It's bad enough that Washington DC is riding out the recession quite well and sucking up a high proportion of stimulus dollars, but do federal workers have to continue giving themselves massive pay raises? At least they know what their priorities are. A CATO analyst found that federal wages have risen at a significantly higher percentage than civilian wages over the last 8 years, and IBD has more:
Chris Edwards, director of tax policy studies at the Cato Institute, touched quite a nerve earlier this week when he relayed the latest wage data, categorized by industry, from the Commerce Department's Bureau of Economic Analysis. "The new data show that average federal compensation is now more than double the average in the private sector," Edwards noted.Not that I have anything against public servants...hell, I was one for close to 7 years. But, I question how much taxpayers dollars have to be spent towards the salaries and benefits packages of people who figure out what color beer cans Americans should be allowed to drink.
He added: "In 2008, the average wage for 1.9 million federal civilian workers was $79,197, which compared to an average $49,935 for the nation's 108 million private sector workers. The federal advantage is even more pronounced when worker benefits are included. In 2008, federal worker compensation averaged a remarkable $119,982, which was more than double the private sector average of $59,909."
See what the others have said:
4 comments:
On Social Security for several years. One year I noted an "increase for COLA" of some 2.13%. Later in the year I noticed that Fed employees were getting a COLA of 3.12%. Sent queries to both my Senators and my Congressperson. None of them seemed able to answer my concern. Not One WORD. But they each wanted me to vote for them come the next election. Guess they thought I would forget. (I didn't.)
This would be more compelling if they broke down the pay scales some more. I'd be willing to bet that there are at LEAST 1.9 million people making the federal minimum wage.
....Not that I have anything against public servants....
They're not "servants" if they're making that kind of money. My guess is that the lower end of those 1.9 million people probably earn every penny they get, BUT the upper crust are probably more like parasites, sucking the taxpayers dry.
I'd be willing to bet that there are at LEAST 1.9 million people making the federal minimum wage.
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