Government Service Update

Well, after three weeks back in the office, the good news is that I still have my job. As a mostly untargeted agency, things have been very mixed, but, so far, not catastrophic.

First, let's try to identify some good things relating to the return to the office. 

Prior to the pandemic, I commuted to work for 29 years. Slipping back into that routine has been easy. I'm walking more every day. I get to see friends at work face to face. Um, yeah, that's pretty much it.

Now let's identify some of the bad things relating to the return to office.

The biggest is that my commute takes 70-90 minutes each way, depending on traffic and the Metro. That's around three hours a day that I used to spend sleeping, working, seeing my family, and getting things done around the house. Now, I'm spending those three hours riding back and forth to work. It's a terrible waste of time and damn near the most inefficient way to live one's life.

Another bad thing is that since federal workers can't telework, I can't time-shift my work or work after hours. I work my nine to five and head home, losing quite a bit of extra work time. Also, I'm not around to take my Mom to doctor's appointments or other engagements during the day.

Yet another downside is the deluge of daily directives coming out of the White House and OPM, attacking federal workers. During the first ten days back in the office, the other managers and I spent at least a full two of those ten days working on new directives, trying to get guidance which is rarely available, discussing reactions and interpretations, and meeting to share information and formulate plans. Again, not efficient and utterly maddening.

My agency has so far been spared the worst, as we haven't been subject to mass layoffs. We have lost some good people, but the fascists are not yet trying to shut the agency down. The head of my agency seems to be doing their best to protect employees, but they're a true believer and will do whatever the cult master dictates. This week we had a clearly illegal attack on senior management, and we don't know how that is going to turn out. Our head has reacted to this by falling in line.

What's demoralizing are the constant insults aimed at federal workers -- the death by a thousand cuts. For example, we are an independent agency, created by Congress and protected by Supreme Court precedent. Trump declared all independent agencies under his direct control, so by direction of our agency head, the word "independent" has been struck from all identifying documentation. Also, I work in a very nice satellite building, and GSA cancelled our lease two years ahead of our planned move. We now have five weeks to move 700 staff to another building, that hasn't been selected. That will, of course, waste even more work time.(The cruelty is the point).

I've been a federal worker for 34 years. As America falls to fascism, these are the worst days I've experienced. It will only continue to get worse.

(And again, to put this into context, this is in NO WAY near the level of horror this administration is inflicting on the people who live and work in America. These Nazis are now DISAPPEARING people. We need to fight back NOW.)