Posted on 07/30/2013 1:45:09 AM PDT by Kaslin
Another story has emerged out of the Department of Defense that the economic consequences from sequestration will be less dire than what was predicted. DoD initially projected that there would be 22 furlough days for government employees. That's now joined the long list of predictions of doom that haven't come true:
Officials said no final decisions have been made, but they believe civilian workers will be forced to take six to eight unpaid days off rather than the 11 days that had been scheduled. The move comes as workers begin their fourth week of furloughs — a decision that riled department employees and prompted many to complain directly to Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel as he visited military bases earlier this month.
Officials said the savings are the result of a number of things, including penny-pinching by the military services and Congress' decision to give the Pentagon more flexibility in moving money around between accounts.
First predictions out of DoD were that there would need to be up to 22 furlough days. That was revised down to 11 days, which has now been cut to 6-8. In total, the original projection was an exaggeration of over 300%.
This shouldn't be surprising to anyone who's been paying attention. the Obama Administration ordered executive agencies not to contradict the official Administration line to try to make sequestration appear as painful as possible.
The Washington Post catalogued the predictions for sequestration that were and weren't coming true. In total, they found that just 11 of 48 predictions had come true. Time to update those revisions!
First predictions out of DoD were that there would need to be up to 22 furlough days. That was revised down to 11 days, which has now been cut to 6-8. In total, the original projection was an exaggeration of over 300%.
Incorrect it’s 11 furlough days so the article is wrong.
Odumbo wants it to look as bad as possible so he can blame it on the Republicans.
Why is HE being allowed to spend, spend, spend on his numerous, unnecessary vacations around the world and other “foolishness” while the rest of the “peons” suffer through the sequestor. He is OUR EMPLOYEE and should be held accountable and he would be if we only had someone with a backbone to do it.
That was revised down to 11 days, which has now been cut to 6-8. In total,
They have? I have not heard this. I am going on Furlough day 4 on Friday.
Today's my third. Those "in the know" say to expect this to look like the good old days when '14 and '15 happen. Thinking about retiring about 2 years earlier than originally planned and supplementing with part-time.
Wholeheartedly agree - spending $100M to take his family on a vacation in Africa while ensuring he offended his hosts with his immoral directives how to run their countries needs to be stopped by cutting his purse string for such travels.
He is doing his best to punish, though perhaps not as successful as he hoped if there are less than the originally announced cuts. Civilian employees can consider themselves blessed in a sense - their benefits remain in place while they see a 20% reduction in pay for whatever the time frame will actually be. I have friends in private industry that have seen projects disappear or “slip to the right” - which forces the company to take actions that have caused some to simply lose their jobs. Private industry can’t play this game - if they have an employee full time they need to use that employee full (or more) time.
“Why is HE being allowed to spend, spend, spend on his numerous, unnecessary vacations around the world and other “foolishness” while the rest of the “peons” suffer through the sequestor.”
The answer is simple. The Republicans in the House do not have the leadership or courage to cut off the funds through the appropriations process. They have the power under the Constitution to defund any spending by the federal government and choose not to do it.
Wow... THe only thing I have to say is that this person should see the view from here in contract land.
This bill, sequestration, has just not come due yet... but it’s building.
What this author and most everyone else doesn’t get is that this is NOT just a one day a week layoff. This is also a scaling back to EACTLY 32 hours per week, from a typical 50 - 60 hours per week! That is a HUGE productivity hit. Moreso than the lost day. This 32 hr. week can be increased, but only at the senior civilian and admiral level on a case by case and instance by instance basis.
I’m sorry, but my customer is not getting the work that was prommised to the war fighter done and it’s having a serious moral and program impacts.
The budget NEEDS cutting, but this isn’t the way, and I’m sorry, but most peeople are too ill-informed or stupid not to get this.
I hear you. I work with contractors and gov’t civilians. This sequestration thing is really, really bad. Most people have no clue how bad. I’m up at the strategic level, so I don’t know if it’s hit the tactical side real hard yet, but the effects are going to filter down—it’s only a matter of time.
I’ve got a letter from my big boss (presidential appointee, confirmed by Senate) telling me that I will be furloughed 11 days in FY13. That’s official. The cut to a smaller number is rumor only at this point. I’m about to go on days 4 and 5, so if they’re going to change anything, they’d better get cracking.
Yesterday I replied to all on an email forwarding some info I needed; out of 12 addressees, seven autoreplied “out on furlough.” And superiors are cracking down on the unpaid overtime most professionals donate as a matter of routine.
TC
Since getting hit by sequestration in May, I’ve burned my vacation down from 509 hours to 288 hours and taken 16 hours leave without pay. I’ve paid $1500 to keep a room in San Diego while I’m idled at home in Idaho. The customer has delayed the contract award to Oct 1st instead of July 15th as promised in May. It takes 11 days of work to earn a paid day off. I took few over the last 4 years as I anticipated this kind of shoddy treatment. Obama has taken $200 million in vacations since May...funded in part by taxing my paid time off.
Since getting hit by sequestration in May, I’ve burned my vacation down from 509 hours to 288 hours and taken 16 hours leave without pay. I’ve paid $1500 to keep a room in San Diego while I’m idled at home in Idaho. The customer has delayed the contract award to Oct 1st instead of July 15th as promised in May. It takes 11 days of work to earn a paid day off. I took few over the last 4 years as I anticipated this kind of shoddy treatment. Obama has taken $200 million in vacations since May...funded in part by taxing my paid time off.
I don't know anyone in the private sector that can bank up 3 months worth of vacation time. Must be nice.
“I don’t know anyone in the private sector that can bank up 3 months worth of vacation time. Must be nice.”
For sure! Seems like the poster expected that he would, as a government employee/contractor, ride along above the fray. Sorry pal, but I have little sympathy for your situation. I’m retired and have watched as 30% of what we had saved for retirement evaporate. Now, I expect to have to start selling assets before too long because my retirement needs mean that I am eating into my capital.
I’ve got a lot of friends who are actual productive government employees (scientists mostly) who are whining about their 20% pay cut. 6-11 days off a year isn’t 20% for the year, but whatever. I remind them that as a private sector guy, my last two furloughs features a 100% pay cut forever. One entailed me moving cross country to get a new job.
Welcome to the real world.
Today’s my third. Those “in the know” say to expect this to look like the good old days when ‘14 and ‘15 happen. Thinking about retiring about 2 years earlier than originally planned and supplementing with part-time.
I wish I could do that. I am in my second year at DOD. Retired in 2011 from the military so I have a long road until retirement...18 years at least.
That said, there's not much I would change in my decisions - loved wearing the uniform and still love those who wear it and those who support them.
JBLM worker testifies to Congress about furloughs
Mandatory furloughs for Defense Department employees are nearly breaking Tacoma single mother Jennifer-Cari Green’s “bare-bones” family budget, she told U.S. lawmakers in a visit Tuesday to Capitol Hill. “This furlough will likely cause me to slip below the line into poverty,” Green, 26, said at hearing for the Senate Budget Committee. “It feels punitive, and I worry that it will make a beggar out of me.” Green, a secretary at Madigan Army Medical Center, was one of several people called to testify about how forced federal budget cuts known as sequestration are hurting family budgets and national security.
Her story can be repeated tens of thousands of times. Patriotic Americans who work for this nation are punished, while the Takers skate and take even more.
Record 8.9 Million Workers Now on Disability Benefits
If the author of this piece, or you, want to cheer this on, that is (in my opinion) shameful.
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