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Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
Recent data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis show that federal government workers get compensation, on average, more than twice as high as private-sector workers. That gap has expanded dramatically over the last decade. Libertarian Party Chair Mark Hinkle released the following statement today:
"The numbers are appalling. In 2009, the average private-sector worker received $61,051 in total compensation, but the average federal government worker received $123,049. There is no excuse for this enormous, and growing, compensation gap.
http://www.lp.org/news/press-release...-gap-appalling
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
There's no EXCUSE.
It's the corporate/capitalist PLAN going back decades to fuck over private sector employees.
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
Quote:
Originally Posted by
boutons_deux
There's no EXCUSE.
It's the corporate/capitalist PLAN going back decades to fuck over private sector employees.
I dont usually post in a Galileo thread on principle, but you dont happen to run your own business, do you?
I cant think that you do. I couldnt compensate my employees anything near what Fed workers make in salary or benefits. Not even close.
...and if I were forced to, I'd have to close up shop.
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Galileo
Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
Recent data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis show that federal government workers get compensation, on average, more than twice as high as private-sector workers. That gap has expanded dramatically over the last decade. Libertarian Party Chair Mark Hinkle released the following statement today:
"The numbers are appalling. In 2009, the average private-sector worker received $61,051 in total compensation, but the average federal government worker received $123,049. There is no excuse for this enormous, and growing, compensation gap.
http://www.lp.org/news/press-release...-gap-appalling
This is a good example of how figures can mislead.
This comparison is essentially comparing apples to oranges.
The compensation gap reflects the increasingly high level of skill and education required for most federal jobs and the government contracting out lower-paid jobs to the private sector in recent years.
The "average" US worker includes a LOT of lower paid, less skilled jobs than what is generally required for goverment work.
A better comparison would be to stack up similar occupations to factor this out.
When one factors this in, the "double" factor falls to just 20% more pay than private firms for comparable occupations.
Quote:
Originally Posted by USA today article that the OP was drawn from
This analysis did not consider differences in experience and education.
Given that many have government jobs because they value the pensions, and tend to stay in those jobs a LOT longer, I would be willing to bet that the 20% overage probably disappears to a great extent when experience is considered.
All in all it is something of a wash by a fair reading of the data.
Of course, if you are convinced that goverment is big, bad and wasteful, being fair is not something you will bother with.
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
Quote:
Originally Posted by
RandomGuy
This is a good example of how figures can mislead.
This comparison is essentially comparing apples to oranges.
The compensation gap reflects the increasingly high level of skill and education required for most federal jobs and the government contracting out lower-paid jobs to the private sector in recent years.
The "average" US worker includes a LOT of lower paid, less skilled jobs than what is generally required for goverment work.
A better comparison would be to stack up similar occupations to factor this out.
When one factors this in, the "double" factor falls to just 20% more pay than private firms for comparable occupations.
Given that many have government jobs because they value the pensions, and tend to stay in those jobs a LOT longer, I would be willing to bet that the 20% overage probably disappears to a great extent when experience is considered.
All in all it is something of a wash by a fair reading of the data.
Of course, if you are convinced that goverment is big, bad and wasteful, being fair is not something you will bother with.
Where have I read this before?
http://mediamatters.org/blog/201008110022
Quote:
Why is this a misleading comparison? For starters, as USA Today explained in its article: "Public employee unions say the compensation gap reflects the increasingly high level of skill and education required for most federal jobs and the government contracting out lower-paid jobs to the private sector in recent years." The article further quotes Colleen Kelley, president of the National Treasury Employees Union, as saying, "The data are not useful for a direct public-private pay comparison."
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
"High level of skill and education required for most federal jobs"
:lmao
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
I guess RandomGuy didn't want to respond to me calling out his plagiarism.
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
Quote:
Originally Posted by
DarrinS
"High level of skill and education required for most federal jobs"
:lmao
With the exception of political appointees (I'd contribute to a rant on that if it came up), there is a high level of skill and education required for most federal jobs. With the GS pay system, the levels of promotion are very clearly delineated. If you want to be hired on at GS-09, you HAVE to have that masters degree, or a bachelors with at least a year's full time experience at the bachelor level with promise to excel in a master's level. The application process requires you to note the number of hours per week that you devoted to a specialized skill, so if your numbers don't add up to 40/wk for a year, that experience won't get you the job.
The people that I know who have gotten federal level positions in the last year both have 2 masters degrees apiece. With the current levels of compensation, those positions have gotten incredibly competitive and are consequently hiring very qualified candidates.
