I never use the tick tock motif, but in this case it’s absolutely appropriate. In 5 more days Trump could wave his hand and say any job that has been furloughed due to the shutdown is now permanently vacated. Done. Fini.

AT-

Has President Trump suckered Democrats and the Deep State into a trap that will enable a radical downsizing of the federal bureaucracy? In only five more days of the already-“longest government shutdown in history” (25 days and counting, as of today), a heretofore obscure threshold will be reached, enabling permanent layoffs of bureaucrats furloughed 30 days or more.

Don’t believe me that federal bureaucrats can be laid off? Well, in bureaucratese, a layoff is called a RIF – a Reduction in Force, and of course, it comes with a slew of civil service protections. But, if the guidelines are followed, bureaucrats can be laid off — as in no more job. It is all explained by Michael Roberts here (updated after the beginning of the partial shutdown):

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ht/ jmb