Hey Rush, Hannity: Stop bashing federal employees

The North Star National ^ | August 30, 2010 | Gregory Lee

[Poundstone]

As a retired federal government employee, I’m offended when I hear Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and a host of other conservative talk show hosts bash all levels of government employees. It seems the all-time favorite government employee to bash works for the Department of Motor Vehicles.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, federal government employees in 2008 earn an average of $67,691 compared to $60,046 in the private sector. This doesn’t count the benefits all federal government employees enjoy.

Not all federal government employees make as much as their private sector counterparts, but many do. For example, a registered nurse working for the Veterans Administration might make $74,460 compared to a nurse at a private hospital making $63,780. However, a federal government optometrist makes about $61,530 compared to an optometrist working in the private sectors who makes $106,665 salary.

What people like Limbaugh and Hannity probably don’t realize is that there are downsides to working for the federal government. Employees face severe restrictions and sanctions on many things everyone in the private sector take for granted. Congress alone determines federal employee salaries and benefits, not the marketplace. Employee organizations lobby Congress, but it’s unlawful for employees to strike if they don’t get what they want.

[RFEngineer]

“If necessary, they can be paid by simply printing more money.”

lol.....you still think they are going to print money just for you?

Best case is that we voluntarily slash government payouts - including your pension so that we can do the bare minimum that government has to do and pay our debt down.

This is too hard, politically.

So, behind door number 2, there is either default - meaning that they will not print money because nobody will buy our debt - or by simply printing they will take the other option, or, they are going to inflate away all our debts and obligations.

If you think they are going to index to inflation all the costs that are sinking the country financially now you are not thinking straight.

Be prepared.....your life will change - just like everyone elses will. You aren’t going to be “special” anymore.

[Poundstone]

LOL. Well, we’ll see, Engineer.

[MortMan]

...anyone who has worked in the private sector their entire life doesn’t generally have the regulatory type experience the gov’t needs.

That should scare the crap out of every single person alive.