An editorial “Federal payroll gets out of hand” breathlessly pronounces “This year, the government is expected to grow to 2.15 million employees- the largest federal work force in modern history…. This can only serve to enhance the president’s reputation as a big government, big deficit, big spending liberal.”
It observes “The bulk of the increase in government jobs is on the civilian side, which is expected to grow by 153,000 workers – including 80,000 U. S. Census workers – 1.43 million workers….”
And it caps off all of this by saying “These aren’t fast—food-minimum-wage jobs, either. The average pay for a federal worker exceeds $70,000. (Private-sector workers average $40,000.)”
Without bothering to do any research, let’s just reflect on what they say above. The work force has grown, but its due in large part to the Constitutional requiring a census in 2010. Further, as the editorial acknowledges, “The Obama administration says the bulk of the increases is from departments related to the war on terrorism – Justice Department, Defense, Homeland Security, State and Veterans Affairs.”
So what does this have to do with the “president’s reputation as a big government, big deficit, big spending liberal” ? Are the New Era editors against the Constitution (perhaps they favor the Supreme Court interrupting it to mean perform a census if it doesn’t cost much) and not supporters of national security and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan? And don’t they oppose a single payer health system? Wars are bleeding our tax payers and a predatory health care system is impoverishing our middle class work force. The USA is racing down the road to becoming a second class economy. (Oh yes, the top 1% to 2% of us are doing very well, thank you!)
Moreover, who is responsible for federal employees being paid $70,000 a year? Did President Barack Obama give everyone a $30,000 a year raise when he entered office a year ago, or did this figure mushroom during the eight prior years under George W. Bush?
From our point of view, it is fortunate that the census is taking place at a time of deep recession, if not impending depression. It puts 80,000 people to productive work, thus generating jobs for as many as 200,000 as a result of the multiplier effect. It may not be on the minds of the editors who have jobs; but it means everything to those recently unemployed with families to support.
This country has deep problems. But ideological brick throwing and mindless disparaging the president and his administration aren’t going to help solve them.
