OT: Public employees: mistreated and misunderstood OR leeches to productivity ?

[(former)FormerSanDiegan]

Now return to your corner and come out swinging.

[creechrr]

The answer to the question is, yes.

Like most things it all depends on the specifics.

[Bubblesitter]

I spent a couple years out of college working for government before leaving for private industry.

I saw some extremely dedicated, smart, hard working govt employees.

I also saw lazy, obsolete skill set, deadweights.

The hard workers, including me were demoralized by the lazy deadweights. That is one of reasons I left public service.

Time for some “rank and yank” in the govt employee rolls.

Bubblesitter

[CA renter]

What productivity?

Name a single productive country (similar to ours WRT cultural/racial demographics, population, size, etc.) with a thriving economy and middle class that has no/few/underpaid public servants.

Just one.

[scaredyclassic]

Leech therapy is actually making a resurgence in modern healthcare. Weird but true. Google for details. The much maligned leech has become productive!

[CA renter]

God bless you, scaredy. 🙂

[UCGal]

There are dead weight, lazy employees in the private sector also. Stereotypes, both positive and negative, can be found in both public and private sector. I bet FLU’s user name was based on a private sector experience.

I have a nephew who is one of the brightest, hardest working folks I know… works for the GAO. He worked on wall street out of Wharton and realized he wanted to serve more than he wanted to make money just for the sake of money…. because he’s bright and hard working he’s risen through the GS levels quickly… but still makes half of what he would have if he’d stayed on the street.

The problem with broad generalizations is there are too many discrete points to prove them wrong.

[sdrealtor]

Agree there is lazy dead weight in both sectors. That is not the issue. Dead weight eventually gets pruned in the private sector while it is allowed to languish in the public sector indefinitely. Well not indefinitely. Eventually it ends with a lavish pension and lifetime health benefits

[briansd1]

[quote=sdrealtor]Agree there is lazy dead weight in both sectors. That is not the issue. Dead weight eventually gets pruned in the private sector while it is allowed to languish in the public sector indefinitely. Well not indefinitely. Eventually it ends with a lavish pension and lifetime health benefits[/quote]

I agree with sdrealtor.

I’m all for social equity and I believe that we should have policies to promote that.

But I think that public employees generally are not it for the public service anymore.

Unions can be a huge detriment to productivity. Look at the public transport systems in Philly and New York. They still use antiquated punch type tickets, in great part because the unions won’t allow automation. In Europe everything is automated and modern.

I would not have a problem with public pensions if they were all self-funded out of annual budgets. But the pensions are in great part funded by Wall Street investment returns, but guaranteed by taxpayers. So when the investments/gambling don’t pan out, taxpayers are asked to make the difference. That’s double dipping, IMO.

And what do the policians do to appeal to the public (more like blackmail) for more taxes? They cut services that affect the most people, such as library and school hours, rather than cut salaries and pensions accross the board.

[SD Realtor]

brian lately you have been freaking me out!

[briansd1]

[quote=SD Realtor]brian lately you have been freaking me out![/quote]

Haha, I don’t think that I’m contradicting my liberal ideals.

I’m still voting for The One. I’m still for health care reform, better parental leave, higher minimum wage, consumer protection, etc..

[Allan from Fallbrook]

[quote=SD Realtor]brian lately you have been freaking me out![/quote]

SDR: I know! I was thinking the same thing. WTF happened to Brian?

Brian: You sorta are running against the grain of the Democratic Party as it pertains to Big Labor. Labor has traditionally been not only a strong voting bloc for the Dems, but also provides valuable organizing and “get-out-the-vote” muscle.

I think we’re getting to the end of Labor vote buying by the Dems, because its become fiscally unsustainable.

On the GOP side, we’re already seeing the first meaningful cuts on Defense. If we can move to entitlements and serious tax reform, we might be able to actually make some progress.

[SD Realtor]

Brian there may still be some hope for you yet.

Let the indoctrination begin!!

[(former)FormerSanDiegan]

[quote=CA renter]What productivity?

Name a single productive country (similar to ours WRT cultural/racial demographics, population, size, etc.) with a thriving economy and middle class that has no/few/underpaid public servants.

Just one.[/quote]

I don;t think there is a single country that is similar to ours WRT cultural/racial demographics, population and size, period. So, obviously there is not one with or without any public servants at all.

It’s a bit like asking someone to name just one 7-foot, 300+ pound basketball players named Shaq that can’t dunk.

[markmax33]

[quote=FormerSanDiegan][quote=CA renter]What productivity?

Name a single productive country (similar to ours WRT cultural/racial demographics, population, size, etc.) with a thriving economy and middle class that has no/few/underpaid public servants.

Just one.[/quote]

I don;t think there is a single country that is similar to ours WRT cultural/racial demographics, population and size, period. So, obviously there is not one with or without any public servants at all.

It’s a bit like asking someone to name just one 7-foot, 300+ pound basketball players named Shaq that can’t dunk.[/quote]

Well GOV spending has gone up 100% in the last 10 years (approx). I think we were much more productive before that expansion and had fewer bubbles. I think US history is all you need to point towards to prove this one. Do you think we are more prosperous now or 10 years ago?

http://www.fundmasteryblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/downsizing-government-fed-spending-chart2-big.png

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