On January 20, 2015 A new bill called the “Federal Workforce Reduction Through Attrition Act” was introduced by GOP Representatives Lummis (Wyoming) and Mulvaney (South Carolina). The bill seeks to shrink Federal employees by 200,000 in the next few years. It proposes that agencies hire 1 replacement for every 3 that quit or retire. It prevents agencies from replacing employees with contractors. This process of attrition is estimated to save $35B over 5 years. (for reference the latest aircraft carrier cost ~ $26B without crew. We have ~ 19 aircraft carriers)
The underlying philosophy and assumptions are that there are already too many Feds to carry out the missions and responsibilities that the Congress and President (and Courts) have laid upon the Federal agencies through OTHER LEGISLATION, Presidential actions and court decisions. The bill does not specify what missions and services the agencies should STOP performing. This is why Federal Employees (should) hate the GOP.
These folks lay out a method for solving a fake problem, or perhaps it is just a continuation of a typical GOP attack on government in general. While the Federal mission has grown in complexity and/or size across all agencies, the Federal workforce is at it’s lowest level since JFK's administration (federal employees, excluding Postal employees is coded green in the chart below):
The underlying philosophy and assumptions are that there are already too many Feds to carry out the missions and responsibilities that the Congress and President (and Courts) have laid upon the Federal agencies through OTHER LEGISLATION, Presidential actions and court decisions. The bill does not specify what missions and services the agencies should STOP performing. This is why Federal Employees (should) hate the GOP.
These folks lay out a method for solving a fake problem, or perhaps it is just a continuation of a typical GOP attack on government in general. While the Federal mission has grown in complexity and/or size across all agencies, the Federal workforce is at it’s lowest level since JFK's administration (federal employees, excluding Postal employees is coded green in the chart below):
It seems to me that these folks are continuing the GOP penchant for trashing and sabotaging Federal agencies and their employees. Is it an attempt to make true the GOP idea that government doesn’t work ... when clearly it does. It surely works in Wyoming where there are ~7,000 Federal employees, and in South Carolina where there are many military bases and over 25,000 Feds.
It would be honest, and OK with me if these folks proposed specific cuts to specific programs or agencies that eliminated Feds….but they are being too clever to do that. An across the board attrition as proposed would, for example, apply to the Department of Veteran’s Affairs. Didn’t we just go through a big scandal and investigation saying that the VA needed more medical EMPLOYEES?. Didn’t we just figure out that the Secret Service has been understaffed and undertrained for a long while? Do they understand that every IRS auditor recovers many multiples of their salaries+benefits? With this attrition idea, it would be RANDOM reductions … at RANDOM agencies? … in RANDOM geographic areas? … since it’s all based on the randomness of retirements and resignations. Is that governing or administering to the needs of the people? Or is it sabotage?
For every agency, there are a set of responsibilities and functions that have been given them (mostly) through cumulative Congressional action. There are laws in effect from the mid 1800's. If they want to remove some of those function along with the staff that perform them… FINE… go for it. But be honest and stop the warfare on those Feds who carry out the missions that YOU: Lummis, and YOU: Mulvaney and all of your predecessors have given them.
Identify the services, responsibilities and missions you no longer find valid or necessary and put the list into the legislation to enlighten your House and Senate colleagues as well as the population about your specific ideas on governing. Then let’s see who votes for, and who votes against…. Or is that too much like taking responsibility? Or exposing your true intent?
If the Congress can’t define what they want the Feds to STOP doing in what Congressional Districts, you’re COWARDS.
The Congress/GOP knows that Feds can’t legally engage in political activity (other than voting)… The GOP picks on Feds because they lack an effective lobby, and that makes them BULLIES.
Stop the warfare on Feds!
Stop the sabotage of agencies!
Stop the attacks on functions of government!
