SHOCK SHUTDOWN MOVE: White House Directs Agencies to Plan MASS FEDERAL FIRINGS—Not Just Furloughs
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Washington DC, the stakes in the ongoing congressional standoff over government funding have dramatically escalated. Just one week before the funding deadline, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has directed federal agencies to draft highly unusual plans for permanently eliminating federal jobs in the event of a government shutdown.
This directive marks a significant departure from standard protocol, where federal workers deemed non-essential are typically given temporary furloughs with the expectation of receiving back pay once Congress passes a funding resolution.
Permanent Cuts: Targeting “Unessential” Programs
According to the memo, which was first reported by Bloomberg, federal agencies must take two key steps:
- Identify Vulnerable Programs: Agencies must pinpoint programs where discretionary funding lapses on October 1st and which have no alternative funding sources.
- Draft Reduction-in-Force (RIF) Plans: They must then draft plans to issue RIF notices—a federal term for permanent layoffs—to eliminate jobs in areas deemed “not consistent with the President’s priorities” if the funding impasse is not resolved.
This means that a shutdown could be used as a mechanism to eliminate entire programs and positions, rather than simply pausing them.
Political Fallout: “An Attempt at Intimidation”
The unprecedented move has been met with immediate backlash from Congressional Democrats, who view it as a negotiating tactic.
- Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called the directive “an attempt at intimidation,” predicting that any mass firings would likely face court challenges or result in the eventual rehiring of the workers.
The White House, however, has framed the need for RIFs as a necessary step, noting that “Programs that did not benefit from an infusion of mandatory appropriations will bear the brunt of a shutdown.”
The Blame Game: Who Will Voters Hold Responsible?
As Congress faces the September 30th deadline, public opinion is already weighing in on who will be the “leading scapegoat” for a potential shutdown.
The latest Rasmussen Reports survey of Likely U.S. Voters found a split in public sentiment on who deserves the most blame:
- 38% of Likely U.S. voters say Democrats in Congress will be most to blame for a government shutdown.
- 29% believe congressional Republicans would deserve the blame.
- 21% think most of the blame would belong to President Donald Trump.
- 12% are unsure.
The stakes could not be higher for federal employees and the millions of Americans who rely on government services. The clock is ticking for Congress to strike a deal and avoid turning a temporary funding crisis into a potential mass elimination of federal jobs.
Why would it be permanent chop cuts, there’s more than this, this is another designer eliminate jobs and government. This is a plan.
Whatever that means. Government, ALL GOVERNMENT, is too big and needs to be downsized. Do it, and don’t listen to the naysayers. I think 50% is a good first step. Modernize, computerize, eliminate duplication, prosecute fraud . . The list is endless.