If you've read any of my comments, you know JVL is my spirit animal, and we are in nearly complete agreement.
But while often politics can seem like a distant concept, until your tax bill comes due, this impacts me quite directly, and this week, I studied just how directly.
You see, I'm a civil servant. And when I heard Trump was going to …
If you've read any of my comments, you know JVL is my spirit animal, and we are in nearly complete agreement.
But while often politics can seem like a distant concept, until your tax bill comes due, this impacts me quite directly, and this week, I studied just how directly.
You see, I'm a civil servant. And when I heard Trump was going to purge 50K civil servants, I thought, "Well, but that isn't me, that is the Senior Executive Services guys, right." Wrong. There are only about 9,000 of them. The Trump plan is look for civil servants at my grade (I'm not in a leadership position or in any politically contentious field) and then look for civil servants actively disloyal to Trump on Social Media. Um... Guilty as charged. I'm shocked to be writing to you that this Trump thing, it impacts me directly (I mean, I was in the Military, and obviously impacted, but it seemed less direct at the time, less targeted). I will also tell you here and everywhere. Fucking bring it. I'm more entertained by this idea than scared.
Back on topic, when Trump won his first term, I said, "This is worst day in American History since April 9th, 1861." It appears I may have wrong. It may have just been the worst day in American History. Full Stop.
I feel like I have to add a quick disclaimer, when wrote "bring it," I wrote for only me. As I also wrote, Trump winning reelection would be the worst day in our republic's history. I can't even believe that we are having a conversation about 'loyalty' tests for civil servants. I can't believe that is a thing, and there appears to be no constraint on this possibility if Trump wins. Which is horrifying.
I specifically can't believe this loyalty test because for 2 decades of military service, I heard over and over again, "Our oaths are to the constitution, not the man." But during the Clinton and Obama administrations, it always came with a wink, "And thank goodness for that, ammirite!" So I am particularly salty about this topic.
Every thing, even the polite comments to my comment goes to JVL's point about Assymetry in the way the 2 main factions process information. I can't tee off on a ridiculous federal service proposal without sort of being scolded, "hey John, easy there." In the meantime, Trump is literally calling me and all of you Vermin.
I gotta say the 'bring it' mentality is not shared by this fella. But I'm happy to cheer you on! I just don't think I could as easily recover from losing my current job, although I'm much more insulated to you since I am funded through congress.
I've been stewing on it for a bit. I may NOT have been completely clear. Civil Servants, per the Hatch Act, have a number of very serious restrictions on our political activity. Criticizing political figures on our personal social media is most definitely NOT among them. I can NOT, of course, saying my agency/department supports candidate X, or Civil Servants all believe X or anything else that might be construed to imply government support for partisan politcal activity.
I very much CAN say, I work in civil service. And I can also say, My personal opinion is that the Mango Jesus is a jackass and a threat to our Republic.
Suppose the trump administration decides to make a list of all the civil servants deemed disloyal to trump--including the identifying information in each one's the civil service file--and publishes it on the internet. Who will stop this? Who will make the trump administration take it down? Free speech, right?
Consider what happened to Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss.
I mean, this exactly. Among the numerous concerns, this is one. And it isn't all speculative, he is ACTIVELY doing it, right now. To the judges and prosecuting attorneys in his legal cases. He has done it, and he will continue.
Yes, exactly. "Bring it" will mean a lot of very real, very bad consequences for people and their families, beyond mere loss of a job. Be careful what one wishes for.
If you've read any of my comments, you know JVL is my spirit animal, and we are in nearly complete agreement.
But while often politics can seem like a distant concept, until your tax bill comes due, this impacts me quite directly, and this week, I studied just how directly.
You see, I'm a civil servant. And when I heard Trump was going to purge 50K civil servants, I thought, "Well, but that isn't me, that is the Senior Executive Services guys, right." Wrong. There are only about 9,000 of them. The Trump plan is look for civil servants at my grade (I'm not in a leadership position or in any politically contentious field) and then look for civil servants actively disloyal to Trump on Social Media. Um... Guilty as charged. I'm shocked to be writing to you that this Trump thing, it impacts me directly (I mean, I was in the Military, and obviously impacted, but it seemed less direct at the time, less targeted). I will also tell you here and everywhere. Fucking bring it. I'm more entertained by this idea than scared.
Back on topic, when Trump won his first term, I said, "This is worst day in American History since April 9th, 1861." It appears I may have wrong. It may have just been the worst day in American History. Full Stop.
I feel like I have to add a quick disclaimer, when wrote "bring it," I wrote for only me. As I also wrote, Trump winning reelection would be the worst day in our republic's history. I can't even believe that we are having a conversation about 'loyalty' tests for civil servants. I can't believe that is a thing, and there appears to be no constraint on this possibility if Trump wins. Which is horrifying.
I specifically can't believe this loyalty test because for 2 decades of military service, I heard over and over again, "Our oaths are to the constitution, not the man." But during the Clinton and Obama administrations, it always came with a wink, "And thank goodness for that, ammirite!" So I am particularly salty about this topic.
Every thing, even the polite comments to my comment goes to JVL's point about Assymetry in the way the 2 main factions process information. I can't tee off on a ridiculous federal service proposal without sort of being scolded, "hey John, easy there." In the meantime, Trump is literally calling me and all of you Vermin.
FML.
I gotta say the 'bring it' mentality is not shared by this fella. But I'm happy to cheer you on! I just don't think I could as easily recover from losing my current job, although I'm much more insulated to you since I am funded through congress.
Yeesh! Civil servants who have criticized Trump on social media can expect to be fired.
@SandyG help me understand your comment?
I've been stewing on it for a bit. I may NOT have been completely clear. Civil Servants, per the Hatch Act, have a number of very serious restrictions on our political activity. Criticizing political figures on our personal social media is most definitely NOT among them. I can NOT, of course, saying my agency/department supports candidate X, or Civil Servants all believe X or anything else that might be construed to imply government support for partisan politcal activity.
I very much CAN say, I work in civil service. And I can also say, My personal opinion is that the Mango Jesus is a jackass and a threat to our Republic.
I thought Trump's plan was to fire civil servants who their personal, social media comments showed they were not loyal to Trump.
Suppose the trump administration decides to make a list of all the civil servants deemed disloyal to trump--including the identifying information in each one's the civil service file--and publishes it on the internet. Who will stop this? Who will make the trump administration take it down? Free speech, right?
Consider what happened to Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss.
I mean, this exactly. Among the numerous concerns, this is one. And it isn't all speculative, he is ACTIVELY doing it, right now. To the judges and prosecuting attorneys in his legal cases. He has done it, and he will continue.
Yes, exactly. "Bring it" will mean a lot of very real, very bad consequences for people and their families, beyond mere loss of a job. Be careful what one wishes for.
This should be persuasive to Black swing voters.
I’m pretty much to the bring it point too. You want a civil war? You got it.
Totally with you. Fuck them.