Posted on 10/30/2014 9:22:53 AM PDT by Parmenio
With projections of a GOP win growing daily, nervousness in Senate committee offices has turned to panic as an army of Democratic staffers braces to be fired, replaced by a Republican majority and their aides.
The spoils of political war? Estimates are that 300-600 Democratic committee and personal staff jobs would be on the chopping block if the Republicans pull off the expected victory.
“There will be a mass exodus of Senate Democrat staff from committees,” said one insider.
And Republicans will get to hire hundreds more aides. A loss on Tuesday that keeps the Democrats in charge of the Senate will cost no GOP jobs, other than those working for retiring lawmakers.
Under a Senate deal cut by Majority Leader Harry Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, the funding and staff breakdown on committees is about 60 percent for the majority, and 40 percent for the minority. It had been two-thirds majority, one-third minority, but the GOP cut the deal in order to keep their minimum funding at 40 percent.
Also getting hit would be the offices of Reid and other Democratic leaders.
For Democratic staffers, the potential layoffs couldn’t come at a worse time. According to officials, some will find jobs in the Obama administration, but those openings are few and will last only two years. And Hillary Clinton’s team is already loaded up with long-time aides, leaving few policy jobs for outsiders.
"There will be nowhere in the downtown private sector to go. Maybe 10 percent can find a slot in the Obama administration. It will be ugly," said a former White House aide now working on K Street.
That's because many lobbying firms are full-up with Democrats.
And there are already a sizable number of Democratic staffers already looking for work since their bosses are retiring.
“It could be a lot of individuals. And that’s not even counting all the people looking for work now with a retirement coming up,” said a key Senate Democratic staffer.
I will search in vain for the tear-jerker stories from 2006 when Republicans lost Congressional majorities.
And if the GOP has any backbone, more than a dozen “Czars” that are unconstitutional at best and likely illegal.
They will move many of them into government jobs in the Executive Branch. If the Republicans win the White House, they will do the same thing with the political appointees that are currently in government. The Clinton’s were the first to do this in a big and systematic way. The civil service has become packed with Democrats who continue to advance their agenda even when Republicans are in charge.
You are correct. Being a Democrat means never having to go out and look for a real job.
Do you really want every executive branch employee to be a political appointee, and know that his job depends on the reelection of the president and party who appointed him?
Women & minorities impacted most...
Gee, where is the crying towel?
What’s their problem? They will probably be fired on one day, and then re-hired the following day by the new GOP(e) lawmaker.
“WOMEN, MINORITIES TO SUFFER MOST”
“I’ve got crying towels for sale...”
Do you think there will be any suicides?
What waste. That many people are needed to support Democrat members? Paid for by our taxes?
I saw this online- on blog- do not remember which- off free republic earlier today.
Yes most important to vote this round as is every election.
That’s not how it works.
Democratic House staffers did just fine after 2010, as did Republican staffers in 2006. Senior ones go to lobby shops, private equity shops, think tanks, visiting professorships at policy schools, and investment banks. Junior ones go to independent expenditure groups, law school, business school, “back home” to start their own political careers, etc.
/sarc
That many people are needed to support Democrat members? Paid for by our taxes?
You honestly did not think they would pay for staffers out of their own pockets.
With these demons it is always OPM.
Now you are talking!
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