Too Many Government Workers?

[Harry Dresden]

The massive number of Government Workers and Entitlements is becoming a real concern. How can the Taxpayers continue to support this System? I don't see how this can be sustained.

lots and lots and lots of Govt waste with their spending Paulie.....i bet that is more costly than what your talking about....

I just don't see Taxpayers being able to support this colossal Government for too much longer. They're already being squeezed dry right now. And the number of Workers and Entitlements just continue to skyrocket. It can't be sustained.

i agree.....but the wasteful spending should be looked at seriously too.....just getting those guys out of Afghanistan would be putting billions in the coffers....

 

[JakeStarkey]

Retrenchment can take place throughout the government.

DoD and the military in particular.

 

[Harry Dresden]

Many government workers were furloughed. Did you miss them? Me either.

i know 2 people who could not get a passport to go on their cruise.....they closed before they had a chance to get down there.....no cruise....they missed them....

this just proves that those 2 were not very smart typical low information voters.
It takes 90 days the longest to get a passport.

The known date of October the 1st was discussed around at least for a half of the year.
If they did not apply for their passports in advance knowing that there might be a government shutdown - that is solely their own fault and they can blame nobody but themselves.
But sure enough they are blaming everybody under the sun except THEMSELVES.

How typical for the Americans. Nowadays Americans.

hey dumbass .....the passport was going to be here for them to pick up in time....office closed....no pick up.....cruise ship gone.....are you through being a dipshit now?....

 

[rightwinger]

In light of the current Government Shutdown, this is an interesting and important topic to discuss. We all know our Government has expanded to a previously unthinkable gargantuan status. With that, so many Millions of Americans are now employed by our Government. They are solely dependent on Taxpayers for their survival. Are there too many Government Workers now. Can this trend be reversed, or should it be?

From 1962 to 2013, the US population grew from 175 million to 320 million

During that time period the number of Federal Employees has dropped from 5.3 million to 4.4 million

Where is that government expansion you are talking about?

Total Government Employment Since 1962

 

[AVG-JOE]

as this partial shutdown proves at least 18% of the government workers are not needed and their so-called "work" as well.

That is an interesting number... Can you provide a link to your proof?

proof for WHAT?
that is the number of furloughed government workers - it has been widely discussed even on this board for days.
nobody feels their absence. So they can be cut permanently without any consequences.

You said

...proves at least 18% of the government workers are not needed...

and I'm curious as to how you came to 18% of federal employees being unnecessary, and your proof that they're not.

Now I'm also curious if that number includes contractors, or is it just federal paychecks.

 

[AVG-JOE]

OK, here are the figures ( looks like much more than 18% can be safely cut):

Government Shutdown: By the Numbers - ABC News

Name them.


Should we ax 18% of the VA nurses?

How about 18% of the TSA airport screeners? Everyone knows that those lines are freakishly smooth.

Who goes?

 

[Vox]

i know 2 people who could not get a passport to go on their cruise.....they closed before they had a chance to get down there.....no cruise....they missed them....

this just proves that those 2 were not very smart typical low information voters.
It takes 90 days the longest to get a passport.

The known date of October the 1st was discussed around at least for a half of the year.
If they did not apply for their passports in advance knowing that there might be a government shutdown - that is solely their own fault and they can blame nobody but themselves.
But sure enough they are blaming everybody under the sun except THEMSELVES.

How typical for the Americans. Nowadays Americans.

hey dumbass .....the passport was going to be here for them to pick up in time....office closed....no pick up.....cruise ship gone.....are you through being a dipshit now?....

it is your friends who are dumbasses.
they could have done it weeks before or chose a mail-in option ( if they won't be scrooges as mailing option is more expensive)
If you are dumb - you are going to pay for it.
But sure enough they are blaming the shutdown

 

[Vox]

OK, here are the figures ( looks like much more than 18% can be safely cut):

Government Shutdown: By the Numbers - ABC News

Name them.


Should we ax 18% of the VA nurses?

How about 18% of the TSA airport screeners? Everyone knows that those lines are freakishly smooth.

Who goes?

are you playing dumb? looks like it
did you check the link?
there are exact figures in every department - Department of Veteran Affairs has furloughed only 5% of the workers.
And those 5% are obviously non-essential and can be cut off.
Department of transportation - 67%.

Oh and I just had been flying last weekend - no problems with TSA - so apparently those 67% can be safely cut as well

 

[Samson]

Too Many Government Workers?

Are you counting all those employed by military and government contractors?

Yes.