The federal employees that you're laughing at are probably the people at GS-05 or below who are working the crap jobs that wouldn't really garner any better performance in the private sector (customer service at Comcast anyone? Private sector does not guarantee more motivated or knowledgeable employees).
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Jekka
With the exception of political appointees (I'd contribute to a rant on that if it came up), there is a high level of skill and education required for most federal jobs. With the GS pay system, the levels of promotion are very clearly delineated. If you want to be hired on at GS-09, you HAVE to have that masters degree, or a bachelors with at least a year's full time experience at the bachelor level with promise to excel in a master's level. The application process requires you to note the number of hours per week that you devoted to a specialized skill, so if your numbers don't add up to 40/wk for a year, that experience won't get you the job.
The people that I know who have gotten federal level positions in the last year both have 2 masters degrees apiece. With the current levels of compensation, those positions have gotten incredibly competitive and are consequently hiring very qualified candidates.
The federal employees that you're laughing at are probably the people at GS-05 or below who are working the crap jobs that wouldn't really garner any better performance in the private sector (customer service at Comcast anyone? Private sector does not guarantee more motivated or knowledgeable employees).
Private sector doesn't guarantee shit. That's what makes people work hard.
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
"Private sector doesn't guarantee shit. That's what makes people work hard."
The American "social contract" of Work Hard and You Will Be Rewarded in the Land of Opportunity is in shreds.
Now, Americans are intimidated by fire-your-ass-today employers into working harder, longer, for less salary and benefits, while the top management pockets 100 of $Ms, 100s of times the average workers income, and it doesn't matter how the company performs.
And there is no solution. Americans will get fucked harder and harder while the oligarchy fucks them harder and harder, and pays themselves $Ts for doing it.
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
Quote:
Originally Posted by
boutons_deux
"Private sector doesn't guarantee shit. That's what makes people work hard."
The American "social contract" of Work Hard and You Will Be Rewarded in the Land of Opportunity is in shreds.
Now, Americans are intimidated by fire-your-ass-today employers into working harder, longer, for less salary and benefits, while the top management pockets 100 of $Ms, 100s of times the average workers income, and it doesn't matter how the company performs.
And there is no solution. Americans will get fucked harder and harder while the oligarchy fucks them harder and harder, and pays themselves $Ts for doing it.
Jeeez already. Get off the computer. The fries are ready.
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
Quote:
Originally Posted by
DarkReign
I cant think that you do. I couldnt compensate my employees anything near what Fed workers make in salary or benefits. Not even close.
What work do your employees do?
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Blake
What work do your employees do?
I am an automotive supplier and (recently) a military contractor.
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
Quote:
Originally Posted by
DarkReign
I am an automotive supplier and (recently) a military contractor.
good luck. i'm pulling for gm and ford........not chrysler. (it's personal)
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
Quote:
Originally Posted by
clambake
good luck. i'm pulling for gm and ford........not chrysler. (it's personal)
Automotive business will never be what it was ever again, especially since everything is made in northern Mexico. All the big companies, Vehma, ThyssenKrupp, GM, Ford, American Axle, all of them have HUGE, legendary, cutting-edge, never before seen plants in one little town in northern Mexico where basically all design and prototyping is done.
Fuck them and fuck this country for allowing it.
So, instead of chasing the cost of some broke-ass, third-world shithole where pathetic fucks are willing to work for pennies a day, I figured the military is where its at.
Its mandatory that all military production and manufacture be done in America by Americans. The as-rolled steel I buy for every project? Yeah, it needs to be certified American made and rolled. Huge fines and even criminal action can be taken against you as a supplier if they find out youre lying or cheating. All staff must be born and bred American, no work visas, no green cards and they spot check you randomly. Moreover, since I'll be supplying indirectly (intially) to the government, my customer has a responsibility to make sure my products are being produced in the states as it is their ass if I am fucking around.
Moreover, this country loves war. I dont, but this country does. This country also has lots of allies who buy American weapons platforms by the thousands every year. Hummers, APCs, light assaults, heavy assaults, etc.
UK, Afghanistan, Iraq, the UN, Israel, Australia and Canada are all very heavy customers of the Military Industial Complex.
I am less than a month away from being a certified military contractor, indirectly right to the Pentagon. In less than a year, I have a scheduled visit at the Pentagon so long as my company performs to standard (its not as uncommon as it sounds, but its going to be a big deal for me...shit, the company down the street has a private jet they send back and forth to the Pentagon every week picking up and dropping off military and civilian staff...that will be the jet I will fly on).
