Many Democrats seem aghast at the notion that a government job is anything less than a lifetime sinecure and property right. Witness their near universal hand-wringing in recent weeks over layoffs at the federal level.
Democratic leaders across the nation — including in Pennsylvania and New York — have moved to expedite the hiring of U.S. government workers who have lost their jobs during the Trump administration’s downsizing of the federal workforce. By filling open state positions with these former federal civil servants, Democrats insist the moves can reduce unemployment, ensure that essential public services remain strong and state governments can benefit from the expertise of former federal workers.
There is nothing wrong with the suggestion, as long as candidates are qualified for the openings in question. It’s also unfortunate when employees are let go through no fault of their own. This can indeed be traumatizing, financially and otherwise, for individuals and families. Compassion is in order.
But the selective concern is revealing. Job cuts are nothing unusual in the private sector, where the great majority of workers toil without gold-plated, taxpayer-supported pension plans and other benefits. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the nation’s unemployment rate from October 2022 to October 2024 fluctuated from about 3% to about 4%. During that time, millions of jobs were lost (and new jobs found) — almost exclusively in the private sector.
Yet, compared to the headlong race to succor terminated federal workers in recent days, there’s only perfunctory consternation from Democratic lawmakers about layoffs of private-sector workers, which occur routinely in every sector of the economy. The disparity highlights how Democrats have become the party of government, for the government, and it underscores how uncommon it is for federal workers — accustomed to ironclad job security — to be subjected to the same marketplace churn that their private-sector counterparts navigate each day.
Democrats and others are right to express concern about what the upheaval in federal agencies will do to the ability of getting benefits and services to Americans who depend on them — but Democrats should focus less on political stunts and more on ensuring their states maintain business climates that encourage entrepreneurship and job creation while providing opportunity for their residents — from both the public and private sector — in need of employment.
— From Tribune News Services
