WASHINGTON, D.C. Nov. 28 (DPI) – The Washington Post editorial board opined this week that downtown DC is “comatose” without the presence of federal workers, and the federal government needs to force those workers back to the office to revive the city’s economy.

But readers – many of them identifying themselves as federal workers – rejected any suggestion that they need to return to their offices, sneering at the notion that they are responsible for helping downtown bars and restaurants recover in this post-pandemic age.

In a separate point, The Post’s op-ed editors instructed city and federal leaders to “be bold” in their efforts to convert office buildings to residential units, without any reference to the conspicuous problems of rising street crime, clogged traffic and less reliable post-pandemic mass transit services.

The comment section was closed two days after the publication of the op-ed. The most popular comments among 821 reader comments:

“Mr. Biden needs to set a clear policy of at least three days a week on-site for all federal workers who aren’t already back more than that.” No, he doesn’t. The federal workforce exists to do a job, not to populate DC bars and restaurants. If federal workers do that job better off-site, then they should be encouraged to work remotely.

Honestly, I’m dumbfounded by this editorial. Federal employees should be forced to 1) take an unpaid commute and 2) spend their money at DC businesses in order to fund DC businesses?

“A key problem is federal government employees are still largely at home.”
That’s not a “problem”, it’s progress. The problem is that some people are unwilling to adapt accordingly.

Being a federal worker being asked to come into the office for no other reason than to create foot traffic and an artificial population for fast casual dining is absolutely rude. No. My job can be done remotely. It is not my role to prop up businesses that existed before COVID. Perhaps the city could help these businesses re-orient and grow where they are needed and valued. DC is not dead everywhere. Federal Triangle is a ghost town because no one lives there. The areas of the city where people actually live are busy. Go invest there. Thank you.