In 5 years time, my company will have gone from struggling automotive company to established, multi-million dollar standard in the military world of arms and armor.
Thats the plan anyway. Next three weeks determines the rest of my life.
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
So just remember when you talk about automotive bailouts, that money went straight to Mexico and Korea.
I can tell you that with authority because GM placed the biggest order it ever had with our sister company after the government bought nearly 70% of it.
Where did those 23 machines (about ~$300k a piece) go? Korea and Mexico, plus install expenses and support.
This country is so fucking fucked, I stopped caring what happens to taxes and shit about a year ago. Theyre pissing your money away, intentionally, so you either stand at the bottom with a bucket or you can bitch about not having an umbrella.
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
remain calm, but stay sharp. one distinct meeting can cement your future.
you've obviously got more hoops to jump through than i did.
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
Quote:
Originally Posted by
DarkReign
Automotive business will never be what it was ever again, especially since everything is made in northern Mexico. All the big companies, Vehma, ThyssenKrupp, GM, Ford, American Axle, all of them have HUGE, legendary, cutting-edge, never before seen plants in one little town in northern Mexico where basically all design and prototyping is done.
Fuck them and fuck this country for allowing it.
So, instead of chasing the cost of some broke-ass, third-world shithole where pathetic fucks are willing to work for pennies a day, I figured the military is where its at.
Its mandatory that all military production and manufacture be done in America by Americans. The as-rolled steel I buy for every project? Yeah, it needs to be certified American made and rolled. Huge fines and even criminal action can be taken against you as a supplier if they find out youre lying or cheating. All staff must be born and bred American, no work visas, no green cards and they spot check you randomly. Moreover, since I'll be supplying indirectly (intially) to the government, my customer has a responsibility to make sure my products are being produced in the states as it is their ass if I am fucking around.
Moreover, this country loves war. I dont, but this country does. This country also has lots of allies who buy American weapons platforms by the thousands every year. Hummers, APCs, light assaults, heavy assaults, etc.
UK, Afghanistan, Iraq, the UN, Israel, Australia and Canada are all very heavy customers of the Military Industial Complex.
I am less than a month away from being a certified military contractor, indirectly right to the Pentagon. In less than a year, I have a scheduled visit at the Pentagon so long as my company performs to standard (its not as uncommon as it sounds, but its going to be a big deal for me...shit, the company down the street has a private jet they send back and forth to the Pentagon every week picking up and dropping off military and civilian staff...that will be the jet I will fly on).
In 5 years time, my company will have gone from struggling automotive company to established, multi-million dollar standard in the military world of arms and armor.
Thats the plan anyway. Next three weeks determines the rest of my life.
good luck!
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
Quote:
Originally Posted by
DarrinS
"High level of skill and education required for most federal jobs"
:lmao
I know the military wasn't included in this, but I know quite a few airmen who could make more on the outside. *shrug*
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
Quote:
Originally Posted by
DarkReign
Automotive business will never be what it was ever again, especially since everything is made in northern Mexico. All the big companies, Vehma, ThyssenKrupp, GM, Ford, American Axle, all of them have HUGE, legendary, cutting-edge, never before seen plants in one little town in northern Mexico where basically all design and prototyping is done.
Fuck them and fuck this country for allowing it.
So, instead of chasing the cost of some broke-ass, third-world shithole where pathetic fucks are willing to work for pennies a day, I figured the military is where its at.
Its mandatory that all military production and manufacture be done in America by Americans. The as-rolled steel I buy for every project? Yeah, it needs to be certified American made and rolled. Huge fines and even criminal action can be taken against you as a supplier if they find out youre lying or cheating. All staff must be born and bred American, no work visas, no green cards and they spot check you randomly. Moreover, since I'll be supplying indirectly (intially) to the government, my customer has a responsibility to make sure my products are being produced in the states as it is their ass if I am fucking around.
Moreover, this country loves war. I dont, but this country does. This country also has lots of allies who buy American weapons platforms by the thousands every year. Hummers, APCs, light assaults, heavy assaults, etc.
UK, Afghanistan, Iraq, the UN, Israel, Australia and Canada are all very heavy customers of the Military Industial Complex.
I am less than a month away from being a certified military contractor, indirectly right to the Pentagon. In less than a year, I have a scheduled visit at the Pentagon so long as my company performs to standard (its not as uncommon as it sounds, but its going to be a big deal for me...shit, the company down the street has a private jet they send back and forth to the Pentagon every week picking up and dropping off military and civilian staff...that will be the jet I will fly on).