 

[Samson]

OK, here are the figures ( looks like much more than 18% can be safely cut):

Government Shutdown: By the Numbers - ABC News

Name them.


Should we ax 18% of the VA nurses?

How about 18% of the TSA airport screeners? Everyone knows that those lines are freakishly smooth.

Who goes?

This is why we need an adult running the Executive Branch of government: To make the hard decisions like who goes.

Of course, when you can print your own money, who needs to make tough choices?

 

[FA_Q2]

No and no. There is a lot of deadweight in the military and a lot of waste, both in the uniformed and civilian sides of the military. There are plenty of do nothing jobs and way too much tail-to-teeth jobs just to justify a budget.

There is a lot of useless positions in the civilian government, but there are also a lot of hard working people doing hard work. To be fair, there are a lot of do nothing paper pushing jobs, but many federal and state jobs are held by dedicated and skilled personnel.

100% correct.

In fact - that's a big problem I have with so many folks who complain about wasteful and overgrown government. They only complain about one segment or another and leave their own "sacred cows" out of the conversation.

If we are serious about getting rid of government bloat and overspending, there can be NO sacred cows. There is waste everywhere - EVERYWHERE.

So if you go into the process with the idea of just cutting the "other guy's" waste and holding "your guy's" waste - you are dead in the water.

Just MHO.

Yep.

And that is what TP is all about.

sacred military cows are not so sacred for them.
They actually want the waste to be cut EVERYWHERE

And there is another thread here bashing the right because the right is cutting police, fire and military. It’s rather ironic that there are statements about how we can have zero scred cows but whenever the right gives in on them the left eviscerates them for doing so.

Politics in this nation has hit all-time lows.

 

[FA_Q2]

OK, here are the figures ( looks like much more than 18% can be safely cut):

Government Shutdown: By the Numbers - ABC News

Name them.


Should we ax 18% of the VA nurses?

How about 18% of the TSA airport screeners? Everyone knows that those lines are freakishly smooth.

Who goes?

This is why we need an adult running the Executive Branch of government: To make the hard decisions like who goes.

Of course, when you can print your own money, who needs to make tough choices?

What a thought. Rather than brining up a few that sound like they are too important, actually have some people up there making those decisions and making real cuts is the answer.

Unfortunately, NO ONE in government today is capable of making a decision harder than what they are going to have for lunch.

On second thought, we had better have an aid accomplish that…

 

[Samson]

In light of the current Government Shutdown, this is an interesting and important topic to discuss. We all know our Government has expanded to a previously unthinkable gargantuan status. With that, so many Millions of Americans are now employed by our Government. They are solely dependent on Taxpayers for their survival. Are there too many Government Workers now. Can this trend be reversed, or should it be?

From 1962 to 2013, the US population grew from 175 million to 320 million

During that time period the number of Federal Employees has dropped from 5.3 million to 4.4 million

Where is that government expansion you are talking about?

Total Government Employment Since 1962

Practically all the decrease was in the military. There is no cold war pending now, thus there has been a decrease in military government employees.

Most firms have developed technology, (e.g. computers) since 1962 that allows them to function with fewer employees.

The US Government seems immune to technological efficiency.



SURPRISE!!!!

 

[Samson]

Name them.


Should we ax 18% of the VA nurses?

How about 18% of the TSA airport screeners? Everyone knows that those lines are freakishly smooth.

Who goes?

This is why we need an adult running the Executive Branch of government: To make the hard decisions like who goes.

Of course, when you can print your own money, who needs to make tough choices?

What a thought. Rather than brining up a few that sound like they are too important, actually have some people up there making those decisions and making real cuts is the answer.

Unfortunately, NO ONE in government today is capable of making a decision harder than what they are going to have for lunch.

On second thought, we had better have an aid accomplish that…

"the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness and corruption."


-Thomas Paine

 

[rightwinger]

In light of the current Government Shutdown, this is an interesting and important topic to discuss. We all know our Government has expanded to a previously unthinkable gargantuan status. With that, so many Millions of Americans are now employed by our Government. They are solely dependent on Taxpayers for their survival. Are there too many Government Workers now. Can this trend be reversed, or should it be?

From 1962 to 2013, the US population grew from 175 million to 320 million

During that time period the number of Federal Employees has dropped from 5.3 million to 4.4 million

Where is that government expansion you are talking about?

Total Government Employment Since 1962

Practically all the decrease was in the military. There is no cold war pending now, thus there has been a decrease in military government employees.

Most firms have developed technology, (e.g. computers) since 1962 that allows them to function with fewer employees.

The US Government seems immune to technological efficiency.



SURPRISE!!!!

