Public service is a personal matter to me – as is the threat it poses from Donald Trump, Glenn Youngkin and the Republican Party.

by Alvina McHale from Arlington

If Donald Trump wins in November, Virginia’s governor is not the least bit concerned about the possibility that hundreds of thousands of federal jobs could be at stake for Virginia. As we approach the final months before the election, it is especially notable that there has been no change in the governor’s stance.

I find it disturbing how little he understands or respects the civil service.

I see the current political reality through the lens of a retired civil servant whose career began on Capitol Hill in 1969 and ended with over 30 years at the U.S. Treasury Department. For decades, I was proud to be a civil servant and to represent the interests of the American people. My coworkers were some of the nicest people I have ever met.

Some politicians are willing to use federal employees to their advantage. I recall several occasions when a U.S. Vice President visited IRS service centers to promote the production of tax refund checks. The center directors and staff planned the tours, worked with the Secret Service, explained how their systems worked, and hosted a media event at the request of the Vice President’s office. I particularly remember the end of a very long day in Philadelphia when the Vice President and his tutor left the building without thanking anyone.

There was the chairman of the Republican Senate Finance Committee who brought masked IRS employees to the witness stand at a hearing to denigrate the agency. Many years later, I was the Treasury Department’s representative at Making Home Affordable events across the country. Unfortunately, by the time Barack Obama was sworn in as president, the financial crisis was well underway and too many people had already lost their jobs. Others were stuck in mortgages where homeowners were paying interest on loans but not a penny was contributing toward reducing the original mortgage amount. At least we were telling the truth to homeowners and helping them understand their options.

It’s time to face the current political realities. Virginia’s Republican governor and Republican presidential candidate are willing to risk the financial future of a significant number of Virginians, their families, and the entire state’s economy. We have an exit strategy. All Virginians must stand up and vote in November.