In 5 years time, my company will have gone from struggling automotive company to established, multi-million dollar standard in the military world of arms and armor.
Thats the plan anyway. Next three weeks determines the rest of my life.
I can tell you that if you do get a contract, you're pretty much set. Contracted firms have to screw up royally to get replaced in the military, it seems.
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
Quote:
Originally Posted by
DarrinS
My apologies. That paragraph should have had the following annotation:
"Originally Posted by USA today article that the OP was drawn from"
--as the other paragraph quoted from that article did.
The USA today article was where Media Matters got its quote (as your posts' excerpt states).
I probably should have included the URL to the USA today article as well:
http://www.usatoday.com/money/econom...pay10_ST_N.htm
Both bits of editing got missed, as I was in a hurry. Kind of like now.
Gotta jet.
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
I know what you mean about working for the government and all their buy american clauses and 40 pages of reps and certs. I've worked for the various military bases here in San Antonio for years.
They really carry that buy American stuff to extremes. A few years back a local contracting company had the contract to build the American Embassy in Saudi Arabia. It was stucco on concrete construction. A friend of mine got the contract to supply the sand for the concrete/stucco. They literally bagged it in 80# sacks and transported it to the Port of Houston so it could be shipped to Saudi Arabia. We laughed our asses off at what a hell of a salesman he was to be able to sell sand to Saudi Arabia.
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
Quote:
Originally Posted by
clambake
remain calm, but stay sharp. one distinct meeting can cement your future.
you've obviously got more hoops to jump through than i did.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
CosmicCowboy
good luck!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
LnGrrrR
I can tell you that if you do get a contract, you're pretty much set. Contracted firms have to screw up royally to get replaced in the military, it seems.
Thank you all for the support and advice.
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
Quote:
Originally Posted by
DarrinS
"High level of skill and education required for most federal jobs"
:lmao
http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/
I did a sample of the jobs open in the Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio areas.
The majority of the sample required a bachelor's or above. Master's and PhD requirements were common within the sample as well.
Of the jobs that didn't require a specific college education, many were for electrical workers or professional trades.
If you like I will prepare a summary, and present the data with % of job openings requiring which degrees and/or specializations.
There were indeed a few lower level clerical jobs that did not require degrees or much skill, but these were few.
Sorry Darrin, but your dogma doesn't seem to match reality, yet again.
Don't take my word for it, the link is right there. See for yourself.
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
Quote:
Originally Posted by
CosmicCowboy
I know what you mean about working for the government and all their buy american clauses and 40 pages of reps and certs. I've worked for the various military bases here in San Antonio for years.
They really carry that buy American stuff to extremes. A few years back a local contracting company had the contract to build the American Embassy in Saudi Arabia. It was stucco on concrete construction. A friend of mine got the contract to supply the sand for the concrete/stucco. They literally bagged it in 80# sacks and transported it to the Port of Houston so it could be shipped to Saudi Arabia. We laughed our asses off at what a hell of a salesman he was to be able to sell sand to Saudi Arabia.
Thats the greatest story ever.
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
Quote:
Originally Posted by
RandomGuy
http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/
I did a sample of the jobs open in the Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio areas.
The majority of the sample required a bachelor's or above. Master's and PhD requirements were common within the sample as well.
Of the jobs that didn't require a specific college education, many were for electrical workers or professional trades.
If you like I will prepare a summary, and present the data with % of job openings requiring which degrees and/or specializations.
There were indeed a few lower level clerical jobs that did not require degrees or much skill, but these were few.
Sorry Darrin, but your dogma doesn't seem to match reality, yet again.
Don't take my word for it, the link is right there. See for yourself.
preferential treatment to vets :p:
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
Quote:
Originally Posted by
DarkReign
Automotive business will never be what it was ever again, especially since everything is made in northern Mexico. All the big companies, Vehma, ThyssenKrupp, GM, Ford, American Axle, all of them have HUGE, legendary, cutting-edge, never before seen plants in one little town in northern Mexico where basically all design and prototyping is done.
Fuck them and fuck this country for allowing it.
So, instead of chasing the cost of some broke-ass, third-world shithole where pathetic fucks are willing to work for pennies a day, I figured the military is where its at.
