Good News for Federal Job Applicants

60,000 is just the federal employees retiring--it doesn't count state and local government employees. When someone retires, their jobs typically need to be filled, and the budget is set aside to fill it.

If you think about what you personally rely on every day in terms of what government workers do for you, consider:

* Your teachers for your kids are government employees (local gov)

* Your professors and student support staff for college students in state universities--the only higher ed many can afford--are state government workers.

* Your clean drinking water is supplied through government agencies that regulate water, especially on the local and federal levels.

* Your country is made safe through diplomacy and defense forces-- all federal workers.

* Your paved roads, street signs, traffic laws, street lights, electric utilities are all provided by government workers.

* Your national parks and forests, local and state parks where you have recreation are protected and preserved by government workers.

* The police and firefighters and 911 response workers who help you when you have a heart attack are government workers.

* Your public library is run by local government workers.

I suppose we can just not replace any government workers who retire. But then we'd have to live in a country without free public education, subsidized higher education, clean drinking water, safe food, breathable air, a military, police protection, fire protection... sounds a lot like a third world country to me.

Which of these benefits would you like to see disappear? Do you suppose they should all be replaced by for-profit companies or do you think they can all be handled by unpaid volunteers? Would you like to deliver the mail for free?

Heather of WA 1:58PM October 19, 2011