Government needs workers also. It is up to congress to determine the depth and breadth of government workers task (according to the constitution).
Constitution ... there's the problem. Outside of the military, most government workers are doing things that the government has no constitutional authority to do. However diligent they may be ... their jobs simply should not exist. It's not personal; many are fine folks who could get decent work in industry. And they should. Because what they're doing in government shouldn't be done at all, by anybody.