Well, it's nice to know that not everyone is suffering during this recession!

[Dengineer]

Let's face it den, I saved you the trouble. And 10+ pages of posts, because we all know that's where we would have ended up. Funny, you didn't complain this much about the state of things prior to the election, and let's face it, not much has changed.

It's not all about Obama for me, although it does seem to be all about Obama for you to the point where you feel the need to defend him even when he's not being attacked (methinks you doth protest too much.) I didn't even know this forum was here until March 2009. Or else you would have heard me complaining because I was plenty unhappy with the government WAY before this past election. Things have gotten a lot worse since then, but this government took a wrong turn years ago.

[MaryMary]

Compared to the salary for similar outside positions, the money is worse. As the child of a federal employee who commands a salary above $150k annually, I'm well aware that he would be able to earn $200k+ as a contractor i.e. a non-government employee (still with really good benefits). How much of a loss of income over the years has he had because he decided to work for the government instead of the private sector? $50k a year.... even when it wasn't that steep, multiplied over 25 years of service. Yep, what a damn well overpaid government employee

Nor is it as simple to command such a salary. Pay grades and steps aren't something just arbitrary--you have particular qualifications that put you into a particular pay grade. And you're only eligible every other year the ability to step up, but even then it doesn't happen so often. Given many factors, it does make sense that this is the case.

So take everything at face value. Don't do any research or reading. Opinions are always right. B!tch whine and complain day as usual here on HCW.

Liz, your parent chose security over more money: instead of having to hunt jobs and worry about tomorrow, experience ups and down of private sector, they had less money but tomorrow as sure as today. Security has its costs and everyone makes own choices.

I worked for the federal government - let me tell you the highest paid workers were mostly the dumbest and most arrogant people I have ever met.They were only smart in one respect - they knew if they left and got a job in the real world (private sector)there sorry rear ends would be fired for incompentence real quick. So they are more than happy to stay at thier so called jobs and make dumb decisions which made work for the lesser paid employees much worse than it should be.
The posters who complained about the high paying federal employees are 100% right on this.

From my experience with government workers, no any private business can afford to keep such employees as some state/government people I've encountered, starting from productivity to being extremely rude to customers, as on the phone as in person.

[Dengineer]

Liz, your parent chose security over more money: instead of having to hunt jobs and worry about tomorrow, experience ups and down of private sector, they had less money but tomorrow as sure as today. Security has its costs and everyone makes own choices.

I really just want to call the WAHHHHH-mbulance whenever a government employee makes the choice to be a government employee and then complains "I could make $50,000 more as a private contractor." Like someone has a gun to their head making them be a government employee.

Don't get up every day and make a conscious decision to take a certain course of action, and expect everyone else to feel sorry for you (non-specific you).

[~~Who,Me?~~]

It's not all about Obama for me, although it does seem to be all about Obama for you to the point where you feel the need to defend him even when he's not being attacked (methinks you doth protest too much.) I didn't even know this forum was here until March 2009. Or else you would have heard me complaining because I was plenty unhappy with the government WAY before this past election. Things have gotten a lot worse since then, but this government took a wrong turn years ago.

Quite frankly, I'm not even that much of a fan because I think he has softened his position on things, like health care. I know you're not complaining, it's your public service, you're just keeping us informed. But it's getting to be quite laughable. The things that people are mad at him for--getting a nobel prize, mad at him for a health care bill that hasn't passed and for wars he didn't start. I don't feel he deserves the peace prize either, but he's not on the nominating committee, nor does he choose the recipient, so being mad at him for it seems silly.

And people seem to have short memories. The whole basis of the election was running on the platform of "the economy." Remember, the economy sucked way before he was even elected, so blaming him for it seems silly. And then there's the complaining about the lack of jobs, and then in the same breath complaining that he spent money to create jobs. So which is it, do you want jobs, yes or no? Because jobs cost money.

I haven't been around here much lately because it's just gone quite boring, same old same old. No matter what the current gov't does, you're going to bash them, no? And now you're saying you were unhappy with the former administration as well, so tell me den, what *are* you happy with, anything?

[mama22qts]

I *think* I can speak for Den, at least in part. Den (and myself) would be happy with small government that kept its nose out of private citizens' business. Den would be happy with a government that would allow bad business decisions to sink a company, no matter how big. Den would be happy with a government that confined itself to the edicts set forth in the constitution.

[Dengineer]

Quite frankly, I'm not even that much of a fan because I think he has softened his position on things, like health care. I know you're not complaining, it's your public service, you're just keeping us informed. But it's getting to be quite laughable. The things that people are mad at him for--getting a nobel prize, mad at him for a health care bill that hasn't passed and for wars he didn't start. I don't feel he deserves the peace prize either, but he's not on the nominating committee, nor does he choose the recipient, so being mad at him for it seems silly.

And people seem to have short memories. The whole basis of the election was running on the platform of "the economy." Remember, the economy sucked way before he was even elected, so blaming him for it seems silly. And then there's the complaining about the lack of jobs, and then in the same breath complaining that he spent money to create jobs. So which is it, do you want jobs, yes or no? Because jobs cost money.

I haven't been around here much lately because it's just gone quite boring, same old same old. No matter what the current gov't does, you're going to bash them, no? And now you're saying you were unhappy with the former administration as well, so tell me den, what *are* you happy with, anything?

So Obama is just a great big embarrassed victim in the whole Nobel Prize debacle? Methinks not.

At some point the current problems become Obama's responsibility--he's had a year to finger point and pass the blame. At every step he and his administration have done the EXACT wrong thing to address the problems. I'm not a big of fan of "just do something, anything" in a crisis. And if he and Congress really cared about health care they would want to pass the best possible bill. Right now they are arm-twisting and vote-buying to pass ANYTHING. Is that what YOU want--whatever they can force through versus actually addressing the problems?

As for what I'm happy with--I'm happy knowing that God is watching over us, and for my three adorable, intelligent kids and my wonderful husband. I'm pretty happy that the global warming hoax is being exposed for the fraud it is, although it seems to have come too late to change the path we're already on. I'm also happy that there are some other people who know where we're headed and are bothering to voice their opinion and challenge the downhill course our country is taking. Other than that I see very few glimmers of hope for America--but I'm always looking!

I *think* I can speak for Den, at least in part. Den (and myself) would be happy with small government that kept its nose out of private citizens' business. Den would be happy with a government that would allow bad business decisions to sink a company, no matter how big. Den would be happy with a government that confined itself to the edicts set forth in the constitution.

You can speak for me anytime! Small government and capitalism RULE!

[meggers]

I agree for the most part, she's very informative. And there's nothing wrong with being a realist, but it bugged me that she mentioned b!tching when she's not exactly setting the example of a positive poster herself. That would be like me complaining about bad grammar if all my words were mispelled.

I conkur.

[melodyjg]

Darnit Julie you just made me spit coffee! And I can't even rep you!

No worries.....I did it for you!