202 online
 
Most Popular Choices
Share on Facebook 90 Printer Friendly Page More Sharing
OpEdNews Op Eds    H3'ed 9/29/16

Enthusiasm for Federal Service and Politics Despite Cynics

By       (Page 1 of 2 pages)   No comments

Robert Weiner
Follow Me on Twitter     Message Robert Weiner
Become a Fan
  (6 fans)

By Robert Weiner and Ben Lasky

Article originally published in the Federal Times

Amid the cynicism and criticisms of the media and the politicians who use the federal government and the political system as a scapegoat lie the 5 million federal employees who chose to join the government workforce.

Most of them are dedicated and enthusiastic about public service and helping their fellow human beings. These numbers do not even count the millions of contractors because the Congressional Budget Office says: "Regrettably, CBO is unaware of any comprehensive information about the size of the federal government's contracted workforce," as they told Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., ranking member of the House Budget Committee, last year.

Every election cycle, someone running for president talks about getting rid of various federal departments. Sometimes candidates forget what agencies they want to defund. This is partly due to a myth that federal workers are overpaid, when in reality if you compare them with workers in the private sector, they're actually underpaid.

Most of the federal workforce is built up of people with a deep love of country. Don't we want people who are dedicated to helping people in the public good? Why the damnation of federal workers when we want people to be encouraged?

Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., the dean of the House as its longest serving member (more than 51 years), told us that he still believes in "what sent me to Congress, to determine which direction to go or we'll fall backward." For Conyers, "Martin Luther King motivated enthusiasm in politics -- he put himself on the line " King motivated young people. We've made so much progress, come so far since then."

In the wake of the controversy at the Department of Veterans Affairs, Democrats and Republicans came together to pass a bill that, with needed reforms of waiting periods and ease of obtaining care, made it easier to fire VA Senior Executive Service members.

Under the law, senior executives could already be fired for conduct or performance. Now, fired employees have only seven days to appeal to a judge from the Merit Systems Protection Board. The judge then has 21 days to render a verdict. After that, no further appeal is allowed.

Granted, VA became a lightning rod -- rightfully so -- but bills that cut workplace rights are not a good way to encourage people to work for the federal government. It's almost been ignored that veterans overwhelmingly love VA health care.

People should want to feel welcomed to work for the federal government. On Oct. 21, 2015, when Vice President Joe Biden announced in the Rose Garden that he would not be entering the contest for the Democratic nomination for president, he said: "I've had the very great, good fortune and privilege of being in public service most of my adult life, since I've been 25 years old. And through personal triumphs and tragedies, my entire family -- my son Beau, my son Hunter, my daughter Ashley, Jill -- our whole family -- and this sounds corny -- but we found purpose in public life."

That pride is why federal workers are willing to take a lesser salary. Last year, the Federal Salary Council reported that federal employees make an average of 35 percent less than those in the private sector. In Washington-Baltimore, they make 51 percent less. Workers don't join the federal workforce to get rich. They join to make a difference.

We join with all those who feel disgust when the occasional congressperson takes a bribe and hides the money in his or her freezer; when a vice president takes bribes in the White House; and when congresspersons take bribes off the floor of the House. But those are the rare circumstances that dirty the name of all public servants. Those are not what we've seen and worked with. Most federal employees know that 99.8 percent of public servants are mission driven. They look in the mirror and feel that they have accomplished something for humanity.

Next Page  1  |  2

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).

Rate It | View Ratings

Robert Weiner Social Media Pages: Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter page url on login Profile not filled in       Linkedin page url on login Profile not filled in       Instagram page url on login Profile not filled in

Robert Weiner, NATIONAL PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND ISSUES STRATEGIST Bob Weiner, a national issues and public affairs strategist, has been spokesman for and directed the public affairs offices of White House Drug Czar and Four Star General Barry (more...)
 

Go To Commenting
The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
Follow Me on Twitter     Writers Guidelines

 
Contact AuthorContact Author Contact EditorContact Editor Author PageView Authors' Articles
Support OpEdNews

OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help.

If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership.

STAY IN THE KNOW
If you've enjoyed this, sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter to get lots of great progressive content.
Daily Weekly     OpEd News Newsletter
Name
Email
   (Opens new browser window)
 

Most Popular Articles by this Author:     (View All Most Popular Articles by this Author)

To Beat China, Russia, India, and Japan in New Space Race, We Need Political Will to Get Back Where We Were 50 Years Ago

Why Do Conservatives Vote Against Their Own Interest?

Jeb Bush's Elephant in the Room: Role in Bush v. Gore Recount

Mueller's End Game: Maybe As Soon As Trump Wants, But Not How He'd Like

Food Stamp Myth Busting

Iran: Nuclear Weapons or Peaceful Energy?

To View Comments or Join the Conversation:

Tell A Friend