Is Government employment the new welfare system?

Question

While NSPS is too new to see it's effects, but with generally low accountability, guaranteed pay increases, and near impossibly for layoff how can the majority of Government employment not be seen as a welfare system.

Answer 1

NO. Welfare is the new welfare system. 60% of our budget goes to Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare, food stamps, Earned Income Tax Credit, etc.

That's 3 times more than on the war in Iraq!!!!

Answer 2

I am a Postal Worker. 23 years. Comparing any work at all to any sort of welfare system is ridiculous. I am in a small Processing & Distribution Center. Maybe let's gothrough this line by line.

low accountability? I am responsible for maintaining customer accounts to the tune of over $2 Million per year. There is a balance in excess of $100,000 every day. I am solely responsible for that. I was also a Window Clerk. I once sold a Money Order and apparently didn't collect payment. Guess who was held responsible?

Guaranteed pay increases?

As a member of the American Postal Workers Union, raises and Cola, and any Step Increase are simply negotiated by contract. That would make it guaranteed, but it isn't a given.

Near impossible layoff?

Again, only because it is a negotiated contract item. However, it is difficult to support a layoff when you are short staffed to begin with. As I mentioned, I have 23 years seniority. I have been working a minimum of 48 hours, over 6 days, per week since Labor Day. I worked from Dec 2nd, through the 23rd, without a day off, totaling 164 hours in the 2 weeks before Christmas.

Guess it is so very similar to welfare. Simply a ridiculous statement.

Answer 3

I am a government employee. I go in to work, do my job, work damned hard, and get a little below the market rate for doing so. How dare you suggest that my payment for 40-50 hours of work is "welfare" while yours apparently is not. What do you do that is apparently so morally superior?



That description also applies to defense contractors, corporate directors, or any of the favored classes that are considered immune to the twists and turns of the market. Are they all on welfare? if so. it's a particularly generous form.

Answer 4

EXCUSE ME!!!!! Social Security does not come out of the general budget. I have paid into it for more years than I care to count. As for Medicare, I've paid into that for years, too, and the benefits continue to be diminished. Our congress, in their brilliance, votes their pensions to be their congressional salaries, for life, but social security will take away $1.00 for every $2.00 one earns over $1080.00 per month, if one retires before reaching his full retirement age. In my case that is 65 years and 10 months. The age goes up for people born after 1942. Oh yes, to retire now, just to facilitate survival, I also lose the first $100.00 + right off the top. Oh yes, don't forget that we have to purchase supplemental insurance to assist with meds, and we continue to pay medicare every month, from our paltry social security checks.

Don't you dare call hard-working people welfare recipients. There are abuses at every level of employment and government.

Do you know why I can sit here and answer questions? Because last October, I was laid off for lack of work, and because I am almost 65 years old, no one will hire me, even though I am considered an expert at what I do. At that time, I owed no one, was solvent, and looking forward to retirement.

Now, I have debt, no job, and cannot possibly retire anytime soon. I have managed to pay all obligations on time, but I live in absolute terror every day of not being able to pay my obligations and/or becoming dependent on my children. I am NOT their responsibility, and it is the greatest fear of seniors everywhere.

I would give anything for a dependable job, and would be a sterling employee, but because I am seasoned and experienced, I no longer qualify to take care of myself. Lucky Me.

By the way, do you have a job for me?

Answer 5

It clearly isn't welfare because they work for a living.

The military gets paid adequately, but the VA needs to be better funded, especially with all the wounded now coming home from Iraq and Afganistan.

If you have a problem with people being compensated well for their work, then I submit you might be happier in China.

Answer 6

Yes,Only the Military is underpaid, and they are the real Backbone
of this Country.

Answer 7

i would say yes, they should not be paid or have any more benifites then any one else .