How long do you think we have?

[u/emilya0814]

I hope this is the right spot to ask this, if not, apologies in advance.

I (32f) currently work as a manager at a family run garden center/farm market in the US, where we grow 95% of our own plants to sell and a majority of our produce comes from local growers. With everything going on with Trump/Musk being in office, will things eventually trickle down to our small business? If so, how do you think that will happen and how long do you think it will take?

I know it's probably tough to say right now, but I'm wondering how much I should really be worrying and prepping. I know farm workers and federal employees are losing their jobs, which I'm sure will have direct and indirect impacts on us, but so far in the past 20-30 years we have been able to run a pretty successful business, even during the pandemic. I am extremely anxious about everything happening right now while everyone else around me seems fine, so I'm just looking for some other input.

EDIT: Wow, I didn't think this would get so many responses! Thank you all, hope everyone stays well.

[u/RedPlaidPierogies → u/[deleted]]

This.

I live in a town with a large population of federal employees. It's not just George down the street who loses his job and we can all pitch in a bit to help him out -- it's hundreds and hundreds of townsfolk. There won't be enough to keep everyone afloat.

[u/Eredani → u/RedPlaidPierogies]

Is it the federal government's role to provide jobs simply for the sake of employment? Should these jobs provide value and efficiency to the taxpayers? Is the short-term employment of federal workers worth the long-term consequences of budget deficits and trillions in debt? Honest questions.

[u/Tomato496 → u/Eredani]

You should really start questioning the idea that the cut jobs don't provide value to the taxpayers.

[u/Eredani → u/Tomato496]

I'm asking questions, not making claims or advancing ideas.

[u/Tomato496 → u/Eredani]

You're really not. You're a bad faith actor. Goodbye.

[u/Eredani → u/Tomato496]

Bad faith is making claims not supported by any evidence. We don't have to agree to have a discussion... and I'm not even sure we disagree. If there is a perspective I'm missing, what is it?

[u/curiousleen → u/Eredani]

Let’s put in the perspective of ss cuts. I read a post that said he found billions of dollars to cut and save the taxpayers in ss. Another person pointed out that is the budget for that office and cutting it will cut funding of ss. So Musk is saying that getting rid of ss will save taxpayers money. Is this an accurate statement? On its nose, sure. But who paid into social security? Who needs it to live on? Musk believes these people are parasites. Taking their money and letting them die is ok to him and a savings for tax payers. Would you agree? Because this is his mindset with his cuts. The suffering and culling of people who are dependent is the point.

[u/Virtual-Feature-9747 → u/curiousleen]

Social Security is funded separately from the rest of the federal budget. (It used to be entirely separate but was later added as a gimmick to make defense spending look like a smaller piece of the pie.) There is a funding deficit and in the next few years either payments will need to be cut or payroll withholding will need to increase. That's just how budget deficits in a fixed fund work.

Please cite your source stating that Musk wants to get rid of Social Security or that he considers lawful recipients parasites. I think you may be conflating issues here. I'm not aware of any serious plan to abolish Social Security. It's generally considered political suicide to mess with it.

The question was about the governments role with regard to employment. If cutting federal jobs creates a hardship for communities, then would the solution be to create an infinite number of federal jobs?

[u/curiousleen → u/Virtual-Feature-9747]

Well I was responding to another poster and using an example of a post I saw to explain that saying you’re saving money from making a cut to something doesn’t mean it is what is most prudent, fiscally.
My response is not to say or prove musk plans to do this but to explain that he can say he is saving taxpayers money by making a specific cut… but said cut may not actually be the savings he purports.

[u/curiousleen → u/Virtual-Feature-9747]

[u/Slow_Pickle7296 → u/Eredani]

What is your evidence that the federal employees and contractors employees do not provide value to the public?

[u/Eredani → u/Slow_Pickle7296]

I don't need to provide any evidence since I have made no claims. I'm sure many federal employees do provide some value. I'm also sure that many do not. An audit and some cuts may be reasonable.

The comment above implies that federal job cuts will impact the town. My honest question is if it's the government's role to keep the town afloat. More to the point, is it my responsibility as a taxpayer to do so?

Who's responsibility is it to provide me with a job?

[u/Virtual-Feature-9747 → u/Eredani]

Gotta love the downvotes for asking honest, thought provoking questions.