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.

[dennisw]

I live in VA, the federal worker capital of the world and I can tell you that 75% of federal workers wouldn’t last 10 minutes in the real world. They are worse than useless, they are users and takers who contribute nothing.

I'll trust you. You live there
A lot of the big celebrity chefs are thinking about opening up a restaurant in the DC area. They never would have bothered previously but there is so much money there and in the its suburbs. The DC+ suburbs are recession proof. Always good times there

All due to overtaxing the rest of the country and trying to insert Federal governance into areas traditionally left to the states. The Federal Mandarins want to make the states their stooges and gofers

[muawiyah]

30% of your federal employees are postal workers. Another 30% work for Department of Defense and directly assist in defending this nation against foreign enemies.

So, your letter carrier has you POd and you work for AlQaida ~ I can see how that could lead someone to hate federal government employees.

[MNJohnnie]

I spent 3 years interning at a Fed agency while going to college. I know from first hand expereince the difference.

For example,

Federal Employees get double the number of pay holidays then private sector workers. 13 to 6. That is a whole extra paid week off every single year. So right there Fed workers work less hours, for more pay, then their private sector counterparts.

[pnh102]

Where are the direct quotes of Rush or Hannity bashing federal employees?

It isn't as though bashing of federal employees is done solely by right-wing commentators either. Look at how often our troop are bashed by the left.

[cripplecreek]

The EPA is one of several agencies we could eliminate today and not even notice it was gone tomorrow.

Some would whine about EPA employees losing their jobs but they could move into the new private sector jobs that would open up as a result of the elimination of the EPA.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

The three wealthiest counties in America border Washington DC.

[DManA]

Don’t get mad at Federal Employees. Get mad and kick out the congressmen that recklessly hire them and idiotically overcompensate them.

[driftdiver]

AHH!!! Now I understand. Yep, I think you’re pretty close.

[MNJohnnie]

Get your emotion out of the way and try dealing with facts.

As this article points out, average Fed worker makes MORE pay then their average private sector counterpart without adding in benefits. Add in benefits and Fed workers are some of the best paid people on earth.

For example,

Federal Employees get double the number of pay holidays then private sector workers. 13 to 6. That is a whole extra paid week off every single year. So right there Fed workers work less hours, for more pay, then their private sector counterpart

[ducttape45]

ping for later

[TaxPayer2000]

It isn't as though bashing of federal employees is done solely by right-wing commentators either. Look at how often our troop are bashed by the left.

The writer used Rush and Hannitys names just for a headline. I listen to Rush and Hannity on a daily basis. I have not heard either of them bash federal workers. Unless you count giving the facts of how much they are paid vs the private sector as bashing.

[cripplecreek]

I’m actually quite happy with my small post office but I would cut it back from two full time and two part time employees to the two full time positions.

There are less than 200 PO boxes to fill so I would have both workers there at 6AM to sort and when that was done, one would go out to deliver on the rural route.

I would also replace the two gossipy retirement age women with recent veterans.

[FightThePower!]

Government workers are leaches.

[Prussianone]

When I worked for DoD, there was a class structure. there were the “veterans”, WW2, Korea and Vietnam. We were ‘the worker bees’, whereas, all the supervisory personnel were those that did not put the uniform on, dodged the draft and bragged about it, and despised the veterans. Among these were naturalized citizens, which I thought rather strange, having naturalized citizens in supervisory capacities, overseeing the manufacturing of Grumman Aerospace naval aircraft! I worked for DoD for nine years, until my position was deleted due to a Clinton peactime economy.

I -do- agree with Rush, Hannity, and whoever else states that federal employees have troubles. Who the hell else, could work for the federal government, and have a union? Who else but this same union takes an exorbitant amount of a paycheck, and gives it to political activities and candidates, that you don’t agree with?

[Peter from Rutland]

Allow me to play the worlds smallest violin.

How’s that pension treating ya’ll. Wish I had one!

(inserts violent cursing here)

[stephenjohnbanker]

You didn’t mention fed employees that do nothing but sip coffee, and pass “inter-office memos” all day ;-)

[Psalm 144]

Sounding a bit like the Soviet Union’s apparatchiki, circa 1990.

[Psalm 144]

“We actually accomplish something while they collect pay checks and accomplish nothing of substance.”

Except for the consumption of our tax dollars, that is.

*******************

Which is the point of the exercise.

[TNdandelion]

My mother, father and brother are all govt employees or recently retired govt. employees. Two are federal govt employees.

I would NEVER work for the govt based upon their experiences with both the govt and their coworkers.

My husband and I have always worked in the private sector. Excellent performance was recognized and rewarded and most bad employees were fired. My other family members can't say the same. They always got crappy raises and always complained about their do-nothing coworkers that never got into trouble or got promoted.

Although...they always got lots of paid holidays and sick time and you should see their pensions that we all get to pay for. Whooooeeee~!

[CrazyIvan]

I you have actually WORKED for a government check, like
running the bus program for a public school and had the
“educated” employees view you as a subhuman because you
have been seen with dirt on your hands in a sweaty shirt,
you might bash then a bit too. That said, it’s a bad idea
to stereotype any group. I have known some very responsible
government employees.