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Privatizing federal jobs is Bush goal

New rules mean private enterprise will take bigger cut of government jobs.

Date published: 6/8/2003

ON MAY 29, outgoing Office of Management and Budget Director Mitch Daniels delivered what could only be described as a "seismic shock" to the federal work force.

At that time, OMB released regulations greatly expanding the number of government jobs that would be open to private competition.

Citing the need to improve program performance to citizens and lower costs to taxpayers, the revised rules indicate that up to half the federal work force performs commercial activities that "remain insulated from the dynamics of competition." Approximately 850,000 of the 1.8 million government jobs are now being targeted for privatization with at least 15 percent opened for competitive bids by Oct. 31. Some estimate that savings of up to one-third could result from private-sector competition.

What does that mean now? Well, for one, without direct congressional intervention, many long-time federal jobs will cease to exist. The administration seems to be accelerating a trend started in the previous Democratic administration, when the federal work force was consciously reduced to pay for a war on crime and help eliminate the deficit.

I can certainly understand the administration's desire to improve government efficiency by providing service at the lowest possible cost, but as a 30-plus-year federal worker I'm leery of the outcome.

The 1990s were boom times in the private sector, I remember the high-flying days of emerging technologies and the soaring stock market. I also recall the long slide, and am troubled that we could be seeing the beginning of the Balkanization of the federal civil service.

Recently, the Treasury Department bragged that more than 2.4 million taxpayers filed online for free at its Web site. Looking into the future, after massive privatization, I can imagine the following exchange between a taxpayer and a contract worker with the Internal Revenue Service:

Taxpayer: I have a question concerning line 34 on my 1040.

Contract IRS employee: Are you doing your own taxes?

Taxpayer: Of course, I always do my own taxes, but I'm confused with this year's instructions.

Contract IRS employee: Confused? Of course you are. The federal tax code is way too complicated and complex for the average taxpayer. You really should use a professional tax preparer.

Taxpayer: What? All I have is a simple question about your form.

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Date published: 6/8/2003