Posted on Tuesday, October 14, 2025
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by Robert B. Charles
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10 Comments
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The national media – especially those assigned to report crying, drama, firings, and gnashing teeth – have taken the Democrat shutdown, flipped it on its head, and blame Trump for “RIFs” – that is, “Reductions In Force,” layoffs. They report the world is ending. A little perspective is needed.
In the media’s typical breathless way, pushing hype, hysteria, and hyperventilation, Apple News reports (consistent with the Democrat narrative) that: “The White House’s mass firing of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention staff … has decimated offices related to injury prevention, respiratory disease surveillance, and chronic disease …” The world is coming to an end.
Taken on its face, this sounds terrible. It sounds like CDC barely exists any more, and we should now expect a spike in injuries, respiratory and chronic diseases.
But deeper into the story: “The White House is expected to cut between 1,100 and 1,200 employees at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), though it’s not yet clear how many will come from the CDC.” So, um, they lied.
Moreover, while the White House says some jobs may not return – if found unnecessary – and others may return without backpay, the picture still sounds dim.
Is the world ending? Hardly. A little perspective. Pull the lens back – to understand what Trump’s Office of Management and Budget is doing. Into that opening provided by Senate Democrats, they are inserting an “are they needed” test.
So, is this really a “mass firing” – “1100 to 1200” layoffs, termination possible if found unnecessary, “at CDC” (which is really HHS) – with job reviews overdue?
You tell me. HHS has 82,000 fulltime employees, plus 60,000 contract employees, totaling 142,000 employees. Of that, 19,000 are at CDC.
So, let’s get real. Even if all the RIFs were firings, which they are not, and even if the total were 1200 – that is less than one percent of HHS employees (.845 percent). Even if all came from CDC (unlikely), that is 6.3 percent of CDC’s force.
Reality is far more simple. Democrats are ouching from a huge mistake. They wanted attention. Trump was getting it for peace talks, ending crime in big cities, so they pushed Obamacare and money for National Public Radio (NPR), hallmark of Democrat ideas, more socialized medicine, more public funding for leftist news.
No one cares, or cares much right now. Most oppose these Democrat ideas. So how do Democrats end the mess they created? Just calm down, end the hype, and get back to work. One thing for sure, the world is not coming to an end, never was. Democrat leadership is lost, with tagalong media. They need some perspective.
Robert Charles is a former Assistant Secretary of State under Colin Powell, former Reagan and Bush 41 White House staffer, Maine attorney, ten-year naval intelligence officer (USNR), and 25-year businessman. He wrote “Narcotics and Terrorism” (2003), “Eagles and Evergreens” (North Country Press, 2018), and “Cherish America: Stories of Courage, Character, and Kindness” (Tower Publishing, 2024). He is National Spokesman for AMAC. Today, he is running to be Maine’s next Governor. BobbyforMaine.com
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