Does everybody work for the government yet?

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Is it just me or does it seem that more than half the people work for the gov't or are on gov't subsidy. Whenever I have asked someone to list their friends, relatives or neighbors it almost always comes out higher than 50% are with the gov't in one way or another. Just how in the world is private industry and personal taxes going to keep all this going as it keeps growing?

-- Emil in TN (eprisco@usit.net), May 07, 2002

Answers

Hey, I'm still trying to figure out how those of us in private sector employeed by govt contractors get paid when we pay taxes that go to appropriations that pay our salaries. :>)

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), May 07, 2002.

Work for the government and spend unaccountable $$millions in credit cards! How screwed up is that?!

-- Kathy (catfish201@hotmail.com), May 07, 2002.

I try not to think about it.

-- Nina (Ingardenwithcat@hotmail.com), May 07, 2002.

Sounds like we are getting more like EU . In some countries like Sweden almost half of the population DOES work for the government. It is true. No wonder their taxes are much higher, 70% range, than ours.

-- Bob in WI (bjwick@hotmail.com), May 07, 2002.

Think about this. In less than 10 years the baby boomers are going to start retiring. Hundreds of thousands of federal, state, and local government employees are going to start drawing their pensions. Do we really think all those government retirements are FUNDED? I'm not talking about Social Security. That's another major headache.

What do you think is going to happen when our kids and grandkids get hit with the bill? Those generations will be the bulk of the law making bodies as well.

I suspect, . .. it ain't going to be pretty when the revolt begins.

-- Judy (JMcFerrin@aol.com), May 07, 2002.



My dad works for the EU in D.C. He gets a pretty good deal, all the great stuff about it (tons of paid vacation) but doesn't have to pay the european taxes.

-- Elizabeth (Lividia66@aol.com), May 07, 2002.

The beginnings of the rebellion have begun. Check out www.givemeliberty.org for an update on the peacefully organized resistance that is beginning to spread.

Doc in OK

-- Robert McCartney (docmac2002@yahoo.com), May 07, 2002.


I may not draw a paycheck from the government, but I feel like I work FOR the IRS every April 15th! LOL

-- clove (clovis97@Yahoo.com), May 07, 2002.

Well, I would make a distinction between those actually working for the government and those drawing, for example, welfare.

Worst example I saw was in a newspaper article where they were praising a woman who got off welfare and got a job with.....the welfare department! She apparently had created a job because she was interested in making sure that people were getting all they were entitled (and I have a problem with that word when it applies to welfare), and so they created a position for her. So of course she would probably not be happy if welfare programs were shut down.

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), May 07, 2002.


Upgrade your circle of friends -- I don't know anyone that works for the gov't.

-- Joe (CactusJoe001@AOL.com), May 08, 2002.


If you really want a short list name all the people you know who aren't getting ANYTHING,no paycheck,no food stamps,no farm supports etc from the gov't.

-- Gary (burnett_gary@msn.com), May 08, 2002.

This is a stat. no self respecting politician, is willing to discuss.

-- Nathan Harris Sr. (barnyard_mini@yahoo.com), May 08, 2002.

Indeed there are many government employees. However, what do you call a government employee? Do you consider a fireman one? Do you consider a libarian one? Do you also count the factory worker whose company is fulfilling a government contract? Your representative such as councilman?

http://perspicuity.net/civics/govt-emp.html

Joe, are you sure you don't know a government employee? A policeman, a letter carrier, a building inspector, a road maintenance man, a ???? Do you never go to the library? Guess a lot of it depends on whether you class them as government employees.

-- Notforprint (Not@thekeyboard.com), May 08, 2002.


I guess I must be out of the mainstream! Like Joe, I don't know any either unless you call waving at the mailman, "knowing", and none in the family either. Is a fireman really a Govt. job? Ours are paid by the city. Of course if we're talking military then that's different. Family there for sure! :) LQ

-- Little Quacker in OR (carouselxing@juno.com), May 08, 2002.

Maybe I should clarify this. If the person gets a check, whether a paycheck or other, that is paid by government from collected taxes then they qualify. Teachers, policemen , military, and any other gov't job is what I mean. Take a look around and you'll be amazed.

-- Emil in TN (eprisco@usit.net), May 08, 2002.


Like most of us, I have pretty much written off depending on Social Security (I'm not a government employee; my wife, a school teacher, qualifies I guess), of taking care of my retirement; the baby boomer retirement should pretty much suck the system dry.

It will be very interesting how the 'war' between the generations will play out. I think that both sides are going to be forced to give in a little. Lowered retirement benefits for retirees, higher taxes on working people. Those of us on welfare roll will probably just sit this one out, who are they to complain; they aren't paying either way.

Though I may be wrong on the welfare. I still remember one person drawing welfare who was interviewed during the last presidential election. Her opinion was that recent welfare recipients were not entitled to it; her family was THIRD generation welfare recipients, and that they had EARNED their way to obtaining welfare.

Good grief.

-- j.r. guerra in s. tx. (jrguerra@boultinghousesimpson.com), May 08, 2002.


I don't know how big a battle it will be, and if the younger set will even play into it for the boomer generation. Most young people don't vote, that's a fact, so as long as the older people are voting, and voting older people into office, they will probably be okay.

And as to people on welfare not caring either way, I'm not so sure about that--seems like the less (or none, with deferrments and exemptions) you pay in taxes, the more you vote to raise everyone else's. To me, there should be very few people (extreme health conditions, for example) who should be exempt from taxes. Get rid of the earned income credit, and everyone should pay a flat 10 percent of what they make, period. If you don't pay taxes, you shouldn't be allowed to vote on raising someone else's.

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), May 08, 2002.


People getting social security are just drawing what they have been ripped off over the years. You may say that nobody paid as much as they draw, but you are not takeing into account the inflation factor and the intrest that money eraned. The what about all the folks thet bought savings bonds and are just collecting thier inrest. If you tax every one at the same rate (a flat Tax) you are realy making those erning on the low end pay the way big time for those on the top. And yes I know what the media has put out about rich people not paying thier fair share. The truth is they pay way more then I ever did. Most of my life I made less than $7,000.00 a year, and a lot of years after paying the bills on the farm I was in the hole thet much. If you think this tax thing through you would Know thet the folks complaining the most are those getting big factory wages, Like those working in the auto industry at somewhere around $35.00 an hour when you add up all of thier benifets and retirement programs. And they and many other union types get social security on top of a realy nice pension. And no investment other than thier dinner pail. You realy want to get rid of government. Then stop insisting that they make laws, And stop wanting better gyms and big cement swimming holes, and sports programs and places for kids to hangout. Lets go back to makeing childern work 14 hours a day six days a week and thier fathers get the little bit of money thet they earn. Get rid of those big urban asault vehicels that don't do anthing except drink gas and clog the roads so a farmer can't get his machinery from one feild to the next.

Just remember week lazy people cause big government.

-- Butch (beefarm@scrtc.com), May 08, 2002.


But most people do not always stay in the "poor" category. Also, the middle class are extremely squeezed (union or not) by the tax system.

As for social security, I think if you paid into it, you should get it, regardless of how much you have saved for retirement, it is not fair to penalize someone for doing without all those years to have a nest egg, only to lose benefits.

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), May 08, 2002.


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