Dem aides could face massive layoffs

[classicman]

Wasn't sure where to put this so ....

If Republicans sweep the House and win key Senate seats in November, it’s not just elected Democrats who will be unemployed — more than 1,500 Democratic staffers could lose their jobs, with layoffs stretching from low-wage staff assistants to six-figure committee aides.

While turnover and job loss is a fact of life for those who serve in Congress, a change in party control can be dramatic as committee funding is slashed for the party falling out of power and hundreds of high-salary jobs switch hands.

The layoffs start with election losers. Each House office employs about 18 people, and each Senate office employs about 34. But the heaviest job loss happens in committees, which employ hundreds of highly paid experts and attorneys. In the House, the majority controls 66 percent of the committee budget, meaning if Democrats shift to the minority, they would control only about one-third of committee funds, potentially leaving hundreds of committee staffers unemployed if Republicans sweep the House.

While there are no signs yet of a Hill-wide stampede, some Democratic aides say they are bracing for the worst.

“I think people underestimate how disastrous this could be,” said one House Democratic aide, whose member faces an uphill climb. “The job pool could shrink tremendously, and then the available jobs will be in very high demand. All sorts of people who are overqualified for things could be looking for jobs.”

LegiStorm, which tracks congressional salaries and staffing, estimates there are 1,500 people employed by House committees, and 1,000 of those currently work for Democrats. If the Democrats lose 40 seats and control of the House, it would shrink the party’s committee staffing percentage levels by half, eliminating roughly 500 jobs. POLITICO did not estimate committee numbers for the Senate because the Senate is not expected to change power.

When party control has changed in both chambers, the job casualties were brutal. In 2006, when Democrats won the House and Senate, approximately 5,000 to 6,000 Republican aides lost their jobs. And in 1994, when Republicans gained control, a few thousand Democratic aides — many who had spent careers on the Hill — were forced into unemployment.

Overall, there are roughly 18,000 workers on Capitol Hill, including those in nonpolitical support positions.

“It’s similar to a plant closing. About one-third of your colleagues lose their jobs,” said former Hill aide John Edgell, who lost his job as a Democratic aide when Republicans swept the Hill in 1994. He said he struggled for months to find a job. “You go through seven stages of grief ... Your two best friends become Jim Beam and Johnny Walker.”

Read more:

Interesting sidebar to the people whose lives are affected by the change in party due to elections. I hadn't really thought about it before reading this.

[Lamplighter]

So, what do you think now that you've read it ?

It happens to some degree in every election cycle.

But, most Congressional committee staff (as opposed to staff in a Congressmember's personal office) bring substantial knowledge of particularly policy issues to the table and generally find it fairly easy to find work in DC - with think tanks, public interests groups, trade associations, etc.

And not just as lobbyists. Two of the policy analysts in my organization were displaced Republican staffers from House/Senate Committees.

[classicman]

Originally Posted by Lamplighter

So, what do you think now that you've read it ?

I was really surprised at the sheer magnitude of people and the length of time some of them have been out of work. These are people with major degrees and what must be astronomical student loans.

I also thought the way the funding for the positions being broken down by party was strange.

You?

[Lamplighter]

Lately, I am finding myself not wanting/willing to read links or long quotation passages
when there is no commentary by the Dwellar saying why the post is being made and/or their interest in it.
So, I've just now read your link.

I'm not seeing anything unusual in the article as that's just the way it is in government service.
The Feds are not any different than the States, the Counties, the Cities, etc.
Having been in State government, I have served "at the pleasure of the Governor" who in turn serves "at the pleasure of the People".

The only real structural impact of elections that bothers me comes from the fall out of "limited term" elections.
That is, when a politician is allowed to serve only 2 terms (e.g., 2 yrs each)
there is a significant loss of "institutional memory" as person after person leaves office,
and it's only the peripatetic members of their staff who keep some aspects of government
from falling into the most recent fad(s) of populist black holes.

It's sort of fun to watch politicians campaign by promising to serve for only one or two terms,
but then see them change their stripes when it comes time to step down.
With experience comes the wisdom of how the government really works,
and most politicians are not smart enough to learn everything
they need to know in their 1st or even their 2nd term in office.

[xoxoxoBruce]

With experience comes the wisdom of how the government really works

And forgetting how it should work.

[Lamplighter]

[classicman]

Thanks Lamp - that was a very thoughtful response.

Many times I cannot articulate my personal beliefs on a subject as well as others here. I am certainly not a writer.
At times I post things which I agree with, others that enrage me and still others that I just want to bring to the table. The latter of which most times I have not drawn a conclusion upon.

[TheMercenary]

The layoffs start with election losers.

Oh good God, I hope every one of them has to go on food stamps. Tough shit.

[xoxoxoBruce]

I believe you.

[squirell nutkin]

"...Susan, I don't know how to say this, but either I'm going to have to lay you or Jack off..."


"You're just gonna have to jack off, because I've got a wicked headache."

[xoxoxoBruce]

Please jack off, I've got a headache.

[spudcon]

For those staff members who were instrumental for this dismal failure our economy is experiencing, I have no problem with them losing their jobs. Most of the unemployed weren't fired because they totally screwed up.

[Spexxvet]

Originally Posted by spudcon

For those staff members who were instrumental for this dismal failure our economy is experiencing, I have no problem with them losing their jobs. Most of the unemployed weren't fired because they totally screwed up.

Those staff members already lost their jobs, on Jan. 20, 2009.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by spudcon

For those staff members who were instrumental for this dismal failure our economy is experiencing, I have no problem with them losing their jobs. Most of the unemployed weren't fired because they totally screwed up.