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Mythbuster: Federal workers not overpaid, senator asserts
Federal Computer Week ^ | September 20, 2010 | Federal Daily Staff

Posted on 09/21/2010 9:19:03 AM PDT by Poundstone

Recently circulated news stories charging that federal employees are grossly overpaid — allegedly earning more than twice their private industry counterparts — are based on “a flawed reading of statistical data,” according to Sen. Ted Kaufman (D-Del.).

In a Sept. 15 speech, Kaufman disputed a USA Today article purporting that federal workers’ pay dramatically outstrips that of their private-sector counterparts. The newspaper’s analysis, which was based on Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) data, concluded that, in 2009, federal employees received an average total compensation in pay and benefits of $123,049, while private sector workers made $61,051.

The newspaper’s analysis did not include military pay in its calculation of federal compensation, Kaufman said.

(Excerpt) Read more at fcw.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: americasfuture; animalfarm; benefits; employees; federal; government; pensions; socialism
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A fair assessment by Sen. Kaufman, I'd say.
1 posted on 09/21/2010 9:19:08 AM PDT by Poundstone
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To: Poundstone
"are likely performing very different, and quite possibly more highly specialized work"

Hearsay speculation on the part of the witless, a Senator from Delaware.

2 posted on 09/21/2010 9:22:44 AM PDT by Paladin2
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To: Paladin2

No more hearsay than those who delight in blasting federal employees and retirees.


3 posted on 09/21/2010 9:23:27 AM PDT by Poundstone (A recent Federal retiree and proud of it!)
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To: Poundstone

Paying Federal employees to stay home and do NOTHING would leave the nation better off, but what sense would THAT make?


4 posted on 09/21/2010 9:23:27 AM PDT by tired1 (When the Devil eats you there's only one way out.)
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To: Poundstone

Figures don’t lie but liars sure as hell figure.

You can twist and bend anything and this guy demonstrated mastery.

horeshit


5 posted on 09/21/2010 9:25:46 AM PDT by Sequoyah101 (Half of the population is below average)
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To: tired1

Jan 20, 2013:
“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
[pause]
“All executive branch ‘alphabet’ regulatory agencies are hereby dissolved.”


6 posted on 09/21/2010 9:26:05 AM PDT by MrB (The difference between a (de)humanist and a Satanist is that the latter knows who he's working for.)
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To: Poundstone

Why not make all government jobs military jobs then? Or have all government jobs paid at military scales.


7 posted on 09/21/2010 9:29:48 AM PDT by outpostinmass2
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To: Poundstone
"“Our federal workforce has also become far better educated in the last twenty years, which also translates into greater earning power.”"

Highly questionable "analysis". The Senator doesn't seem to have any published analysis behind his remarks.

Please point to independent reports indicating gov't workers are underpaid.

8 posted on 09/21/2010 9:30:50 AM PDT by Paladin2
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To: Poundstone

“•Benefits. Federal workers received average benefits worth $41,791 in 2009. Most of this was the government’s contribution to pensions. Employees contributed an additional $10,569.”

So the difference is essentially in the pensions. Good luck in geeing it 30 year down the line.


9 posted on 09/21/2010 9:32:26 AM PDT by mainsail that ("A man will fight harder for his interests than for his rights" - Napoleon Bonaparte)
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To: Poundstone

Kaufman’s days are numbered. A Biden toadie if there is ever one.

What exactly is the military’s civilian counterpart, so you can get a fair assessment on the pay grade?


10 posted on 09/21/2010 9:33:48 AM PDT by Sir Napsalot (Pravda + Useful Idiots = CCCP; JournOList + Useful Idiots = DopeyChangey!)
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To: MrB

“All executive branch ‘alphabet’ regulatory agencies are hereby dissolved.”

You Betcha!


11 posted on 09/21/2010 9:34:35 AM PDT by tired1 (When the Devil eats you there's only one way out.)
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To: Poundstone
Have federal employees' raises been halted? Do federal employees get a matching contribution to their retirement contributions? If so are the matches continuing?

I do know I haven't had a raise in 3 years and my company's 401(k) match stopped 2 years ago... but inflation continues to rise.

Appears me and others at my company are going a little backwards.

12 posted on 09/21/2010 9:36:07 AM PDT by Trajan88 (www.bullittclub.com)
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To: Paladin2

I’ll bet I know more federal employees than Da Senator.

Not all of them are overpaid, and some are arguably worth far more in the public sector. But a lot of them are absolutely positively overpaid.


13 posted on 09/21/2010 9:39:52 AM PDT by freespirited (This tagline dedicated to the memory of John Armor, a/k/a Congressman Billybob.)
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To: Poundstone
Here's one for you... we have far too many gooberment employees and one day I hope that half of them are forced to find employment in the private sector.

LLS

14 posted on 09/21/2010 9:39:56 AM PDT by LibLieSlayer (WOLVERINES!)
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To: outpostinmass2
Bravo! If you used military pay scales for all government jobs, there would be a gradual move to the exit doors to the extent that wholesale cuts in the size of government would be unnecessary.

If you added military risk scales for all government jobs, that gradual exit would turn into a stampede.

15 posted on 09/21/2010 9:40:24 AM PDT by Vigilanteman (Obama: Fake black man. Fake Messiah. Fake American. How many fakes can you fit in one Zer0?)
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To: Sir Napsalot

Then there’s the CEO thing ~ the government only has ONE CEO whereas the private sector has 7 million CEOs and not a one of their salaries or other income was included in the computation!


16 posted on 09/21/2010 9:40:32 AM PDT by muawiyah
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To: Vigilanteman
you don't sound like you have any understanding of government or military pay scales. Your typical full bull colonel gets pay and benefits fairly comparable to your typical GS15. Pay and benefits for General grade officers are in line with SES.

You probably have in mind pilots ~ military pilots are younger and less experienced than the guys flying 747s in the private sector, but not everybody gets to fly Heavy eh!~

17 posted on 09/21/2010 9:43:03 AM PDT by muawiyah
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Tagline


18 posted on 09/21/2010 9:43:51 AM PDT by listenhillary (A 50% cut of federal spending would be a good place to start.)
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To: MrB
“All executive branch ‘alphabet’ regulatory agencies are hereby dissolved.”

You do realize you just caused FDR to spin in his grave.

I count that as a good thing. That Commie SHOULDN'T rest quietly because of all the harm he brought on this nation.

19 posted on 09/21/2010 9:44:56 AM PDT by magslinger ('This is a United States Marine Corps FA-18 fighter. Send 'em up, I'll wait!')
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To: Poundstone
My brother is a federal Employee (Naval Shipyard) and he makes just a little less than I do if you count his base salary. But adding in all the overtime he is aloud it skyrockets his actual salary way above mine. He also does not worry about layoffs and strikes. Between him and my Dad who retired from the shipyard, I only remember one layoff for them, when the yard let people go for a 24 hours and then hired them back again - just to satisfy some year-end political promise.
20 posted on 09/21/2010 9:46:01 AM PDT by NavyCanDo
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