San Antonio FEDERAL WORKERS - what will you cut when FURLOUGHED? (Houston: employment, purchases)

[doss1]

Hasn't the furlough plan decreased from 22 days to just 14 days of leave without pay? That's not too bad. If that's what it takes to help the country then by all means lets do it. I was a govt worker for 2 years and went through BRAC and a RIF...all within 2 years here in SA (2010-2012). I ended up going to the "dark side" as a contractor and have not looked back. Now it seems contractors are the ones that won't be affected by this whole ordeal.

[Readerfeeder]

"Just" 14 days is nearly three work-weeks. There are three of the seven in my spouse's section that this will greatly impacted. Two single moms and a disabled vet just getting on his feet. He also said the contractors are sitting around laughing that they don't get furloughed. Funny thing is, 3/4 of their jobs will be converted to GS within two years...not sure they will find that funny and may have to make some cuts then themselves.

[Merovee]

Contract work I did for the DOD got phased out a while back with only DOD employees allowed to do the same work now. Everyone lost their job but there are always opportunities in this city in that line of work.

People who have it tough now and are not able to take a vacation this year should realize many in this city never get to take a vacation ever, at all, for one reason or another and while it is easy for some to say, "so what, big deal, that is their fault," it is still understandable that someone used to the luxury of annual vacations are still suffering in their own unique way as much as those who just never get to go on vacation at all...

[kevcrawford]

Originally Posted by synch390

I have no idea, I do live paycheck to paycheck, mine is the sole income while my daughter and grandaughter are living with me while daughter finishes college. I am VERY nervous about this, also the fact that summer is coming and we will have to pay a lot more for granddaughter's care while she is out of school for the summer.
I am more mad than anything, why do we have to lose 20% of our pay to balance the budget while everyone else in the country continues on. If everyone in the country had to lose 20% of their income to balance the budget.... well you know what I mean.....
We'll make it through, we have to right?

This thinking right here is WHY this country is in the mess we're in. It's always about how to bring down someone else to make you feel better about yourself. Always trying to figure out how to even the score instead of how to better yourself.

Sad.

[Steel Man]

Quote:
Originally Posted by synch390
I have no idea, I do live paycheck to paycheck, mine is the sole income while my daughter and grandaughter are living with me while daughter finishes college. I am VERY nervous about this, also the fact that summer is coming and we will have to pay a lot more for granddaughter's care while she is out of school for the summer.
I am more mad than anything, why do we have to lose 20% of our pay to balance the budget while everyone else in the country continues on. If everyone in the country had to lose 20% of their income to balance the budget.... well you know what I mean.....
We'll make it through, we have to right?

Originally Posted by kevcrawford

This thinking right here is WHY this country is in the mess we're in. It's always about how to bring down someone else to make you feel better about yourself. Always trying to figure out how to even the score instead of how to better yourself.

Sad.

Where is this unjustified attack coming from? The OP's original statement is a hypothetical statement, not a plot to bring someone else down to feel better. They have the right to be mad about the way Congress and the POTUS handled this mess that has led to where we're at today.

[kevcrawford]

It's not an attack. It's just pointing out what the poster said. They have a right to be nervous and I hope beyond hope that they're able to figure it out and make it. However, at the same time, it IS why we're in the mess we're in. Too many folks think that making others hurt too will fix things, instead of recognizing what caused these problems in our country. Penalizing folks for being successful is going to screw us all. No reason for me to apologize for having common sense.

[Readerfeeder]

I find it a sad day in this country when you have Americans shrugging their shoulders in "So, what?" when their fellow citizens will lose pay. If I'm losing pay, that's less I put into the federal coffer with my taxes. If I'm losing pay, that's less that I spend to eat out, repair, remodel, purchase a car, home, etc...which bring us back to cuts and why I think by the end of the summer, we will all be cutting back a bit.

[sapphire]

People in the private sector have already started cutting back. Companies are not giving raises and the cost of benefits has risen so there has been less take-home pay for a couple of years now. You cut back or pick up a part time job that may be beneath you. Wishing your neighbor would also suffer because after all, you are, is what I call a sad day in this country.

[the_dimwit]

First, my sympathies to those in the federal sector who have to deal with the stupidity of our congressional "leaders". The sequester was senseless.

That said, it could be argued that the federal sector has been one of the few (if not the only) remaining areas of our economy not largely affected by the "Great Recession". The private sector has shed thousands of jobs (as in completely laid-off employees, not furloughs) over the last 3-4 years. Large numbers of folks have lost their homes, families, etc. because their companies couldn't keep it together.

I'm not trying to diminish the pain that will be felt by those working in the federal sector, but it's important to keep perspective on things. Times may be tough for a while, but when you still have a job...you still have a reason to be thankful.

--Dim

[Readerfeeder]

You do realize feds are three years without any pay raises, right? And many are disabled vets, just getting on their feet and STILL waiting for the paperwork nightmare on that end. Also, feds were not exempt from losing money when housing had a melt-down. And feds will be chipping in more on benefits. There is talk of a major RIF for next year, so I'm not sure who will "still have a job". I hope that makes you feel better, dim, because in you sympathies, I feel a veiled non-sympathetic tone.