PUBLIC PAYROLL SOARS (wealth transfer gone from citizens to people in Govt)

LA Daily News ^ | 3./22/04 | Troy Anderson

[Poohbah]

That's the problem. Even when we screw up, we look good.

[little jeremiah]

Another angle to the too many gov't workers is this: not only are there TOO MANY OF THEM, but WHAT THEY DO is often either damn useless or downright pernicious. Not only are staffs, departments and so on bloated like Shelob the giant spider, but WE are paying THEM to harass and torment us.

For instance, building code/permit departments. We pay them for the privilege of having them figure out how to screw us some more, and then we pay for getting screwed as well.

And I can personally attest to the fact that most of the people who work in in the building permit department act like miniature kings and queens.

I agree with one previous poster: we need fire departments, police departments, road guys, water department, and justice system (although most need radical overhauling). Other than that, most areas of life can be self-governed, or something like guilds. Private.

How much worse can it get before we fall before the government cart, like animals pulling a too-heavy load?

[little jeremiah]

I think you may be taking too personally the grievances of the posters here.

Looking at the situation objectively, you must agree that government, both federal and state (and often local as well):

1. Spends too much of OUR money.
2. Takes too much of OUR money.
3. Lavishes too much of OUR money on their own selves, staff, and perks.
4. Always increases the above, and never would think of downsizing the above.
5. Simultaneous to the above, increases the reach and power of government at all levels, with tentacles reaching into every nook and corner of the citizens' private lives and businesses - to the great detriment of said citizens.

[Poohbah]

Agreed on all points.

And it's done with the enthusiastic support--in each individual case--of at least 50% + 1 vote of the electorate.

[little jeremiah]

Amazing how non-property owners are allowed to vote for property tax increases.

People receiving public benefits should not be allowed to vote. IMHO.

Of course, IMHO public benefits should be reduced to nil starting tomorrow. Sink or swim. It would be tough for a while but people would figure it out, and with all the tax money that people would now keep in their pockets, donations to charity would increase, people could afford to lend a helping hand to friends and relatives, medical costs would decrease to a more rational level, people who are not inclined to work would be more inclined. With less restrictive laws regarding job environments and so on, people could hire more employees, or people could start their own businesses. Look at the self-employment taxes! Sick.

For instance, mr. little jeremiah used to have his own business - small, connected with the building trade. He hardly ever hired anyone, although he would have liked to. Too much hassle what with OSHA, insurance, complications from taxes and so on.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Yep, no doubt about it.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Tax payers fund your lunches, too.

Care to expand on that?

If you're going to trace someone's paycheck back to show that the money came from tax revenues, I'm sure a lot of the money you receive comes from tax revenues.

I must be a little tired. I am in the private sector, when I buy lunch, which I generally avoid at all cost, I use my money, the 50 percent of my pay check that is left that the government hasn't confiscated from me.

I have no clue how you make your living, but it must necessarily depend on money coming directly or indirectly from other people, some of whom are government employees, some of whom are welfare recipients, some of whom benefit from government contracts, some of who got tax refunds, etc.

Oh man. Your spin is making the rotation of the earth speed up.

If you think that there are too many government employees or that they're overpaid, hardly anyone here would disagree. But what they choose to DO with their paycheck is not the taxpayers' business.

Is it me, or is this some kind of code?

[Sloth]

when I buy lunch, which I generally avoid at all cost, I use my money, the 50 percent of my pay check that is left that the government hasn't confiscated from me.

And generally, when government employees buy lunch, they use their own money, whatever fraction of their paycheck is left that the government hasn't confiscated from them.

[Joe Hadenuf]

And generally, when government employees buy lunch, they use their own money, whatever fraction of their paycheck is left that the government hasn't confiscated from them.

What don't you get? 100 percent of their income is what they are taking from us in the private sector.

Read the article, it's happening everywhere. Government employee's incomes are going up, up, up, their benefits are *top shelf*, while those in the private sector are getting theirs slashed, reduced or eliminate, the government employee pensions are now some of the best, while pensions in the private sector are like their medical benefits, they too are being hacked up, reduced, cut, and some are even in jeopardy.

I always thought those government public civil servants were suppose to be civil servants, not the elite or our masters.

Did you read the article? You don't see a problem with this picture?

[Sloth]

You don't see a problem with this picture?

Of course. Government is drunk with power and money, and it wants more. It expands its size and payrolls, and public employee labor unions exploit the situation to the detriment of taxpayers.

