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Real People, Real Stories [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2025-02-20

My friends and I have been texting/emailing/meeting in person the past month discussing the ramifications of the new regime. Many in my group have experienced directly the effects of the disastrous cuts to federal workforce. I wanted to share their stories as I haven’t seen very many personal accounts of everyday Americans affected on posts from this site. Names have been changed and things in parentheses are clarifications. All of this is so unnecessary.

Linda- my high school friend, (her kids and husband)

“Mary has a transgender in the coast guard (woman) that works for her & is invaluable. This has been her life for the past 8 years, 8 years before as a man. She is being forced out and the ways have been inhumane. The orders/ laws coming straight from Project 2025, an interesting read if you have not yet read. One of the cowriters is currently up to be in charge of federal budget. Charlie will probably lose his job too with the foreign service which he was so happy to finally be able to do. Dave’s biggest customer has a diversity piece which is substantial and will be on its way out. The ramifications are going to be far. Hannah already lost her job at the embassy (Central American Country), since she had not yet officially started (had a baby). In project 2025 Mary will lose her job, even though her expertise is the Arctic/ Alaska/Ice. Oh on that note all the planes that monitor the icebergs, which Mary is currently in charge of are, at the border…. So another titanic could be happening in the waters that “nameless” thinks are so important for his Alaska oil, Greenland acquisition…. If you understand icebergs as much as I have learned this is dangerous, the same as cutting FAA.”

Melissa- my business partner (her daughter and boyfriend)

As of 4:30pm today (Feb. 14) , Randy, Julie's significant other, has lost his job with the Department of Defense.

“An update, it was a crazy evening. I was incorrect, Dr. Randy P. works under the umbrella of the Department of Health & Human Service. He is employed by the NIH and the National Cancer Institute. The National Cancer Institute is located at Ft. Dietrich. The firings yesterday of all probationary employees was based on an Executive Order from DOGE ( Dept of Government Efficiency). Government employees, when they receive a promotion or title change have a probationary period of two years. He was promoted last July. That is why he was impacted. Late yesterday, the Acting Director of NIH, Dr. Matthew Memoli, got involved. He refused to let billions of research dollars go to waste because of all of these terminations. He stepped in, and reversed the firing of all the scientists. Some admin people were not as lucky. Randy has his job back, but it was an emotional roller coaster. Thank you for all of your support. Julie said to reach out if you need anything while in DC this weekend.” (My daughter and I went to the Presidents Day rally.)

Karen- my highschool friend, and her son

“Kevin said his job is safe for now (works for US Forest Service as wild land firefighter out of “city name” -he hires seasonal fire fighters) and they finally lifted the hiring freeze for firefighters so they should be able to start the season on time. He does think their budget will be cut and their retirement and health insurance might be affected. It's so infuriating and sad. They have to be stopped.”

Sally — my work friend and her son

“So Sam and I talked last night… he said he was talking to a professor and “university” is being very conservative and holding off on offering out new grad student TA assistantships, etc.… They’re trying to hold onto money so that they can keep the grad students that they have. It’s good for Sam but bad in general that they’re not able to give out new grad student assistantships.” (Previously “university” had sent an email to all grad students trying to clarify what was happening with funding. They outlined steps students should take if they got notice of DEI or funding suspensions from government and who to contact at the school.)

Libby — my work friend

She works at a military base in the Facilities department. She was told to go back to the office 5 days/week. Her job is to try and find office space for all employees, even though much of the office space was eliminated during Covid. An example of 10 people in a department with only 5 desks. She wonders how are they supposed to make that work? And she got both the DEIA snitch email and the “buyout” email.

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