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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsBillionaire Vivek Tells Federal Workers Getting Fired Will Be Good For Them
The new pick to head the non-existent department of government efficiency, billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy, told a gathering at the Aspen Security Forum that laying off federal workers will be "good for many of the individuals who make a transition from government service back to the private sector."
Vivek also said he doesn't believe "that the highest and best use of any of those talented people is what they're doing in the federal government today."
Ramaswamy, along with his co-chair of the fake department, richest man in the world Elon Musk, have promised to lay off half the federal workforce and cut $2 trillion from the federal budget. Ramaswamy also admitted in the forum that laying off millions of federal employees isn't about saving money but about an "overgrown federal government that is doing things that were never supposed to be done by the federal government in the first place."
With the U.S. at 4% unemployment and private sector employment essentially full, it is unclear what jobs Ramaswamy thinks will be available for the millions of American workers he is pushing to make unemployed.
https://meidasnews.com/news/billionaire-vivek-tells-federal-workers-getting-fired-will-be-good-for-them
Redleg
(6,239 posts)Fuck that guy.
underpants
(186,984 posts)MontanaMama
(24,067 posts)have targets on their backs for saying things like this...but if it happened, I wouldn't be surprised.
dlk
(12,454 posts)He apparently doesnt have a life. Otherwise he wouldnt be so hyper-focused on harming others. Like Musk, all of his riches havent bought him happiness or peace of mind.
alarimer
(16,624 posts)Most of the people working for the federal government are doing jobs with no functional equivalent in the private sector: fisheries biologist, meteorologists, infectious disease specialist, park rangers. They are dedicated professionals. Vivek and his ilk have no fucking clue.
haele
(13,602 posts)However, there's a lot of profit resulting in or supporting the projects the Federal Government does for the common good.
The only folks who don't profit a lot from the Federal Government are the actual Federal Employees.
Haele
Irish_Dem
(58,803 posts)Then pocket the cash.
alarimer
(16,624 posts)Employees will be paid even less (and federal employees don't make a mint). BUT the companies take their cut first. And everything gets worse.
It will also completely devastate economies of Virginia and Maryland, as well as DC.
Irish_Dem
(58,803 posts)Fire most of the federal workers and then move what is left to good forsaken spots in red states.
Yes privatizing means the billionaires make hue profits.
So of course it is more expensive to the customers.
It is a scam and rip off.
travelingthrulife
(876 posts)These people are really demented.
genxlib
(5,710 posts)If there are private equivalent...
They are often funded by the government through grants or procurement
or
Are hired to perform functions in response to regulations such as wetlands permitting
DJ Synikus Makisimus
(781 posts)parasites, people undeserving of benefits like unemployment (which I'm sure he'll lobby to abolish). Oligarchic pigs are so predictable.
Bettie
(17,273 posts)for unemployment benefits to even BE available anymore?
Remember, the people who will be in charge of things have NEVER once wondered if they can stretch a paycheck until the next one, never had to take a calculator to the grocery store to make sure they had enough money, never had to eat ramen and peanut butter for that last week of the month...and it shows.
Wonder when the last time that any of them had to interact with an ordinary person who wasn't serving them.
greatauntoftriplets
(176,940 posts)Losing your income isn't exactly fun and games.
Irish_Dem
(58,803 posts)We can assume the billionaires are quite eager to get their hands on that pile of money asap.
BoRaGard
(2,995 posts)no respect
magicarpet
(16,747 posts)The government workers let go by Eloon and Vivek will now be free to go out into the hot sun and pick the lettuce that migrant workers used to pick and box for the grocery stores.
Wages and benefits might take a major hit,.... but that is free market capitalism.
MontanaMama
(24,067 posts)was to put EPA employees and other civil servants into "deep trauma". This is beyond disturbing. I don't know how they can be stopped.
https://www.propublica.org/article/video-donald-trump-russ-vought-center-renewing-america-maga
travelingthrulife
(876 posts)Bettie
(17,273 posts)words of Jesus as they can possibly be.
obamanut2012
(27,851 posts)I have been in public service for decades, and have always worked with earnest, smart, hard-working people, working for teh public good. Guess making money for him is more important than the public good.
underpants
(186,984 posts)Public section jobs have always had really good (massive scale collectively bargained) benefits. Its a huge selling point even if the pay isnt that great.
Thats what they are after.
travelingthrulife
(876 posts)the private sector.
This is going to be unimaginably tragic.
Diamond_Dog
(34,991 posts)who is not a billionaire votes Republican.
Deep State Witch
(11,314 posts)They fire up the culture wars to distract the masses from the oligarchs.
Jit423
(380 posts)People who hate the Feds because of what they say are too many regulations just want the private sector to have free reign on employees with no protections whatsoever. A lot of very meaningful projects were built with a civil service made right after WWII. Those projects made it possible for lots of people to live in the states like TN, TX, LA, UT, and more.
ProfessorGAC
(70,303 posts)There are around 2 million civilian employees of the federal government.
Half that workforce is a million.
To save $2 trillion, each employee would carry a total cash load of $2 million, EACH.
I think those employees would be quite surprised that their total compensation and carrying costs are that high. It would mean they all make $1.8 million per year!
The guy is discussing a fictitious government function using fictitious numbers to get a fictitious cost analysis.
Or maybe he just can't multiply & divide.
tenderfoot
(8,866 posts)But he is a huge asshole.
Hugin
(34,702 posts)What's this billionaire crap. Cash out, Vivek. Let's see the money.
RedWhiteBlueIsRacist
(158 posts)patphil
(7,051 posts)RedWhiteBlueIsRacist
(158 posts)Redleg
(6,239 posts)I wonder if these assholes are just seeking more attention. "Look at me, I'm important because I'm incredibly wealthy." I like Paul Krugman's recent characterization of their ilk as "...billionaires who don't feel sufficiently admired."
moondust
(20,485 posts)Is he from Floriduh?
Wounded Bear
(60,762 posts)patphil
(7,051 posts)And add a massive tariff on foreign goods sold here?
Oh, and cut back on Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and Veterans Benefits.
That will crater our economy big time; possible actual depression.
It would also push the world economy over the edge.
If all this is done, there will be riots in the streets, massive civil disobedience, mass arrests, and perhaps a whole bunch of people getting killed.
This is the future Trump promises for America.
He is in the process of setting up the team that will do all this.
Ramaswampy is just another billionaire who couldn't care less what the cost to America is, as long as he gets to tear it down his way.
Deep State Witch
(11,314 posts)Is fire all of those people with clearances and specialties, then make them go out to Federal contracting companies to find work doing the same thing they were doing in the government. Without the retirement and good benefits. "Oh, you're an agricultural specialist working on climate-resistant wheat? Tough shit. Go work at McDonalds."
struggle4progress
(120,423 posts)It might be character-building experience
Hekate
(95,048 posts)Mossfern
(3,211 posts)I worked for the equivalent of a Welfare to Work program at the County level, that got its funding from the State which I think was reliant of Federal funding. I know that all my work was monitored by the State.
If Federal employees are fired and State funds are cut, the State workers will lose their jobs and then, down the line, County workers - so vastly MORE unemployed.
On top of that, the people who use/need the resources that the County provides will lose all educational and training programs and supports like child care, food stamps and transportation. And THEN Republicans will call these clients lazy and cut any more resources that they may need.
Ugh!
Rebl2
(14,870 posts)this Vivek. No salary for the President or senators and cut the pay of representatives in congress. Smaller salaries for cabinet members. No firing of federal employees unless they are not doing their job.