But none of that has anything to do with silly, misleading comments about "yummy, tax payer paid lunches." And as far as the article's comment about wealth transfer from the private sector to government, what do you think government employees do with their taxpayer-funded paychecks? They spend them, just like anyone else. And they spend their take-home in the private sector, generating both 'velocity' for the U.S. dollar and tax revenue to help pay their own salaries, among other things. It's not as though gov't employees are somehow removing money from the economy and hoarding it somewhere. Even the pension funds, etc., are invested somewhere.

[Joe Hadenuf]

But none of that has anything to do with silly, misleading comments about "yummy, tax payer paid lunches."

Well, when they build this city hall, the biggest, most opulent, landscaped, guarded, secure building in the area, (even their employee parking is secured and guarded) and then they build the most expensive restaurant in the area, directly across the street from the new government facility, well yes, all those government employees are having yummy lunches at the tax payers expense! LOL! Are they not getting fat tax payer paid paychecks?

And as far as the article's comment about wealth transfer from the private sector to government, what do you think government employees do with their taxpayer-funded paychecks?

Big correction, you mean what are the government employees spending MY hard earned money on!!!!!

[Joe Hadenuf]

And as far as the article's comment about wealth transfer from the private sector to government, what do you think government employees do with their taxpayer-funded paychecks?

Most of they are buying is probably from Red China. Is that suppose to make those in the private sector feel better?

[Joe Hadenuf]

Er, *Most* of what they are buying is probably from Red China. Sorry, this doesn't make me feel better about government spending my money like drunken sailors on leave.

[Not A Snowbird]

Big correction, you mean what are the government employees spending MY hard earned money on!!!!!

You know what, Joe, I pay taxes too. At an extremely confiscatory rate. Therefore, I spend my own damn money on lunch.

Out.

[Joe Hadenuf]

You know what, Joe, I pay taxes too. At an extremely confiscatory rate. Therefore, I spend my own damn money on lunch.

I understood you to be a government employee.

Are you not compensated and paid money that is taken from the tax payers?

If so, the money your spending on lunch, was taken from the tax payers, to buy your lunch. It's a tax paid lunch! Do you not understand this?

[Not A Snowbird]

Dude. Let me slow this down for you.

I'm a taxpayer. I pay into the government kitty which provides services and pays the salaries of all government employees. A portion of the taxes I pay comes back to me in the form of my paycheck.

I am contributing, through taxes I pay, to my own compensation. I buy my lunch... paid for by tax revenue... that the government received from me.

[Joe Hadenuf]

I am contributing, through taxes I pay, to my own compensation. I buy my lunch... paid for by tax revenue... that the government received from me.

Your spin is speeding up the rotation of the earth, people are flying off.

Look, if you are a government employee, and are being compensated 100 percent by money confiscated from the private sector, you are living off, and eating off tax paid funds. I don't care what you pay in taxes, as they money you have left is still OUR money!

LOL!

[Not A Snowbird]

Your spin is speeding up the rotation of the earth, people are flying off.

DUCK! THERE GOES ANOTHER ONE!!!

Listen, I'm not the enemy. I'm sorry you think I am just because I happen to work for the government. I guess your solution would be to fire all government workers and let the masses fend for themselves? Or are there some of us you would keep around?

[Joe Hadenuf]

Listen, I'm not the enemy. I'm sorry you think I am just because I happen to work for the government.

Well, since the government that is taking about *50* percent of my income, right out of my hard earned pay check, no I don't considered government employees my good neighbor. You are joking right? Why don't they just take 70 percent? Or 90 percent?

I guess your solution would be to fire all government workers and let the masses fend for themselves?

Fend for themselves? Grrrr.

I am the one who fends for myself and my family, the government is like a hairy baboon on the bending backs of the peon tax payers. While I'm working my butt off, that hairy baboon is reaching into my pocket, taking money that was suppose to be for my family and I.

Which government agency fends for me on a daily basis? What are you talking about? I have nothing but contempt for most government agencies.

Or are there some of us you would keep around?

Outside of the military, I'd be firing *millions* of you folks, on the spot, and I would tell you to go make an honest living, learn something, produce something.

Look Sandy, there is now something like 23,000,000 people working for local, state and federal government. Forget the military, we are taking *millions upon millions* doing nothing but taking the private sectors money, and every year, they demand more and more and more.

The governments waste of tax payer money is *epic*, and grows worse by the day....Just read this very offensive article. It ought to be an eye opener to any private sector American. In a word, it's brutally outrageous!

[Not A Snowbird]

Okay. I understand your angst about the "system", but the system is not my fault.

You have issues, Joe, if you hate me because of my job. I'm not sitting behind a desk with my feet up handing out welfare checks, I work for Homeland Security. And I happen to believe that's a rather important job at the moment.

I won't bother you anymore, go ahead and have your little rant. I'm done.