Our military is not immune from downsizing?

Point is that the size of government is not out of control. The size of the workforce has remained about the same size even though the population has doubled

Another rightwing myth

 

[FA_Q2]

This is why we need an adult running the Executive Branch of government: To make the hard decisions like who goes.

Of course, when you can print your own money, who needs to make tough choices?

What a thought. Rather than brining up a few that sound like they are too important, actually have some people up there making those decisions and making real cuts is the answer.

Unfortunately, NO ONE in government today is capable of making a decision harder than what they are going to have for lunch.

On second thought, we had better have an aid accomplish that…

"the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness and corruption."


-Thomas Paine

This is very true. The core problem is not really our politicians but rather our electorate is ignorant and apathetic. As ‘motivated’ as groups like the Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street seemed the one thing that they are completely unmotivated to do is actually understand the government, the issues and the facts. There seems to be a lot more yelling about random crap that does not matter than there is actual solutions.

 

[Samson]

From 1962 to 2013, the US population grew from 175 million to 320 million

During that time period the number of Federal Employees has dropped from 5.3 million to 4.4 million

Where is that government expansion you are talking about?

Total Government Employment Since 1962

Practically all the decrease was in the military. There is no cold war pending now, thus there has been a decrease in military government employees.

Most firms have developed technology, (e.g. computers) since 1962 that allows them to function with fewer employees.

The US Government seems immune to technological efficiency.



SURPRISE!!!!

Our military is not immune from downsizing?

Point is that the size of government is not out of control. The size of the workforce has remained about the same size even though the population has doubled

Another rightwing myth

I just stated that the military was NOT immune to downsizing... (thus the downsized military)



Interesting how the number of employees has remained the same, yet the cost per government employee so far exceeds costs per civilian employee:

Total compensation costs for state and local government
workers averaged $42.09 per hour worked in June 2013.

Private industry employers spent an average of $29.11 per hour worked for employee compensation in June 2013, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today.. [/B]

 

[rightwinger]

Practically all the decrease was in the military. There is no cold war pending now, thus there has been a decrease in military government employees.

Most firms have developed technology, (e.g. computers) since 1962 that allows them to function with fewer employees.

The US Government seems immune to technological efficiency.



SURPRISE!!!!

Our military is not immune from downsizing?

Point is that the size of government is not out of control. The size of the workforce has remained about the same size even though the population has doubled

Another rightwing myth

I just stated that the military was NOT immune to downsizing... (thus the downsized military)



Interesting how the number of employees has remained the same, yet the cost per government employee so far exceeds costs per civilian employee:

Total compensation costs for state and local government
workers averaged $42.09 per hour worked in June 2013.

Private industry employers spent an average of $29.11 per hour worked for employee compensation in June 2013, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today.. [/B]

That's what happens when you contract out all lower paying jobs

You end up with a highly educated workforce

 

[AVG-JOE]

OK, here are the figures ( looks like much more than 18% can be safely cut):

Government Shutdown: By the Numbers - ABC News

Name them.


Should we ax 18% of the VA nurses?

How about 18% of the TSA airport screeners? Everyone knows that those lines are freakishly smooth.

Who goes?

This is why we need an adult running the Executive Branch of government: To make the hard decisions like who goes.

Of course, when you can print your own money, who needs to make tough choices?

It's a valid question. Apparently worthy of any president....

It begs debate.

So...

Do we end school lunches or RIF 18% of the Border Patrol?

Should we further moth-ball NASA or fire all of the Americans who're employed shipping weapons in the form of U.S. Aid?

Should we stop paying VA disability payments AND federal paychecks to those who qualify for both or trim the staff at the Center for Disease Control?

Food and Drug quality or Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms regulation?

Choices...​

 

[Harry Dresden]

this just proves that those 2 were not very smart typical low information voters.
It takes 90 days the longest to get a passport.

The known date of October the 1st was discussed around at least for a half of the year.
If they did not apply for their passports in advance knowing that there might be a government shutdown - that is solely their own fault and they can blame nobody but themselves.
But sure enough they are blaming everybody under the sun except THEMSELVES.

How typical for the Americans. Nowadays Americans.

hey dumbass .....the passport was going to be here for them to pick up in time....office closed....no pick up.....cruise ship gone.....are you through being a dipshit now?....

it is your friends who are dumbasses.
they could have done it weeks before or chose a mail-in option ( if they won't be scrooges as mailing option is more expensive)
If you are dumb - you are going to pay for it.
But sure enough they are blaming the shutdown

you have to plan vacations dipshit....unlike you...they work...i know .....working...what a concept.....