Its mandatory that all military production and manufacture be done in America by Americans. The as-rolled steel I buy for every project? Yeah, it needs to be certified American made and rolled. Huge fines and even criminal action can be taken against you as a supplier if they find out youre lying or cheating. All staff must be born and bred American, no work visas, no green cards and they spot check you randomly. Moreover, since I'll be supplying indirectly (intially) to the government, my customer has a responsibility to make sure my products are being produced in the states as it is their ass if I am fucking around.
Moreover, this country loves war. I dont, but this country does. This country also has lots of allies who buy American weapons platforms by the thousands every year. Hummers, APCs, light assaults, heavy assaults, etc.
UK, Afghanistan, Iraq, the UN, Israel, Australia and Canada are all very heavy customers of the Military Industial Complex.
I am less than a month away from being a certified military contractor, indirectly right to the Pentagon. In less than a year, I have a scheduled visit at the Pentagon so long as my company performs to standard (its not as uncommon as it sounds, but its going to be a big deal for me...shit, the company down the street has a private jet they send back and forth to the Pentagon every week picking up and dropping off military and civilian staff...that will be the jet I will fly on).
In 5 years time, my company will have gone from struggling automotive company to established, multi-million dollar standard in the military world of arms and armor.
Thats the plan anyway. Next three weeks determines the rest of my life.
Was that whole buy from america done after the army put everyone in black berets which were made in china?
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
Quote:
Originally Posted by
spursncowboys
Was that whole buy from america done after the army put everyone in black berets which were made in china?
No idea. Dont know shit about textiles, doo.
But the equipment you flew and drove while wearing that ridiculous hat? American made.
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
The Buy America thing has been in place in construction for at least 30 years that I know of.
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
Quote:
Originally Posted by
CosmicCowboy
The Buy America thing has been in place in construction for at least 30 years that I know of.
So we can establish that equipment and construction are definitely under the clause.
Textiles, not so much.
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
Quote:
Originally Posted by
spursncowboys
preferential treatment to vets :p:
:lol High-five!
You and I both know that nearly all the gov positions worth any money are 90% filled by former vets...
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Jekka
With the exception of political appointees (I'd contribute to a rant on that if it came up), there is a high level of skill and education required for most federal jobs. With the GS pay system, the levels of promotion are very clearly delineated. If you want to be hired on at GS-09, you HAVE to have that masters degree, or a bachelors with at least a year's full time experience at the bachelor level with promise to excel in a master's level. The application process requires you to note the number of hours per week that you devoted to a specialized skill, so if your numbers don't add up to 40/wk for a year, that experience won't get you the job.
The people that I know who have gotten federal level positions in the last year both have 2 masters degrees apiece. With the current levels of compensation, those positions have gotten incredibly competitive and are consequently hiring very qualified candidates.
The federal employees that you're laughing at are probably the people at GS-05 or below who are working the crap jobs that wouldn't really garner any better performance in the private sector (customer service at Comcast anyone? Private sector does not guarantee more motivated or knowledgeable employees).
I don't know the GS system except that in my job field, when i looked, much higher GS levels are attainable with just an associates, or equivalent. Most entry jobs do not start at high GS levels without higher degrees, but you can climb up the ladder once in.
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
We need the well-schooled Mandarins to manage us, of course.
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
Quote:
Originally Posted by
CosmicCowboy
Jeeez already. Get off the computer. The fries are ready.
I wonder how many times he burns them?
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Marcus Bryant
We need the well-schooled Mandarins to manage us, of course.
...or a partnership with our NA neighbors to secure and spread out risk.
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
So the American taxpayer is subsidizing the lucrative employment of a host of former grad students. That's the issue here, regardless of the public v private sector professions mix in employment.
The last decade should have disabused the notion in the populace of the value of well-schooled individuals in positions of power in this country, be it in the public or private sector.
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
Quote:
Originally Posted by
DarkReign
...or a partnership with our NA neighbors to secure and spread out risk.
Perhaps.
Either we believe that human knowledge is held by a few and rationed out in semester long installments or it's generally accessible and available to all who care to pursue it.
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
The impeccable, reliable Dean Baker shows how Repug/tea bagger campaign bullshit is meant to target the innocent while protecting the guilty:
The Public Pension Outrage and Alan Greenspan's Pension
Monday 16 August 2010
by: Dean Baker, t r u t h o u t | Op-Ed
In recent weeks, there has been a serious effort by the conservatives and even many centrists to whip up anger at public sector workers over their pensions. The basic story is that public sector workers get better pensions on average than their private sector counterparts. At the same time, most state and local pension funds have large shortfalls, implying that additional government revenue will be needed to keep them solvent.
