Posted on 01/19/2019 4:22:54 AM PST by Zakeet
The federal government shutdown has presented a unique opportunity for President Donald Trump to clear out the deadwood in the federal bureaucracy, saving U.S. taxpayers billions of dollars in salaries, perks, and rented office space for people who aren't doing anything productive.
[Snip]
A high-ranking Trump administration official wrote four days ago in the Daily Caller that the shutdown enables Trump to get rid of people like this. As members of the Senior Executive Service, many of them can't be fired unless they're convicted of a felony, or of committing some flagrant misconduct.
... SES employees cannot be furloughed (laid off) under normal circumstances, but they can be removed during a Reduction in Force (RIF) when their positions are found to be unnecessary.
In the D.C. article, our unnamed administration official explains that roughly 80% of the federal work force in many departments, including his own, simply don't do anything. They plan shopping trips and vacations. They send out résumés for better-paying positions, perhaps without realizing that any new employer might expect them to actually get some work done.
[Snip]
... on Day 30 of the shutdown, a clause is triggered in these federal employment contracts that enables RIF. The Office of Personnel Management oversees the RIF process.
... Roughly 800,000 federal employees could be permanently removed under this plan, with an annual savings of roughly $80 billion in salaries alone. Including the pensions; the government vehicles; and the rented office space, furniture, and equipment, it could be $150 billion.
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
If you want to see something that will make your stomach churn, check out this list and attempt to add up the number of government employees in each agency. Will probably take a while....
https://www.usa.gov/federal-agencies/a
I count FORTY agencies that begin with A alone.
Trump should say,
The cost of paying 800,000 non-essential employees not to work is also a great burden for the American people.
When a downturn or change in conditions impacts a business, there is no alternative but to reduce staff. It is the same in any local or state government. And the federal government is not exempt.
Starting tomorrow, I will be forced to terminate 800 non-essential employees each day that the shutdown continues. Nancy Pelosi could end this today, but as the administrator of this government I will have no choice to take this action starting tomorrow.
I implore the Congress to act immediately to give me a budget proposal that I can sign to avoid this mandated action.
No- The entire wall will cost bout $25 Billion, based on current estimates.
The $5 Billion Trump is asking for is just current funds. NOT the entire wall.
Swamp draining 101.
******************
The pumps are in place but they need to be turned on. Let’s see some real draining.
I know everyone wants to hear him say that, but it just doesn’t work that way. Until the civil service rules are changed, we’re stuck with the RIF rules for competitive service.
As a practical matter, how do you identity who among the 800K are nonessential? I can think of two in my office who are retirement eligible and would not be missed, but under bump and retreat they wouldn’t be the ones to go.
I’m hoping this extended time off will convince some of the people who have been hanging around for 40 years to go ahead and retire.
Actually it’s not that difficult. President issues an order to his cabinet secretaries to get on it toot sweet. If they refuse, they’re fired.
They inturn sent out orders to their respective agencies HR sections with the same directive they were warned, and battabing, emails are sent tho those on furlough. You’re RIFd. Please keep this as your day of separation. This is how it was done to me, twice when I was outsourced to India.
I’m pretty sure all the emails have been prepared. Just press SEND.
I believe that the Fed employees are given a 60 day notice of dismissal in a RIF.
So, either the shutdown goes on that long or the deadwood is simply out after the 60-days independent of the shutdown?
Either way, I think Trump simply declares that all 800K furloughed government positions have been eliminated, new positions (maybe 200K that add value) will be created, and everyone will have a chance to apply for the new positions in this 60-day waiting period.
The solid hard-working employees will be brought back. The deadwood will be given a 90-day severance package at the end...see you later alligator.
I once worked for a company that did something similar. This is a real world situation, not a place where nobody can ever be dismissed.
If Trump pulls this off, it would be the ultimate “You’re Fired”!
Since the Discovery in lte 2018 that a ‘Commission on Y2K” was still in place, with office space, power, computers, phones, desks, & PAYROLL & BENEFITS & points toward a PENSION, I am ready to fire them all & clean house.
Y2K happened over 18 years ago, and that “Commission” that was created by Clinton to try & predict problems that may develop-—ran for 1 1/2 years under Clinton/ 8 years under Bush/ 8 years under Obama & about 2 years under Trump. Total== about 19 1/2 YEARS of WHAT???? Someone needs to get fired & lose all their benefits for allowing this to continue. I don’t think this is the ONLY hole in the fabric.
Certainly there were people that fully KNEW that this was just a phony commission, and NO ONE did a thing about it.
The BLOAT & DEADWOOD in the Federal Government is beyond belief. Trump won’t tolerate that.
With over 6 million job openings in the Private Sector, let them get a job where they might have to REALLY show up & work.
The American taxpaying public deserves better....and Trump is trying to give them better.
For starters, justifiable starters, all those collecting unemployment can be justifiably RIFed as self designated unemployed.””
NONE of these FURLOUGHED workers are eligible for UNEMPLOYMENT.
Starting tomorrow, I will be forced to terminate 800 non-essential employees each day that the shutdown continues.””
Need to make that 8000 per day.
For starters, justifiable starters, all those collecting unemployment can be justifiably RIFed as self designated unemployed.””
NONE of these FURLOUGHED workers are eligible for UNEMPLOYMENT.
It just doesn’t work that way unless he completely suspends civil service rules.
Do you think it’s practical to fire entire HR departments? That’s who’s sitting home right now.
Near as I can tell, the federal workforce is a little over 2,000,000.//
I felt the same way when reading the article. I was a little surprised that there were only 2 mil federal workers till I just learned the 1/2 mil postal workers probably aren’t included in the 2 mil. I wonder how many others aren’t included.
I suspect the SESers are considered essential though most of the upper mgt where I work aren’t. We went from a most efficient (by govt standards) organization to one that seems to have 2 people doing the same job. I’d guess its the same at or worse at the SES level.
OK. So Trump says,
“Starting tomorrow, I will issue notice of termination letters to 1000 non-essential employees each day that this shutdown continues. There will be time for Nancy to save these jobs, but the termination process will proceed unless Congress acts immediately to give me a bill I can sign.”
Even if the RIF process takes 60 days, the pressure on the Dems from 1000 additional federal employees getting letters each day will be immense. And highlighted by the media.
And do you know who many of the essential workers are who are still working? Federal law enforcement people who investigate fraud, theft, etc. by federal employees. Nice that they won’t be let go. :-)
Firing the known anti Trump Gov types is not enough. The SES is full of sick, sorry, sad, azz, and lazy folks. Many are AA appointees that Obama demanded had to be hired. A VA hospital director is a PR former nurse with an MSN. The MSN/director is from PR. The idiot never leaves his office. I have seen DR’s and nurses do zip at some VA’s as entire primary care clinics are shut down up to two days a week. Look at all the idiot GEN’s Obama promoted.
Yes, but it also must be 22 working days, which does not happen until Jan 28 - the day before the state of the union - what a coincidence!!!
But....
The fact that applications have been made has been widely reported.
Trump will do no such thing. He has shown no inclination to go against popular sentiment. When given a chance to put coffin nails in Ocare, he declared that preexisitng conditions should be covered and that care should be affordable (He was cheered for that on this forums) and thereby ceeding the argument to the Dems.
He has made sure he is stronger on SS than the Dems (smart tactics). He doesn’t fight the big liberal budget.
He will not fire 800,000 people. Your delusional if you think that will happen. The Dems don’t mind if their people suffer. This shutdown game will go to the Dems.
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