As much as I am against drastic cuts to the military, these temporary employees are not mission critical. How many will be cut from the EPA, Dep´t of Education, Energy, and the rest?

This administration HATES the US Military and is doing everything it can to destroy it. Obama thinks there is no need for war and pesky people can be killed with drones.

EPA, USDA, Dept of Education are untouched.

Let´s see if this makes a dent in the employment figures. I know they say "temporary," but I´ll bet anything they were counted as "jobs gained" when they were hired.

Start with "state Department". Many of those people drawing salaries are doing "jack" to save American lives as in Benghazi

Being able to lay off 46,000 people suggests they could lay off another 100K and never miss a beat.

I am shocked to learn that the Pentagon ALONE has 46,000 temporary employees.

I´m not as sure as other posters that all these people are superfluous, though of course that´s how bureaucracies become, and survive.

That said, certainly [if this were a rational, even-handed process] cuts in departments that are unproductive or un-Constitutional [many fit both categories] ought to be first. And "cut X percent, everywhere, period" is well beyond irresponsible and solidly docked at malfeasance.

Oh. So I just proved the whole thing is irrational? Guess so....

I´m a contractor at another agency and this seems like a first step...

We have some temps here too. Not sure why they have temps and contractors...

I shouldn´t be necessary, but the feds don´t -- WON"T -- do the tasks I get assigned to me. Good for me, I suppose. I end up doing tasks that give me expertise no one else has. I also get assigned (read: stuck with) projects that are detail oriented and often tedious to perform....hence, no one wants to have to do them (read: work hard)

But of course, I can´t seem to get hired on as a fed...guess I work too hard. Learned to take time to read Lucianne though!

The largest employer in the US is the Federal Government. They could lay of 50% of staff and we´d be better off.

They hire temps because once an employee becomes permanent it is near impossible to fire him. With a temp it is like a one year probation wherein they can be let go without cause.

I doubt the Pentagon itself will reduce head counts. The Imperial City only grows.

They have temps and contractors because the permanent people they have don´t have the expertise to do the job, or aren´t. When you have employment quotas, social engineering, and everything but competence quotas, you get a lot of temporary help. It also saves money. There are a lot of projects that are over when they are over.

How about a perspective of an Federal worker without all the stupid snips. First, I´m just as a hard worker as you in the private sector. I havn´t had a pay bump in 3 years, I´m constantly told I´m overpaiid and underworked, yeah right, I´m not sure what world you live in, but it´s not here on earth. Being a federal worker is like being a hostage, no say and grateful for the scraps. So when Uncle Obama says hey not only are we going to freeze your pay again (4th year in a row), but hey we are going to now tell you to go home one day a week without pay.....hey you got to do your fair share. Meanwhile those who don´t want to work and get all the free welfare checks, housing assistance, free college tuition, and the wonderful tax credits for not paying taxes...somehow the reason the federal government is broke is because I work and get paid for it and other don´t and also get paid for,it....please redirect your misguided comments.

#13. Many of us have family employed at high levels of government. This doesn´t change the truth.

Will they get priority when IRS hires 16,000 to enforce Zippycare ?

agree with #14...... time for some govt downsizing....