PAC-10-BEAR said:

---

movielover said:

---

USAID funding ended.

---

"Sheryl Cowan, 57, was making $272,000 a year as a senior VP at a U.S.A.I.D.-funded nonprofit when she was let go at the end of March 2025. Last month she had an online interview for a $19-an-hour job managing a Penzeys Spices store in Falls Church, Va."https://t.co/OGDiHFV79u

— Alec MacGillis (@AlecMacGillis) April 23, 2026

It seems the money well has dried up?

---

sycasey said:

---

PAC-10-BEAR said:

---

movielover said:

---

USAID funding ended.

---

It seems the money well has dried up?

---

Hooray, people lost their jobs!

---

Which has done more harm to
The United States:

1-USAID

2-SPLC

3-ACT BLUE

— Fletch17 (@RealFletch17) April 23, 2026

sycasey said:

---

BearlySane88 said:

---

sycasey said:

---

PAC-10-BEAR said:

---

movielover said:

---

USAID funding ended.

---

"Sheryl Cowan, 57, was making $272,000 a year as a senior VP at a U.S.A.I.D.-funded nonprofit when she was let go at the end of March 2025. Last month she had an online interview for a $19-an-hour job managing a Penzeys Spices store in Falls Church, Va."https://t.co/OGDiHFV79u

— Alec MacGillis (@AlecMacGillis) April 23, 2026

It seems the money well has dried up?

---

Hooray, people lost their jobs!

---

This is something to celebrate. People who were getting paid 6 figures to do jobs that are unnecessary are no longer putting your tax dollars to waste. What does that say when the best she can do is a $19 per hour job?

---

I don't know that this proves her job was unnecessary. More that the industry she worked in in the region she lived in got effectively eliminated by a government decision.

---

BearlySane88 said:

---

sycasey said:

---

BearlySane88 said:

---

sycasey said:

---

PAC-10-BEAR said:

---

movielover said:

---

USAID funding ended.

---

"Sheryl Cowan, 57, was making $272,000 a year as a senior VP at a U.S.A.I.D.-funded nonprofit when she was let go at the end of March 2025. Last month she had an online interview for a $19-an-hour job managing a Penzeys Spices store in Falls Church, Va."https://t.co/OGDiHFV79u

— Alec MacGillis (@AlecMacGillis) April 23, 2026

It seems the money well has dried up?

---

Hooray, people lost their jobs!

---

This is something to celebrate. People who were getting paid 6 figures to do jobs that are unnecessary are no longer putting your tax dollars to waste. What does that say when the best she can do is a $19 per hour job?

---

I don't know that this proves her job was unnecessary. More that the industry she worked in in the region she lived in got effectively eliminated by a government decision.

---

It's unnecessary proven by the fact that she can now only find a $19 per hour job.

---

sycasey said:

---

PAC-10-BEAR said:

---

movielover said:

---

USAID funding ended.

---

"Sheryl Cowan, 57, was making $272,000 a year as a senior VP at a U.S.A.I.D.-funded nonprofit when she was let go at the end of March 2025. Last month she had an online interview for a $19-an-hour job managing a Penzeys Spices store in Falls Church, Va."https://t.co/OGDiHFV79u

— Alec MacGillis (@AlecMacGillis) April 23, 2026

It seems the money well has dried up?

---

Hooray, people lost their jobs!

---

BearlySane88 said:

---

sycasey said:

---

BearlySane88 said:

---

sycasey said:

---

BearlySane88 said:

---

sycasey said:

---

PAC-10-BEAR said:

---

movielover said:

---

USAID funding ended.

---

"Sheryl Cowan, 57, was making $272,000 a year as a senior VP at a U.S.A.I.D.-funded nonprofit when she was let go at the end of March 2025. Last month she had an online interview for a $19-an-hour job managing a Penzeys Spices store in Falls Church, Va."https://t.co/OGDiHFV79u

— Alec MacGillis (@AlecMacGillis) April 23, 2026

It seems the money well has dried up?

