Loading ...What’s happening in the DC area?
There is a group of retired skiers from DC here. Over the years The Pentagon Ski Club would book a trip here. Was originally for DOD members but now open to outsiders.
Rode the chair with a retired guy from the DC area who was not with that club.
I asked what the mood was in his area. His three children and spouses all work for the Federal Government in some capacity. All were laid off after DOGE made the cuts. They were thrown into disarray as they all had mortgages and financial commitments.
He acknowledged that there is systemic waste and it needed to be investigated but this went too far. His whole family are Democrats. One spouse was the Under-Secretary of some agency I did not recognize. None have their homes on the market yet as they believe that there will be a job fair soon to hire back those they need to make the system work, whatever that is. Is that going to come true??? The DC economy is the Federal Government. Scorched earth when reality sets in.
What shocked me was when he said some people are leaving the country after being terminated. WTH is that all about?
He seemed quite upset so I didn’t press on. He’s on Vacation and spending the big bucks in our Village.
You are always on the leading edge Columbia
Great stuff
Interesting commentary Columbia.
I have a friend in Denver’s who’s been an EPA engineer for 22 years. He didn’t take the buyout, thought it wouldn’t legally hold up, said he thought there was no way they’d be required to go back to the office when it was all said and done. It’s a 3-hr round trip commute for him. A mutual friend spoke to him and said, well, things have changed and starting next week he’s going back to the office everyday. I was surprised he’s going to stay. He makes more than he would in the private sector (as is common), is soon going to turn 66, has had 5 Covid shots and gained about 60 lbs in the last year. I don’t know how he’s going to hold up.
66, facing a 3 hr commute, offered a buyout and what must be a good if not great pension. How stupid can you be? He could probably work from home as a consultant and or just enjoy life. I could see if he was 20 years younger. SHEESH
You got me, CM. He’s been required to go into the office once or twice a month and he told me he was so exhausted each time he was wiped out. I don’t know how he’s going to hold up and sadly, wouldn’t be surprised if he has a heart attack.
Cutting out waste and fraud per DOGE is the easy to defend part, over which no one in the Uniparty can voice their opposition.
T and E have no said a whole lot more about the bigger question. To Afuera or not to Afuera. Ie, what are T & E and JM talking about in private? There are hints. Eliminating the IRS and auditing the Fed points to a role for DC dating back to 1912.
How far do they want to go?
I have no idea how deep the cuts have been.
Could it be that DOGE will do an analysis of each remaining agency and then set the hiring terms to replenish the ranks with qualified people. I can understand that there will be gaps in the Federal workforce that will need filling.
At the moment, DOGE wants each employee to explain what they do in their job. Remember the movie “Office Space” (1999) where efficiency experts came into the company and asked the same question of everyone. The same director as “Idiocracy” (2006).
From my limited experience I have realized that the vast majority of the voting public have no idea what is going on in the world.
Bread and Circuses in the West have indeed worked to distract and control the public so they do not to rise up.
I can’t believe people are so uninformed. I’ve been skiing fairly regularly with three senior ladies from Australia and NZ and their legion of friends. “Rent a crowd” as they call it. All they care about is Vacations, food and their grandchildren. This is so typical of what I encounter. They are very nice people but their vote can be bought over the craziest of promises without looking at the consequences. These are well off people without critical thinking skills. They do not see any headwinds ahead of us.
Aussie Skier does not bother with them and he’s likely correct. Every once in awhile you meet someone who is on the ball.
I must say that If one were to read what is posted on Fully’s site and do some side research to verify, they would either get really mad or want to pack it all in and move deeper into the woods. Everyday is a challenge and enjoyable as we explore the mountains on skis. It really is nice to mingle with people from all over the World. I’ve learned a lot about their culture.