Cry Me a River

As sequestration nears, federal workers brace for furloughs, vent anger at politicians

The 48-year-old building engineer at the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing hasn’t had a cost-of-living pay raise in more than two years, even as his rent and insurance premiums went up. Now he and other federal workers in Washington and across the country are bracing for possible unpaid furloughs as part of an $85 billion reduction in federal spending.

"Rent's due the first of the month whether I'm furloughed or not," said Blevins, who commutes from his home in Culpeper, Va., to his night shift job in Washington. "You just really have to squeeze a little more out of each dollar. That's just what it comes down to."

Oh look, the people in Washington are starting to feel what the rest of us have been going through the past 5 years.

All across the D.C. area and the rest of the country, federal workers like Blevins are having tense, belt-tightening conversations with spouses, kids and co-workers. They’re canceling little luxuries such as cable, cellphone service, restaurants and movie nights, putting off long-planned vacations and searching for second jobs. Some are thinking about raiding their 401(k)s for emergency cash.

I haven't had cable in years, and I haven't been to a movie except the time I won free tickets. And what's this vacation he's talking about? And I consider myself blessed, so many are much worse off.

"I am a registered Republican. However, I blame the Republican Party for this," said Gregory Russell, a 48-year-old federal firefighter at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. Russell calculates he’d lose about $1,200 a month – about 20 percent of his pay – if he gets furloughed.

The ex-workers in the rest of America are lucky if they are getting $1,200 a month - and he's worried about 20 percent of his pay. Boo, hoo.

The Washington D.C. area has been having a gold rush while the rest of America crumbles. Literally crumbles in many cases. And yet the media - as this article does - continues to blame Republicans for all the troubles. The Republicans couldn't fight their way out a paper bag at this point, let alone get in the way of the Democrat Demolition Crew.