---

Hooray, people lost their jobs!

---

This is something to celebrate. People who were getting paid 6 figures to do jobs that are unnecessary are no longer putting your tax dollars to waste. What does that say when the best she can do is a $19 per hour job?

---

I don't know that this proves her job was unnecessary. More that the industry she worked in in the region she lived in got effectively eliminated by a government decision.

---

It's unnecessary proven by the fact that she can now only find a $19 per hour job.

---

Then the same is true about factory workers who lost their jobs and have never been able to find anything else that pays as well, I suppose.

---

If she was truly qualified for a $200k+ job, she should be able to find something better than a store clerk

---

PAC-10-BEAR said:

---

Elon Musk, Big Balls, and DOGE are responsible for this.

---

sycasey said:

---

BearlySane88 said:

---

sycasey said:

---

BearlySane88 said:

---

sycasey said:

---

BearlySane88 said:

---

sycasey said:

---

PAC-10-BEAR said:

---

movielover said:

---

USAID funding ended.

---

"Sheryl Cowan, 57, was making $272,000 a year as a senior VP at a U.S.A.I.D.-funded nonprofit when she was let go at the end of March 2025. Last month she had an online interview for a $19-an-hour job managing a Penzeys Spices store in Falls Church, Va."https://t.co/OGDiHFV79u

— Alec MacGillis (@AlecMacGillis) April 23, 2026

It seems the money well has dried up?

---

Hooray, people lost their jobs!

---

This is something to celebrate. People who were getting paid 6 figures to do jobs that are unnecessary are no longer putting your tax dollars to waste. What does that say when the best she can do is a $19 per hour job?

---

I don't know that this proves her job was unnecessary. More that the industry she worked in in the region she lived in got effectively eliminated by a government decision.

---

It's unnecessary proven by the fact that she can now only find a $19 per hour job.

---

Then the same is true about factory workers who lost their jobs and have never been able to find anything else that pays as well, I suppose.

---

If she was truly qualified for a $200k+ job, she should be able to find something better than a store clerk

---

She developed that salary and expertise in one industry that effectively no longer exists (especially where she lives), so I don't think that necessarily tracks.

I guess you can say she should just re-skill or move somewhere else but I think you know that isn't necessarily easy for people in their 40s and 50s who have families to support.

---

Aunburdened said:

---

I would say she should learn to code, but I think the new version of that is service the robots doing all the manual labor.

---

Eastern Oregon Bear said:

---

sycasey said:

---

PAC-10-BEAR said:

---

movielover said:

---

USAID funding ended.

---

"Sheryl Cowan, 57, was making $272,000 a year as a senior VP at a U.S.A.I.D.-funded nonprofit when she was let go at the end of March 2025. Last month she had an online interview for a $19-an-hour job managing a Penzeys Spices store in Falls Church, Va."https://t.co/OGDiHFV79u

— Alec MacGillis (@AlecMacGillis) April 23, 2026

It seems the money well has dried up?

---

Hooray, people lost their jobs!

---

Firing people nearly happened in my office but enough older employees said "Heck, I'm near retirement anyway, I'll take the buyout and go sit at home and get paid for the next 7 months." After this was done, the crippling damage to our agency and the degraded ability to perform our duties was noticed. We've been hiring replacements and training them up ever since. Only one new person here so far and we're still very short staffed, but we have had some people promoted to fill higher level vacancies that the buyout opened up. Personally, I'm a bit miffed that people hired to fill my job at neighboring offices are being hired at a higher pay grade than me and will eventually be getting paid more than I will a few years from now, but timing is everything.

---

BearlySane88 said:

---

sycasey said:

---

BearlySane88 said:

---

sycasey said:

---

BearlySane88 said:

---

sycasey said:

---

BearlySane88 said:

---

sycasey said:

---

PAC-10-BEAR said:

---

movielover said:

---

USAID funding ended.

