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It is no secret that it is harder than ever to find a good job in America. Hell, it is even hard to find a steady crappy low-wage job in America today. On McDonald's well-publicized national hiring day a little over a month ago, the restaurant chain received over a million applicants, yet only hired a little over 60,000 people. Not to mention only 1,000 people were hired for management positions:
The lack of jobs, inflation and rising cost of living in this country is causing devastating pain for a huge chunk of the American population. Last year, over 85% of college grads moved back home with Mom & Dad and weren't able to find jobs in their chosen fields. Nearly a quarter of all American children live below the poverty line. The real unemployment rate is close to 22%. During all of this economic heartache this year, the cost of living has hit an all-time high:
However, not everyone is feeling the soul-crushing crunch of the economic collapse and the modern depression that many children, teenagers, young adults, the elderly, the heavily debt-burdened college "educated" and laid-off older workers are facing everyday. I live in the DC Area, which is home to the best job market in the country. Federal government jobs are the backbone of this great job market. But there is a somewhat disturbing trend behind all of this. Federal workers earn about double the salary of private sector workers. The average federal worker compensation has doubled in the past decade. Although many government workers are highly educated and skilled people like scientists or police officers and firefighters who put their lives in danger for public safety everyday, it is no secret that a huge percentage of government employees are overpaid deadweight paper-pushers who get paid to surf the internet at "work" all day. Having friends who work for the government, they have openly admitted to me that "they don't do sh*t" at work. These people wipe their asses with dollar bills. Many gov't employees that make upwards of 200K+ a year literally don't do anything. Some government employees have been busted for surfing porn eight hours a day at work! You can't make this stuff up:
Work for the government! Get paid to surf porn! | David Freddoso | Beltway Confidential | Washington Examiner (http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/beltway-confidential/work-government-get-paid-surf-porn - broken link)
Sadly, this accountant who was surfing porn for a living was only suspended for 14 days. This brings something else up about certain lazy gov't workers. It is almost impossible for government workers to get fired. If this number crunching porn addict had worked at a private company, he would have no doubt been fired and his career would have been over. Also, unlike private sector workers, many government employees don't have to create anything of value to make a profit. A private sector employee can be fired in a matter of minutes for an honest flub. If you have built a successful business from the ground up, you have the right to be fat and lazy and watch the dollars roll in. However, government workers are supposed to be servants of the public.
What do you think? Do you think that lazy paper-pushing government workers are overpaid?
I wonder if you realize that you are pushing propaganda...specifically, the "Public Sector Employees make much more than Private Sector Employees - and that's EVIL!" meme.
Instead of simply forwarding whatever pops up in your email in-box, first ask yourself if the information contained in the email is even sensible.
Are the private sector and public sector even comparable?
How many public sector jobs require at least a college degree? Now how many private sector jobs require at least a college degree?
It's a conservative talking point that public employees are overpaid, but they achieve their numbers by comparing a pool of teachers, scientists, lawyers and executives to a pool of burger flippers, big box store sales clerks and quick-oil-change techs.
I wonder if you realize that you are pushing propaganda...specifically, the "Public Sector Employees make much more than Private Sector Employees - and that's EVIL!" meme.
Instead of simply forwarding whatever pops up in your email in-box, first ask yourself if the information contained in the email is even sensible.
Are the private sector and public sector even comparable?
How many public sector jobs require at least a college degree? Now how many private sector jobs require at least a college degree?
It's a conservative talking point that public employees are overpaid, but they achieve their numbers by comparing a pool of teachers, scientists, lawyers and executives to a pool of burger flippers, big box store sales clerks and quick-oil-change techs.
No, I am not conservative. I don't subscribe to mindless all-or-nothing gang-like Rethuglican vs. Demonrat/Blood vs. Crip partisan political mentality. I am not old either, I'm only 28. Don't make assumptions. My opinions aren't based in "propaganda" either. I am basing my opinions that many public sector employees are overpaid, entitled and lazy from what I see everyday living in the DC Area. Many public sector employees, who work very little, are living a life of luxury out here. DC is not called "Hollywood for ugly people" for no reason. DC is the government job capital of the United States. Non-coincidentally, DC has the highest median income of any big city in America. Sadly, I can tell you from living out here is that even some of the most influential public servants don't have our best interests at heart.
You are missing the point that government workers can't be fired for surfing porn all day everyday at "work" while poor people scramble on their feet 8-10 hours a day in the private sector making $8.50 an hour or they are working in skilled professions for entry level wages and can be fired for performing their jobs poorly.
Last edited by goldenchild08; 05-03-2011 at 03:19 PM..
Private companies must perform to hire and pay employees. The federal government hires and pays per its own wishes, not based on measure of success. The federal government can just keep printing money to pay, pass legislation to hire more through creating more bureaucracy.
I wonder if you realize that you are pushing propaganda...specifically, the "Public Sector Employees make much more than Private Sector Employees - and that's EVIL!" meme.
