Live Better...Live Off your Neighbor

By Anthony Kang

Conservatives and libertarians don't agree on all issues, but they couldn't agree more about government unjustifiably redistributing billions of taxpayer dollars and placating to public-sector demands.

Although the damage is rather miniscule relative to the multi-trillion dollar legalized Ponzi-scheme known as Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, the excesses afforded to the average civil "servant" is borderline criminal - and it doesn't receive the scrutiny it nearly deserves.

Luckily we have James Sherk and the Heritage Foundation to do our homework for us:

The average federal employee earns an annual salary almost 60% Higher than the average private-sector employee - $79,000 vs. $50,000.

Federal employees do have more education (on average) than private-sector workers. Their unions argue that this justifies their higher pay. But it doesn't. Even after controlling for education and experience, federal employees get paid significantly better - 22% more per hour, on average - than private-sector workers.

And oh the inalienable and God-given right to benefits such as paid leave, group life insurance, child care, and retiring at 56 with full benefits.

"Once you add up these benefits, the gap in total compensation rises even higher - 30% to 40% above comparable private-sector workers,"Sherk notes.

But the best news for taxpayers? Like their union brethren - and unlike the rest of us mortals - civil "servants" are virtually untouchable from life in the real world:

Federal civil servants enjoy another perk: near-absolute job security. Private businesses cut hiring and increase layoffs when sales drops.

[...]

This is largely because of civil service rules. It's virtually impossible to fire federal employees for bad performance once they've passed a one-year probationary period.

Not surprisingly, federal employees rarely quit. In good economic times, they voluntarily leave at roughly a third the private-sector rate. And that disparity has only grown since the recession began.

Why should taxpayers care? Because it's costing them money. If Congress were to set up a payment system like the private sector's, itwould save about $47 billion a year. That's serious money.

"Serious money"? Hardly - you can't put a price on helping out the common good. It's the old adage - "People spend other people's money more thoughtfully, carefully and constructively than their own money"...right?