[napscoordinator]

I believe it is in the millions for Walmart (the Walton kids) to 400,000 dollars for the President. A cap of 135,000 a year for the government management of the federal government. Your right government workers make peanuts.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

That’s not what I meant. I know what the president makes, and I have a rough idea what the Waltons make.

I’m talking about jobs here.

If you’re looking for work are you going to go to the government job or are you going to be polishing floors at night at Walmart?

Me, I’d do neither, but many folks would want to get their foot in the door at a government job. Look at the post office. They pay people NOT to work! Just show up and sit in a room, like the unions do with auto workers.

[tanknetter]

A cap of 135,000 a year for the government management of the federal government. Your right government workers make peanuts.

Federal pay tops out a lot higher than that. GS-15/10s (top of the GS scale) with the locality adjustment top out at $153,200 in the DC area. SESers (career, not political appointees) make up to $196,700 (Level I SES).

Then start adding on the various benefits. For example, Feds in DC are subsidized up to $230 per month - above their salaries - for using public transit (Metro, MARC, VRE, etc). Non-SESers have Civil Service protections, which amounts to guaranteed job security. So on and so forth.

[businessprofessor]

You are mistaken. Your comparison of government workers to the Walton heirs is absurd.

While it is true that top talent can make more money in the private sector, very few are top talent. Government employees enjoy above market compensation for all but top talent. You need to include all compensation, especially health care and retirement benefits. The comparison does not even consider the far superior job security in the public sector. Have you ever seen a federal government salary decrease? In this economy, job security is highly valued. In most areas, government will not have any trouble hiring.