This is supposed to make people really angry at public sector workers. The right-wing noise factory has been whipping up the hostility at public employees, sensing that they may have another ACORN on their hands. A New York Times columnist even called on retired public employees to give back pensions for which they worked and have solid legal claims.
We should recognize the attack on public sector workers for what it is: a sleazy case of scapegoating that it is intended to divert people's attention from the real villains in this economy, the Wall Street boys and the inept economic policymakers who took the economy to ruin and seem intent on leaving it there.
The basic facts are straightforward. Adjusting for education and experience, public sector workers actually get paid slightly less on average than their counterparts in the private sector. It is likely that the lower pay is largely or fully offset by a better benefit package, but it is likely that the difference in benefit packages between public and private sector workers is not as large as it may seem.
First, it is important to realize that public sector workers are far more likely to have a college or advanced degree than the population as a whole. While most workers have little by way of a defined benefit or defined contribution pension, most workers with college or advanced degrees can count on being entitled to at least a modest pension income in retirement.
Second, many public sector workers are not covered by Social Security. This means that whatever they get from a government pension will be the bulk of their retirement income; it will not be a supplement to their Social Security benefits. With this in mind, the $22,000 pension that an average retired public employer received in 2007 hardly seems excessive.
...
The reason that millions of people are suffering is a combination of Wall Street greed and incredible economic mismanagement. As we know, the Wall Street boys are back on their feet, with profits and bonuses again at record levels, thanks to the trillions of dollars in bailout money handed to them by the government in the fall of 2008. If people want to be angry at someone, the multi-million dollar bonuses going to hotshot traders at Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan might be a better target than a retired school teacher's $3,000 a month pension.
The other appropriate target for the public's anger is the people running economic policy, who failed to prevent this entirely preventable disaster. While there are many people who should be unemployed for this colossal failure (none are), the culprit in chief is Alan Greenspan, arguably the worst central banker of all time. He insisted that everything was just fine even as the housing bubble expanded in size to more than $8 trillion at its peak. Did he think the bubble would just keep expanding forever or did he really believe that the economy could lose $8 trillion in wealth without any serious fallout?
http://www.truth-out.org/the-public-...ion62358?print
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
Here's the Repugs going after the middle class and public employees as welfare queens, which is as bogus and dishonest as it was when St Ronnie the Patron Saint of Dumb used welfare queens in Cadillacs to go after poor people:
The GOP Continues to Smear the Middle Class — Next Up? Public Employees
"one aspect of the Republican war against government–it’s a war against the middle class jobs that government creates, as if the dollars that public employees contribute to the economy, including the payroll taxes they pay along with everyone else, aren’t equivalent to private sector dollars."
http://blogs.alternet.org/speakeasy/...aign=alternet#
===
Not only is all-govt-bad-all-the-time (except with redistributing taxdollars to Repugs and their eg, MIC, owners) the Repug main whine, but the people who work for govt are also bad.
Repugs sure know how to run an election campaign and shrink their base down to the extreme unelecting fringe.
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
Quote:
Originally Posted by DarrinS
"High level of skill and education required for most federal jobs"
:lmao
Quote:
Originally Posted by
RandomGuy
http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/
I did a sample of the jobs open in the Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio areas.
The majority of the sample required a bachelor's or above. Master's and PhD requirements were common within the sample as well.
Of the jobs that didn't require a specific college education, many were for electrical workers or professional trades.
If you like I will prepare a summary, and present the data with % of job openings requiring which degrees and/or specializations.
There were indeed a few lower level clerical jobs that did not require degrees or much skill, but these were few.
Sorry Darrin, but your dogma doesn't seem to match reality, yet again.
Don't take my word for it, the link is right there. See for yourself.
I guess Darrin didn't want to respond to my calling his bullshit out.
Still think that "goverment jobs" don't require greater than average skillsets?
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
Quote:
Originally Posted by
RandomGuy
I guess Darrin didn't want to respond to my calling his bullshit out.
Still think that "goverment jobs" don't require greater than average skillsets?
I only laughed because I know a lot of govt employees. Sure, some have advanced degrees, but that usually doesn't mean a whole lot.
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Re: Libertarians call federal worker pay gap 'appalling'
Quote:
Originally Posted by
DarrinS
I only laughed because I know a lot of govt employees. Sure, some have advanced degrees, but that usually doesn't mean a whole lot.
Fair enough.