in the commercial real estate market these days?

The only rational answer is to send federal employees back to their offices. I’m guessing the White House / OMB / OPM / GSA has thought about this from all sides more than those on this message board.

So the mission of the federal government is to prop up real estate?

No, but as the largest industry in the city of DC the federal government and its workers should be participating in the local economy, using public transportation, local restaurants, etc. It’s not the only reason to return to the office but it’s an important one.

I do all of that - but in my own neighborhood instead of downtown.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He's the investor for that over priced bagel sandwich place

https://www.washingtonian.com/2023/01/23/biden-taps-dc-bagel-shop-founder-as-white-house-chief-of-staff/

overpriced, overrated bagels.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is Biden's Chief of Staff. He is carrying out the President's direction here. Sure, he likely had a lot of flexibility in exactly what was said. But people who write him off as "a choad" should realize that this is not some random person ranting. This is direction from the White House.

(Taking no stance whatsoever on the debate over WFH/hybrid/onsite.)

“Direction from the WH”? Sure, but certainly not from “the President”. What a joke.

Weird. I don’t see why you think the president doesn’t agree with the email. He said something similar in the state of the union.

Stop being naive. Zients is the COS - he sent this clueless and condescending email and no doubt is the moving force behind the policy. I don’t generally indulge in this kind of reasoning, but Zients is absolutely a direct pipeline to private equity/real estate investment interests that are concerned about commerical real estate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve met Jeff Zients and he’s as bad as they say, but he’s right about this issue. Empty federal offices is a huge political loser.

So sell the property and save money. How is this a loser?

I’ll say it again - the dems are reaping what they sowed.

Look at all of the giant hideous federal office buildings with historic designations that can’t be torn down or even modernized much. Who would buy them? Do you know what’s going on in the commercial real estate market these days?

The only rational answer is to send federal employees back to their offices. I’m guessing the White House / OMB / OPM / GSA has thought about this from all sides more than those on this message board.

So the mission of the federal government is to prop up real estate?

No, but as the largest industry in the city of DC the federal government and its workers should be participating in the local economy, using public transportation, local restaurants, etc. It’s not the only reason to return to the office but it’s an important one.

It’s not a good reason. It’s called capitalism. Businesses need to adapt

[Anonymous]

If government forces RTO, other entities will follow. More cars in the road, more pollution. So Bidens talk of climate action is all just… hot air. I’ll see myself out

[Anonymous]

Bowser doesn’t want the DC economy to go down the tubes and has requested of Biden that the feds go back to working in the office. This is old news.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bowser doesn’t want the DC economy to go down the tubes and has requested of Biden that the feds go back to working in the office. This is old news.

DC economy needs to adapt. Families I know are already talking of leaving DC if the have to start long commutes again. COL is already high. RTO makes living here not worth it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is Biden's Chief of Staff. He is carrying out the President's direction here. Sure, he likely had a lot of flexibility in exactly what was said. But people who write him off as "a choad" should realize that this is not some random person ranting. This is direction from the White House.

(Taking no stance whatsoever on the debate over WFH/hybrid/onsite.)

“Direction from the WH”? Sure, but certainly not from “the President”. What a joke.

Weird. I don’t see why you think the president doesn’t agree with the email. He said something similar in the state of the union.

Stop being naive. Zients is the COS - he sent this clueless and condescending email and no doubt is the moving force behind the policy. I don’t generally indulge in this kind of reasoning, but Zients is absolutely a direct pipeline to private equity/real estate investment interests that are concerned about commerical real estate.

I’m not naive, l believe Biden supports RTO. I work with a lot of government agencies, but not federal. They generally have to work 3 days a week in person now. Why not the feds? That looks really bad to a lot of non-fed voters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If government forces RTO, other entities will follow. More cars in the road, more pollution. So Bidens talk of climate action is all just… hot air. I’ll see myself out

”Other entities” have already returned, fed is lagging.