Instead of simply forwarding whatever pops up in your email in-box, first ask yourself if the information contained in the email is even sensible.
Are the private sector and public sector even comparable?
How many public sector jobs require at least a college degree? Now how many private sector jobs require at least a college degree?
It's a conservative talking point that public employees are overpaid, but they achieve their numbers by comparing a pool of teachers, scientists, lawyers and executives to a pool of burger flippers, big box store sales clerks and quick-oil-change techs.
Being that the private sector pays the salaries for the public sector - the discussion between the two are always appropriate.
When we, who are footing the bill, see laziness and non-productivity in government employees - we have the absolute right to ask.
And while there is nothing wrong with the private sector jobs you mention - it shows that you know very little about (or have little regard for) whose really out here.
What do you think? Do you think that lazy paper-pushing government workers are overpaid?
I think more of a problem is that there are too many gov't workers - to the point where some have nothing to do all day and collect a check.
The gov't spends way more than it collects. So from that standpoint alone, salaries should decrease and people should be laid off from government service.
With regards to laziness, they probably would not get away with it in the private sector - they should not get away with it in government either. They should be fired.
To the OP: Either you're a troll or so misinformed its pitiful.
1) "Many gov't employees that make upwards of 200K+ a year literally don't do anything."
There are not any government workers' (President, etc. excluded) salaries at $200,000 per year. The literally don't do anything - prove it. Where are your facts, especially at the senior executive level where those people typically take huge pay cuts to work for the Federal government.
2) "Federal workers earn about double the salary of private sector workers.
Please, after referring to the 2011 pay table for DC - show me your data. (I'll give you a tip, you can't.) Your statement is false.
Go to the BLS regional pay tables for DC private sector employees and compare it to the Federal pay tables for GS-5 and above levels. If your statement was correct, an entry level college graduate in DC would be making 1/2 the GS-5 pay or slightly over $17K. Now, in the interests of your education, explore the starting salary data for new undergraduate hires in the DC area and get back to us.
The average federal worker compensation has doubled in the past decade."
Simple math: $9,883/24,192 = 40.85% - thats the ten year gross % increase in Federal General Schedule salaries for the DC area. That 40.85% is correct for all General Schedule DC employees. (Actually the very senior GS 15 types get screwed because their pay is capped but I won't confuse you with that tidbit.)
* The GS-5 grade is generally the minimum entry level for a BS/BA degree employee. Higher ranked candidates can start at the GS-7 level with the undergraduate degree.
The actual annual compounded salary % increase for the 2002-2011 period is 3.485%. Good, bad - ??, but certainly far from doubling.
"Also, unlike private sector workers, many government employees don't have to create anything of value to make a profit."
Thats true in terms of profit, which is generally prohibited by Congress - Congress you know, those people you elected to make the laws the government administers. Perhaps you may even have voted for one of them.
In terms of value, PLEASE - go ask a Medicare beneficiary if they get any value. Try food inspectors, water quality, etc., etc., etc.. Google the US Space program and then cross reference for private sector spinoffs. I'm not sure you'll get it, but give it a try.
If you want to rant and/or express your opinion about Federal employees, feel free to do so. BUT, kindly get your facts straight.
Its amusing how the press likes to push the buttons of the uninformed and/or uneducated when they do average private sector/Federal salary articles. Its like comparing apples and rocks, it simply has no value or credibility. If you want to compare comparable jobs, then you can have a credible conversation. One can expand the issue to include non-salary benefits/pensions which requires a much more sophisticated analysis beyond the scope of this conversation.
Be advised that there is (and has been for many years) a serious problem getting top flight legal, scientific, administrative and executive type employees because the federal pay scale is pitiful compared to what the private sector pays.
Last edited by Pilgrim21784; 05-03-2011 at 04:46 PM..
Simple math: $9,883/24,192 = 40.85% - thats the ten year gross % increase in Federal General Schedule salaries for the DC area. That 40.85% is correct for all General Schedule DC employees.
The problem is private sector increases probably average around 10% in the same time frame.
We can't afford the cost to run the government as it is today.
I consider myself an idiot for trying to make it with my own businesses when I could have worked for the government.
My sister is now very, very comfortably retired with a hous on the river while I bust my ass rehabbing homes. A tough and risky way to make money.
Yea...I know. Everyone else made millions with their business. Everyone.
Federal jobs usually pay considerably more than the private sector....for the same job. Been that way for a long time. Plus you can't get fired unless you get caught competing with the government......stealing.
JohnHAdams
"Federal jobs usually pay considerably more than the private sector....for the same job. Been that way for a long time."
No freebies --- where is your data backing up that statement? Most especially when you are referring to undergraduate level and above educated employees.
I'll give you a tip - the higher the level/skill set involved, the greater the disparity becomes between lower Federal versus private sector pay.
Last edited by Pilgrim21784; 05-03-2011 at 04:40 PM..
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You can't make this stuff up:
