Comments on: heading to the feds http://www.bripblap.com/heading-to-the-feds/ thoughtful personal finance, career and health advice Sun, 05 Feb 2012 07:46:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: linklings, I like to move it move it edition | Favorite Home Remedies http://www.bripblap.com/heading-to-the-feds/comment-page-1/#comment-27624 linklings, I like to move it move it edition | Favorite Home Remedies Sun, 05 Apr 2009 00:03:13 +0000 http://www.bripblap.com/?p=658#comment-27624 [...] heading to the feds photo credit: ItzaFineDay I’ve noticed an interesting trend recently. The… [...] [...] heading to the feds photo credit: ItzaFineDay I’ve noticed an interesting trend recently. The… [...]

]]> By: fathersez http://www.bripblap.com/heading-to-the-feds/comment-page-1/#comment-29753 fathersez Tue, 09 Dec 2008 14:43:55 +0000 http://www.bripblap.com/?p=658#comment-29753 Almost all my close college friends joined the Government after graduating. They get get holiday plans, education plans, cheap housing and car loans and cheap health facilities. And of course almost iron cald security.<br /><br />The lower pay they start of with is nothing compared to the piles of advantages they get.<br /><br />And if people are rushing for Government jobs now, its not surprising. After all the private sector is not exactly booming. Almost all my close college friends joined the Government after graduating. They get get holiday plans, education plans, cheap housing and car loans and cheap health facilities. And of course almost iron cald security.

The lower pay they start of with is nothing compared to the piles of advantages they get.

And if people are rushing for Government jobs now, its not surprising. After all the private sector is not exactly booming.

]]> By: fathersez http://www.bripblap.com/heading-to-the-feds/comment-page-1/#comment-26681 fathersez Tue, 09 Dec 2008 07:43:55 +0000 http://www.bripblap.com/?p=658#comment-26681 Almost all my close college friends joined the Government after graduating. They get get holiday plans, education plans, cheap housing and car loans and cheap health facilities. And of course almost iron cald security.<br /><br />The lower pay they start of with is nothing compared to the piles of advantages they get.<br /><br />And if people are rushing for Government jobs now, its not surprising. After all the private sector is not exactly booming. Almost all my close college friends joined the Government after graduating. They get get holiday plans, education plans, cheap housing and car loans and cheap health facilities. And of course almost iron cald security.

The lower pay they start of with is nothing compared to the piles of advantages they get.

And if people are rushing for Government jobs now, its not surprising. After all the private sector is not exactly booming.

]]> By: Layoffman Brothers http://www.bripblap.com/heading-to-the-feds/comment-page-1/#comment-26376 Layoffman Brothers Sat, 15 Nov 2008 02:07:57 +0000 http://www.bripblap.com/?p=658#comment-26376 Landing a cushy government job has always been the aspiration of many upper class kids, it is just that now people are waking up to it. You get money, power, and fame all at once with minimal risk. Why do you think rich families children and rich people go run for offices after they've made their money? <br><br>Did you know that a prison nurse or fireman in California can make $200k/year? Cops can retire with $100k/year pension plans when they are 50? Landing a cushy government job has always been the aspiration of many upper class kids, it is just that now people are waking up to it. You get money, power, and fame all at once with minimal risk. Why do you think rich families children and rich people go run for offices after they've made their money?

Did you know that a prison nurse or fireman in California can make $200k/year? Cops can retire with $100k/year pension plans when they are 50?

]]> By: bripblap http://www.bripblap.com/heading-to-the-feds/comment-page-1/#comment-26370 bripblap Fri, 14 Nov 2008 01:51:30 +0000 http://www.bripblap.com/?p=658#comment-26370 @ERE: I have no idea what happened to the left margin - is anyone having trouble with the layout? I tweaked the column widths but not the total width of the layout, so I didn't think it would affect anything.<br><br>The US is turning into France if you of course mean France without universal health care and social benefits... we are getting the ugly parts without the good parts. @ERE: I have no idea what happened to the left margin – is anyone having trouble with the layout? I tweaked the column widths but not the total width of the layout, so I didn't think it would affect anything.

The US is turning into France if you of course mean France without universal health care and social benefits… we are getting the ugly parts without the good parts.

]]> By: bripblap http://www.bripblap.com/heading-to-the-feds/comment-page-1/#comment-26369 bripblap Fri, 14 Nov 2008 01:48:40 +0000 http://www.bripblap.com/?p=658#comment-26369 @Nabloid: I agree. I should be clear that I don't think that this move towards a nanny state is a positive development at all. The US system has always depended on a vital and growing private sector supported by the public sector - not the other way around, as is happening today. @Nabloid: I agree. I should be clear that I don't think that this move towards a nanny state is a positive development at all. The US system has always depended on a vital and growing private sector supported by the public sector – not the other way around, as is happening today.

]]> By: Early Retirement Extreme http://www.bripblap.com/heading-to-the-feds/comment-page-1/#comment-26368 Early Retirement Extreme Thu, 13 Nov 2008 23:18:09 +0000 http://www.bripblap.com/?p=658#comment-26368 Seems that the US is turning into France. Landing a cushy government job has been the aspiration of many French university graduate.<br><br>BTW what happened to the left margin? Seems that the US is turning into France. Landing a cushy government job has been the aspiration of many French university graduate.

BTW what happened to the left margin?

]]> By: Robert Nabloid http://www.bripblap.com/heading-to-the-feds/comment-page-1/#comment-26366 Robert Nabloid Thu, 13 Nov 2008 21:09:30 +0000 http://www.bripblap.com/?p=658#comment-26366 I think this era of "everything is headed toward government" is the wrong direction... but I do see it happening. Every time something goes wrong, the people cry out to the politicians to fix all the problems... Then they get to vote themselves raises and increased benefits - it's no wonder government jobs are so sought after... They'll just raise the taxes if they need more money... they can just tell the people they'll tax those big bad rich people...<br /><br />What made this country great was the people and their "can-do" attitude. Too bad it's being replaced with the "government, please-do save us, we need help" attitude. I think this era of “everything is headed toward government” is the wrong direction… but I do see it happening. Every time something goes wrong, the people cry out to the politicians to fix all the problems… Then they get to vote themselves raises and increased benefits – it's no wonder government jobs are so sought after… They'll just raise the taxes if they need more money… they can just tell the people they'll tax those big bad rich people…

What made this country great was the people and their “can-do” attitude. Too bad it's being replaced with the “government, please-do save us, we need help” attitude.

]]> By: bripblap http://www.bripblap.com/heading-to-the-feds/comment-page-1/#comment-26363 bripblap Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:56:44 +0000 http://www.bripblap.com/?p=658#comment-26363 @Curmudgeon: I guess the question would be whether the state and local jobs are going to be disappearing at a slower rate than private sector jobs, which certainly seems possible. In any case, it's really more anecdotal and mainly just interesting to hear people who were go-go-go about capitalism and the private sector thinking about jumping to public sector jobs, because it's not something you used to hear on Wall Street. @Curmudgeon: I guess the question would be whether the state and local jobs are going to be disappearing at a slower rate than private sector jobs, which certainly seems possible. In any case, it's really more anecdotal and mainly just interesting to hear people who were go-go-go about capitalism and the private sector thinking about jumping to public sector jobs, because it's not something you used to hear on Wall Street.

]]> By: bubelah http://www.bripblap.com/heading-to-the-feds/comment-page-1/#comment-26344 bubelah Wed, 12 Nov 2008 18:02:05 +0000 http://www.bripblap.com/?p=658#comment-26344 Diversify! We always hear that you should not put all eggs in one basket, the same goes for jobs. My solution to the problem: one spouse works for the government and one is an enterpreneur, or works for private companies. Diversify! We always hear that you should not put all eggs in one basket, the same goes for jobs. My solution to the problem: one spouse works for the government and one is an enterpreneur, or works for private companies.

]]> By: asithi http://www.bripblap.com/heading-to-the-feds/comment-page-1/#comment-26340 asithi Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:00:14 +0000 http://www.bripblap.com/?p=658#comment-26340 I work as a civil engineer with the government my entire working career. Compared to a lot of friends, I started out making $10k-$15k less than them. But with incremental pay raises and promotions, we are making the same amount now 5 years later. My husband is the entrepreneur in my relationship and we need the stability with health insurance and steady paychecks that my job provide. But you need a lot of patience working for the government.<br><br>A few of our local government entities are already planning 1 day a month furloughs for 2009. Which is a 5% pay reduction. Though the government entity I work for also have budget problems, I am okay with a furlough as long as we do not have any laid offs. That is the great thing about living on only 40% of your income. We can go to bed at night no matter how bad things get. I work as a civil engineer with the government my entire working career. Compared to a lot of friends, I started out making $10k-$15k less than them. But with incremental pay raises and promotions, we are making the same amount now 5 years later. My husband is the entrepreneur in my relationship and we need the stability with health insurance and steady paychecks that my job provide. But you need a lot of patience working for the government.

A few of our local government entities are already planning 1 day a month furloughs for 2009. Which is a 5% pay reduction. Though the government entity I work for also have budget problems, I am okay with a furlough as long as we do not have any laid offs. That is the great thing about living on only 40% of your income. We can go to bed at night no matter how bad things get.

]]> By: Curmudgeon http://www.bripblap.com/heading-to-the-feds/comment-page-1/#comment-26334 Curmudgeon Wed, 12 Nov 2008 11:53:36 +0000 http://www.bripblap.com/?p=658#comment-26334 @Ruth: This article specifically referred to state and local jobs, but the logic was hard to refute (wish I could find the link, but searching CNNMoney is an exercise in futility). And it included teachers, primarily because of the loss of real estate tax revenue and state education funds. Perhaps in the past government jobs were a good refuge, but I'm not so sure anymore. Granted, as Steve points out, the pensions and retiree health benefits can't be beat (as long as they can be paid for, which I hear is a big issue in some jurisdictions). @Ruth: This article specifically referred to state and local jobs, but the logic was hard to refute (wish I could find the link, but searching CNNMoney is an exercise in futility). And it included teachers, primarily because of the loss of real estate tax revenue and state education funds. Perhaps in the past government jobs were a good refuge, but I'm not so sure anymore. Granted, as Steve points out, the pensions and retiree health benefits can't be beat (as long as they can be paid for, which I hear is a big issue in some jurisdictions).

]]> By: Ruth http://www.bripblap.com/heading-to-the-feds/comment-page-1/#comment-26328 Ruth Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:09:57 +0000 http://www.bripblap.com/?p=658#comment-26328 Curmudgeon: I live in the D.C. area, and all the news is that new government jobs are on the way. On a different note, my parents both lived through the depression, and they always told me that the people who kept jobs and did well (comparatively speaking) were the public school teachers. So, I'm a public school teacher, and while I'm not rich, I've had good benefits, steady employment with dependable cost of living raises, and a defined benefits retirement promise. I've never worried about money, which leaves me free to worry about lots of other things!!! Curmudgeon: I live in the D.C. area, and all the news is that new government jobs are on the way. On a different note, my parents both lived through the depression, and they always told me that the people who kept jobs and did well (comparatively speaking) were the public school teachers. So, I'm a public school teacher, and while I'm not rich, I've had good benefits, steady employment with dependable cost of living raises, and a defined benefits retirement promise. I've never worried about money, which leaves me free to worry about lots of other things!!!

]]> By: Curmudgeon http://www.bripblap.com/heading-to-the-feds/comment-page-1/#comment-26327 Curmudgeon Tue, 11 Nov 2008 22:57:07 +0000 http://www.bripblap.com/?p=658#comment-26327 Hmmm. A recent article on CNNMoney claimed that government jobs weren't a good place to be right now, because falling tax revenue (income, real estate, sales taxes) was going to result in a substantial loss in government jobs. I don't think you're correct here, Steve. Hmmm. A recent article on CNNMoney claimed that government jobs weren't a good place to be right now, because falling tax revenue (income, real estate, sales taxes) was going to result in a substantial loss in government jobs. I don't think you're correct here, Steve.

]]> By: Ruth http://www.bripblap.com/heading-to-the-feds/comment-page-1/#comment-26326 Ruth Tue, 11 Nov 2008 22:26:28 +0000 http://www.bripblap.com/?p=658#comment-26326 I'm a lot older than most of you, and I've always worked for a public entity (a state government as a teacher). I have fabulous health care and pay a minimal amount for it, I have a pension for life to look forward to, and I have paid-for life insurance. Do I make a huge salary? No, but it's not all that bad. More of you should consider public service! I'm a lot older than most of you, and I've always worked for a public entity (a state government as a teacher). I have fabulous health care and pay a minimal amount for it, I have a pension for life to look forward to, and I have paid-for life insurance. Do I make a huge salary? No, but it's not all that bad. More of you should consider public service!

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