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Thank you for that because it applies to all government workers. People too easily forget that members of the military, police, firefighters, etc. are government workers. As a government manager I was on-call 24/7, was often in early and out late, had call-backs that sometimes lasted from 9:00 p.m. until 3:00 a.m., worked many weekends and traveled extensively.
I won't apologize for my defined-benefit pension, Social Security income or my lifetime medical and dental coverage. I earned them, as did my wife, as do most of us.
Thanks for saying that, C; I totally agree. I work darned hard for my salary as a federal employee, and put in many hours of unpaid time to get my job done. It's insulting when someone lumps all federal employees together and calls them lazy.
Why is everyone so interested in what someone else is or isn't getting?
Why? My friend is several years away from retiring. For four straight years, as gov't employees, they were denied a 2% cost of living increase. All supervisors received a 17% increase in one year alone. That's Oregon for you, and every other state. The politicians will look out for themselves.
I think people have a right to be concerned and upset with a system that allows a 17% state supervisory raise, when no other worker got a measly 2% raise.
However, Fed and government employees are not raking in bucks. Their retirement system is constantly under assault; there have been instances where the legislature declared 10-year retirees were over paid and insisted they pay the money back - yes, that's ten years after the fact.
When the retirement system in Oregon was overhauled, lo and behold, the legislators and judicial removed themselves from that system and created their own. Which of course, included no such penalty as a payback for "overpayment."
I can get the particulars from my friend if anyone wants them. But I do not think this is unusual.
Anyone who has dedicated their life to help run this country deserves lifetime medical and dental benefit. Even my bro-in-law has that, even though his premium remains around $300 per month. After his death, his wife, my sister, is still covered. He worked for an oil company in the field - not exactly an easy job, when he was called out to very remote locations for weeks at a time. On call 24-hours a day.
It's absolutely misinformed to think government workers have it easy and sit at a desk all day long. Try going into a burning building to save someone, or get shot (yes, even ambulance crews are wearing vests these days), killed by some drunk, or get your leg blown off by an IED...all this is done so we can all sleep soundly in our warm beds at night.
These "perks" are especially owed to police officers, firefighters, soldiers who have served, highway workers who risk their lives and work in blizzard conditions to save everyone else's rear end.
They deserve lifetime medical benefits for themselves and their spouses. IMHO.
If I had to take a 45% cut in pay, I wouldn't like it, but I would be thankful I still had a job.
Didnt Bush in his last year give seniors on SS a 6% raise? I believe he did and it was far more generous than they had recieved in the past. Well, instead of getting something this year, it will have to do for a couple of years. Sad, but we are watching our country drain every last nickle from the treasury so I dont' know where people think this money will come from.
Didnt Bush in his last year give seniors on SS a 6% raise? I believe he did and it was far more generous than they had recieved in the past. Well, instead of getting something this year, it will have to do for a couple of years. Sad, but we are watching our country drain every last nickle from the treasury so I dont' know where people think this money will come from.
5.9% was the 2009 COLA for SS. Not really Bush - it is an automatic index and we had a sharp increase in cost of living in 2008 with a big drop at the end due to the economic collapse at the end. Fed employees got a lot less than that (avg 3.9) so their raises did not meet the indexed cost of living.
Military this year are getting 3.4% but I'm not hearing any whining about that. That is taxpayer money too and is the biggest part of govt.
Why do so many people harbor resentment with federal employees. Everyone in the USA had the opportunity to apply for jobs with them. I worked for 30 years and most of those years busted my behind trying to do my job. I agree there are some "slackers" but you have those everywhere - not just the federal government. Get over it or go apply for a job and become a slacker like people think the federal employees are.
Essentially 30 years of using feds as scapegoats by politicians and rabid talking heads. It shows how shouting lies over and over makes a lot of people believe.
The average Fed. employee is both highly educated and skilled - much higher than the average population at large.
You are full of yourself ... to say the Fed employee is much higher educated and skilled much higher than the average population! WOW ... just a bunch of dummies out here toiling and laboring.
I received my "Your Benefit Amount" letter today from the SS Admin ... every one on SS receives these ...quoting first paragraph word for word ... all of you on Social Security or Disability receive these notices every year:
"By law, Social Security benefits increase automatically to keep pace with inflation. When there is a period of no inflation, the law does not permit an increase in benefits. Based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) published by the Department of Labor, there was no rise in the cost of living during the past year, so your benefit will remain the same in 2010. The CPI is the federal government's official measure used to calculate cost-of-living increases."
That is word for word what it says ... I like the No Rise In The Cost Of Living During The Past Year .... that's a good one.
Now ... last week we received notification that the deductible on Medicare Part A will increase to $1,100.00 and the Medicare Part B Deductible will increase to $155.00.
I am not a government retiree or state retiree, just one of the dummies that worked all my life making sure that hospitals, airports, wastewater treatment plants and even the Olympics in Los Angeles had electrical power should the main source go down. I do have an additional company monthly pension that we could not survive without.
I contacted my Senators and House Rep and we might get a $250.00 little bonus in 2010 ... just don't spend it all in one place.
I have no problem with what the government workers, state workers and city employees receive. I have family retired from various state agencies and they have earned their money. My brother spent 25 years in the Navy and was in two wars he deserves his retirement and other benefits the same as any one that serves our country. I do have problems with Congress and their perks.
I just don't agree that Federal Employees are smarter or better educated then the rest of us.
I just don't agree that Federal Employees are smarter or better educated then the rest of us.
I don't think that anyone is saying that federal employees are inherently smarter than their private sector counterparts doing the same job. A federal accountant is no smarter or better educated than an accountant in the private sector.
That said, on the whole, the federal workforce is better educated than the private sector, but it is mainly due to the type of work being conducted. This isn't a subjective argument; it is a statement of fact based on demographics. The federal government simply does not employ hundreds of thousands of fast food workers, retail store clerks, Walmart greeters and the like, as is common in the private sector.
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