[11th_VA]

Sounds reasonable and balanced - for a one year extension.

[GeronL]

It’ll never happen.

[Venturer]

If they slashed it by 50% through attrition it might be a help.

No more hiring until the 50% figure is reached.

[Nervous Tick]

>> year by slashing the federal workforce by 10 percent

I’d like to see every single employee of the EPA slashed.

Preferably literally, but I’d settle for the figurative meaning if I have to. :-)

[9YearLurker]

They’ve probably even labeled it “our first counteroffer”, as in “this is for our base”, we of course don’t expect or want you to actually accept it.

[concerned about politics]

They had Oboma over a barrel on this one. I wouldn't have done anything. I'd make him take the hit, because all this was his idea. He got his tax increase, now let's see what HE'S going to do to cut spending.

Stupid party does it again. They bought it. Now they own it!

[kabar]

Nuts. The House has already passed a bill on how to handle the sequestration cuts. Why are they negotiating with themselves again? Let Obama come up his proposal.

[jpsb]

Why even negotiate? Damn the GOP is so stupid!

[Uncle Chip]

What’s to negotiate??? Wasn’t sequestration the result of negotiation??? Let sequestration set in —

[SeekAndFind]

RE: a gradual reduction in the federal workforce

Why can’t sequestration achieve the same result?

[ABQHispConservative]

Unless they specify that cuts must be in non-defense departments, this is a fools gambit. 0 will agree and start reducing the troops (rat wet-dream).

[paratrooper82]

How about this counteroffer: end the federal push to “control” firearms in the United States, eliminate the 33 thousand gun control laws already on the books, leave reason firearm control with the individual States permanently; eliminate Obamacare immediately; eliminate the EPA; and, approve the Keystone Pipeline immediately for a vote on a one year extension without raising the debt ceiling, just an extension for one year.

Eight Deuce on the loose

[wildbill]

The Reduction in Force was last implemented under Eisenhower in the 50s to reduce bloat caused by massive increases in government jobs due to WWII and Korea.

Not only did they reduce employment hiring to replace workers, almost all civil service employees got ‘bumped’ down a notch or two in their pay grade.

My mother worked for the 4th Army in San Antonio, and someone with more senior status took her job and she had to move down to a lower paying job and grade. In personal terms for our family it was a financial hardship.

It can be done if Congress has the will and a President who will agree. Probably a dead issue because of Obama and his debts to the government employees unions.