Name:   Talullahhound - Subject:   will trump announce a RIF today at 3:00? Date:   1/19/2019 8:58:05 PM

I'm sure all of you are nice people, but your comments regarding govermment employees in general, and specificially about RIFs, are off the scale ignorant, and none of you have a clue.  You don't know anything about RIFs, RIF procedures or what it would cost.  Just here in your little echo chamber you think you sound so smart.  But in fact, your comments are ignorant and shwo anyone who knows anything about working for the government just how ill informed you are.  

And Wix, I would like to have seen how long you would have survived in any of the jobs I had in the last 15 years of my career.  I would give you half a day and it wouldn't be because of dealing with "slugs".  You all go into something field office of the VA or the SS for 15 minutes and draw conclusions about an entire workforce.  I spent years, flying all around the world, promoting the sale of sophisicated defense equipment, so our own military could affrod to have the best, and also to keep our own defense industry working.  Have you ever worked on an international competition to sell U.S. helicopters to a foreign government against it's Eurpoean competiores, while worrying not only about tech transfer, jobs in the US. versus jobs Europe and at the same time watching currency values, because at the end of the day, it is all about jobs and $$?   Or have you ever sat across the table from senior foreign government officials explaining why they can't have our most sensitive technology, despite our "special" relationship?  Or for that matter, met with members of U.S. industry who make thermal night vision camera's and explain why we can''t allow them to sell said devices to fire departments all over China, when it will mean millions to their bottom line?  Or explained to a General why we are allowing certain devices to foreign companies, despite his concerns that this will put his soldiers in danger?  Or explained to a Japanese company why they most implemtn a system of complete control over every ngith visioin device that they want to put in their cars?  

Have you ever handled explaining to a bunch of foreign generals that we have been supporting with equipmet that thanks to a chnage in our government pollicy, they would not be getting more?  I could go on and on about situations that I am sure you have never dealt with.  As I see it, you just took the easier road.  What is it that you are retired from??