---

"Sheryl Cowan, 57, was making $272,000 a year as a senior VP at a U.S.A.I.D.-funded nonprofit when she was let go at the end of March 2025. Last month she had an online interview for a $19-an-hour job managing a Penzeys Spices store in Falls Church, Va."https://t.co/OGDiHFV79u

— Alec MacGillis (@AlecMacGillis) April 23, 2026

It seems the money well has dried up?

---

Hooray, people lost their jobs!

---

This is something to celebrate. People who were getting paid 6 figures to do jobs that are unnecessary are no longer putting your tax dollars to waste. What does that say when the best she can do is a $19 per hour job?

---

I don't know that this proves her job was unnecessary. More that the industry she worked in in the region she lived in got effectively eliminated by a government decision.

---

It's unnecessary proven by the fact that she can now only find a $19 per hour job.

---

Then the same is true about factory workers who lost their jobs and have never been able to find anything else that pays as well, I suppose.

---

If she was truly qualified for a $200k+ job, she should be able to find something better than a store clerk

---

She developed that salary and expertise in one industry that effectively no longer exists (especially where she lives), so I don't think that necessarily tracks.

I guess you can say she should just re-skill or move somewhere else but I think you know that isn't necessarily easy for people in their 40s and 50s who have families to support.

---

I hear you but a lot of people do things that aren't easy. Sack up or don't complain about it

---

movielover said:

---

Eastern Oregon Bear said:

---

sycasey said:

---

PAC-10-BEAR said:

---

movielover said:

---

USAID funding ended.

---

"Sheryl Cowan, 57, was making $272,000 a year as a senior VP at a U.S.A.I.D.-funded nonprofit when she was let go at the end of March 2025. Last month she had an online interview for a $19-an-hour job managing a Penzeys Spices store in Falls Church, Va."https://t.co/OGDiHFV79u

— Alec MacGillis (@AlecMacGillis) April 23, 2026

It seems the money well has dried up?

---

Hooray, people lost their jobs!

---

Firing people nearly happened in my office but enough older employees said "Heck, I'm near retirement anyway, I'll take the buyout and go sit at home and get paid for the next 7 months." After this was done, the crippling damage to our agency and the degraded ability to perform our duties was noticed. We've been hiring replacements and training them up ever since. Only one new person here so far and we're still very short staffed, but we have had some people promoted to fill higher level vacancies that the buyout opened up. Personally, I'm a bit miffed that people hired to fill my job at neighboring offices are being hired at a higher pay grade than me and will eventually be getting paid more than I will a few years from now, but timing is everything.

---

Your story doesn't seem to hold together. You say you've been hiring replacements, and then you say you have only hired one person.

---

sycasey said:

---

BearlySane88 said:

---

sycasey said:

---

BearlySane88 said:

---

sycasey said:

---

BearlySane88 said:

---

sycasey said:

---

BearlySane88 said:

---

sycasey said:

---

PAC-10-BEAR said:

---

movielover said:

---

USAID funding ended.

---

"Sheryl Cowan, 57, was making $272,000 a year as a senior VP at a U.S.A.I.D.-funded nonprofit when she was let go at the end of March 2025. Last month she had an online interview for a $19-an-hour job managing a Penzeys Spices store in Falls Church, Va."https://t.co/OGDiHFV79u

— Alec MacGillis (@AlecMacGillis) April 23, 2026

It seems the money well has dried up?

---

Hooray, people lost their jobs!

---

This is something to celebrate. People who were getting paid 6 figures to do jobs that are unnecessary are no longer putting your tax dollars to waste. What does that say when the best she can do is a $19 per hour job?

---

I don't know that this proves her job was unnecessary. More that the industry she worked in in the region she lived in got effectively eliminated by a government decision.

---

It's unnecessary proven by the fact that she can now only find a $19 per hour job.

---

Then the same is true about factory workers who lost their jobs and have never been able to find anything else that pays as well, I suppose.

---

If she was truly qualified for a $200k+ job, she should be able to find something better than a store clerk

---

She developed that salary and expertise in one industry that effectively no longer exists (especially where she lives), so I don't think that necessarily tracks.

