L
Posted on 03/02/2011 6:09:10 AM PST by Poundstone
I am proud to be a federal employee. Let me repeat, proud to be one of millions across the nation who work as a public servant and who believes that public employees choose careers so they can be a vital part of the glue that holds this nation together.
Who are we? We are your neighbors, we are your friends, we are your fellow parishioners, and the people who sit with you watching the children and grandchildren at the ballpark or the basketball court.
We are not faceless and anonymous "others." We are people you have known all your lives.
(Excerpt) Read more at argusleader.com ...
As much as I personally hate the other agencies in the Federal government, I hope people remember that the only real duty for the government in the constitution is the defense of the country.
Ditto!
Thanks Moe!
Are you taking a day off from your VA job where you go around pouring salt in old wounds, and switching pills at random?
That level of 401k savings is FAR BEYOND THE NORM. It is rare. In 2007 the MEDIAN value of retirement savings for those 55-65 was only $100,000. And that is the maximum of all age cohorts. The median of all is only $45,000.
The 401k you are complaining about as too low is 6.5 times bigger than the average of those nearing retirement. Source: What are Average Retirement Savings for Different Age Groups? 401kPlanning.org
You can go to hell. Thanks! /not.
L
Well, at least the consolation will be that in a short time here, we will be made aware that GDP is being overinflated with government borrow and spend practices by 25% to 50%.
Eventually that day will come. We saw what happened in the private sector when private people deleveraged. We saw the housing bubble burst. It will be interesting what happens when the government cannot maintain the charade any more.
So, the 401ks will probably turn out to not be quite what people are thinking they are.
Therein lies the crux of the problem. IF we could ever scale back the federal government to its Constitutional limits I would bet that we could exist with about 10% of the current workforce and perhaps a bit higher percentage of overall COST.
The problem is that the bold-faced IF is a small word with a huge impact. Personally I doubt that I will see us ever come close to making serious progress toward this goal in my lifetime. Unless of course the SHTF and forces an existential re-start.
These types of people are at the front of the go f*ck yourselves line.
Taking that to mean that such people are the first to grab for themselves and the first to screw over the weak and meek, the orphans and widows -- ditto!
CSRS has been dead for 25 years. You cannot make arguments based on outdated plans that haven’t existed in a generation. I agree the salaries are high, but it really depends on what position. I don’t know a single GS-13 performing clerical work, but they may exist somewhere. Administrative generally tops at a GS-7. And it’s not whining, it’s pointing out that FReepers make statements that are not correct and it makes them look foolish.
For the record, my husband works in the private sector and has a better benefit structure than the Feds.
I had that same thought when I read the headline...GMTA :)
Yes, Feds pay into both Social Security and Medicare. Retirement is NOT guaranteed, it is set up like any other private 401(k) where selections can be allocated for stocks, bonds, etc. Lots of Feds lost tons of retirement money with everyone else.
Termination should be made easier, but it can be done. At anytime a fed can be put on a performance plan. If the fail to meet the plan, they can be terminated. Still, this takes too long IMO since it can be a year long + process. A fed can be terminated on the spot if it’s during their probationary period (usually one year).
I was listening to a radio interview with Rummy on his latest book and he just mentioned that little factoid in passing. That is my source for the data, I didn't look it up, I figure that he was someone that would know that fact and wouldn't be lying about it. Ugh. (And, I bet that there are a whole slew of equaling disturbing facts about the number of lawyers employed in most other federal government agencies and departments. I wonder how much all of these lawyers and their attendant support staffs are costing us in total each year?)
Those lawyers are fighting each day to keep our freedoms safe from terrorism!
Or something.
Sorry Hoodlum. CSRS is alive and well in the Federal ranks. No new employees have been added since 1990 but there are still a pantload that have not left their jobs...and look forward to retiring with 80% of pay, life insurance benefits, healthcare, and COLA. Regarding Grade inflation I know many GS-13 “Analysts” who don’t know the difference between the Executive and Judicial branches of government and spend their days rearranging piles of paper on their desks, or following contractors around, and GS-15’s whose major duties are planning meetings and menu’s.
The idea that there is no way to cut funding or cut employees at the DoD is absurd.
The mission of the armed forces is well beyond “protecting America” these days.
For two easy examples, Korea and the former Yugoslavia regions.
Why are we still there? Or is Clinton’s nation building project enshrined in FReeper/conservative dogma these days?
There are probably even a few obsolete or unnecessary weapons systems that could be cut from the budget.
We are $14 trillion in debt. Maybe it’s time to stop being the world’s policeman and tell the others to fend for themselves.
Want a military force to defend America?
Abolish the BATFE and unconstitutional gun laws (that would be all of them). Tell the men of the country they will be expected to own military-grade weapons and be proficient with them.
Stop demonizing citizen militias and encourage participation in them instead. Encourage former US military to participate and train the citizens.
But, being addicted to big government is so much easier.
I remember back in the late 90’s when people around here were actually AGAINST wasting the armed forces on nation building boondoggles.
Funny how things change.
I checked-in on a weekend that was between pay periods (every two weeks). When I wasn't on the pay list a week later, I wasn't alarmed; two weeks after that and not on the pay list was a big problem. (I had less than five dollars before I was flat broke). My instructor told me to get over to disbursing.
After standing in four lines, I finally found the correct person (a DoD civilian employee). I explained that I hadn't been paid in three weeks. She was flustered at first and then said, “Maybe your records didn't get to us so we could open a pay record for you.”
Armed with that bit of knowledge, I walked up the stairs, out the side door, 80 feet across the parking lot, down the stairs to the personnel department.
When I came in, it appeared that everyone was on break except a female civilian and a Filipino Chief Personnelman. The female graced me with her presence, while the Chief raised an eyebrow. I explained the situation. She explained to me such things rarely happened but said she'd look in the files. I gave her my name and SSN. After a cursory look, she announced she couldn't find my service record.
The Filipino PNC looked disgusted. He came over and said, “Give me your name and SSN.” I did and he walked to the same file, thumbed through the drawer, pulled out my service record, and announced, “Yup, the file was never sent to disbursing to open your pay record. Take the file over and walk it through, then bring it back.” I took the file and went back to disbursing.
I got the same woman employee as before and told her that what she'd said was in fact the case as I handed her my records. Then she said, “Could you make due with a $100 advance on your pay until next payday? (That was another two weeks away!) We're closing the books out for the month.” Before I could answer “no”, she continued, “Besides we're about to go to lunch.”
I looked at my watch and it was 11:25 AM. I asked, “What's your lunch hour?” She said it was from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM. I said, “I'll see you at 1:00 PM.” I then adjourned to the EM Club for a couple of $0.50 draft beers.
At 12:55 PM I came back to disbursing. The civilian pay clerk was working on my pay record. She proudly announced to me that it was as much trouble to do an advance on my pay as it was to pay me my three week's back pay, so she'd calculated it out. She presented me with my check, I signed for it, and I was assured I was now on the pay list. I took my personnel record back to the Filipino Chief Personnelmam. When I handed my personnel records back to him, he confided: “Stuff like this happens all the time. Sorry you had to go through this runaround.”
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