As of Feb. 18, tens of thousands of federal workers have been terminated illegally. These layoffs will affect millions and their families, not to mention, as a byproduct, causing such things as the cancellation of clinical trials and scientific research that saves lives and prevents diseases, as well as the guarding of the nuclear stockpile. These reckless cuts will make life more difficult, less secure and less democratic for Americans in every state of the union.
Among the many agencies under fire are the familiar National Institutes of Health, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the IRS and the Social Security Administration. These entities were established by Congress and are supposed to be politically independent. Donald Trump has signed orders that have frozen their funds and decimated their staffs, claiming he alone has control over them. This means, among other things, that he can determine who gets what benefits from them, based on their loyalty to him or lack thereof. Are you aware that he has assumed such power?
You may have voted for him, but I am sure you had no idea that what he had in mind was a government coup! While, on the surface, the words “waste,” “fraud” and “abuse” might sound like normal words in the language of professional auditors, in the hands of Elon Musk, Trump and company, they are just excuses for getting rid of all civil servants who have not shown the proper fealty.
Julia Sperry
Hockessin
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.