I guess you can say she should just re-skill or move somewhere else but I think you know that isn't necessarily easy for people in their 40s and 50s who have families to support.

---

I hear you but a lot of people do things that aren't easy. Sack up or don't complain about it

---

"Sack up or don't complain" does seem to be the Republican messaging on these people losing their jobs, which is why it's not surprising that Virginia voters just supported an aggressive gerrymander to eliminate Republican seats in Congress. Keep it up, I guess.

---

BearlySane88 said:

---

sycasey said:

---

BearlySane88 said:

---

sycasey said:

---

BearlySane88 said:

---

sycasey said:

---

BearlySane88 said:

---

sycasey said:

---

BearlySane88 said:

---

sycasey said:

---

PAC-10-BEAR said:

---

movielover said:

---

USAID funding ended.

---

"Sheryl Cowan, 57, was making $272,000 a year as a senior VP at a U.S.A.I.D.-funded nonprofit when she was let go at the end of March 2025. Last month she had an online interview for a $19-an-hour job managing a Penzeys Spices store in Falls Church, Va."https://t.co/OGDiHFV79u

— Alec MacGillis (@AlecMacGillis) April 23, 2026

It seems the money well has dried up?

---

Hooray, people lost their jobs!

---

This is something to celebrate. People who were getting paid 6 figures to do jobs that are unnecessary are no longer putting your tax dollars to waste. What does that say when the best she can do is a $19 per hour job?

---

I don't know that this proves her job was unnecessary. More that the industry she worked in in the region she lived in got effectively eliminated by a government decision.

---

It's unnecessary proven by the fact that she can now only find a $19 per hour job.

---

Then the same is true about factory workers who lost their jobs and have never been able to find anything else that pays as well, I suppose.

---

If she was truly qualified for a $200k+ job, she should be able to find something better than a store clerk

---

She developed that salary and expertise in one industry that effectively no longer exists (especially where she lives), so I don't think that necessarily tracks.

I guess you can say she should just re-skill or move somewhere else but I think you know that isn't necessarily easy for people in their 40s and 50s who have families to support.

---

I hear you but a lot of people do things that aren't easy. Sack up or don't complain about it

---

"Sack up or don't complain" does seem to be the Republican messaging on these people losing their jobs, which is why it's not surprising that Virginia voters just supported an aggressive gerrymander to eliminate Republican seats in Congress. Keep it up, I guess.

---

And they had to do it illegally to get it to happen. Go figure!

---

cal83dls79 said:

---

We will see how far Trump and his minion can go with the Pope bashing. Sleepy Joe is one thing. But Trump can't help himself and I don't think he or his followers are finished with taking down the Pope quite yet.

---

President Trump’s approval rating rises with Catholics after criticizing Pope Leo, per Newsweek.

— Leading Report (@LeadingReport) April 24, 2026

PAC-10-BEAR said:

---

Cardinal Robert Prevost's politics sat somewhere between Rachel Maddow and The View.

Now he's Pope Leo XIV.

---

sycasey said:

---

PAC-10-BEAR said:

---

Cardinal Robert Prevost's politics sat somewhere between Rachel Maddow and The View.

Now he's Pope Leo XIV.

---

His problem is that he actually believes in what Jesus taught.

---

PAC-10-BEAR said:

---

sycasey said:

---

PAC-10-BEAR said:

---

Cardinal Robert Prevost's politics sat somewhere between Rachel Maddow and The View.

Now he's Pope Leo XIV.

---

His problem is that he actually believes in what Jesus taught.

---

Which is?

---

sycasey said:

---

PAC-10-BEAR said:

---

sycasey said:

---

PAC-10-BEAR said:

---

Cardinal Robert Prevost's politics sat somewhere between Rachel Maddow and The View.

Now he's Pope Leo XIV.

---

His problem is that he actually believes in what Jesus taught.

---

Which is?

---

Helping the poor, healing the sick, calling for peace, that kind of thing.

---