The sickening sniveling of government employees.

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Following the broken clock syndrome, the Columbian actually prints an editorial that is right on the money.

In this case, it calls for privatizing services as a cost containment idea.

The money quote is in the first graf:

For 2010, all levels of government should resolve to stop coddling public workers by exempting them from the recession that has devastated virtually every corner of the private-sector economy.

Will the new year result in further reality checks?

Who knows... but I wouldn't bet on it.

That said, the focus of this post isn't the editorial... it's to the whining, cry baby, punk-assed responses to it by our so-called "public servants."

NO ONE working for the people should have these attitudes.

If you don't like it, then QUIT.

One blithering idiot wrote:

If you think someone making $170,000 per year is over paid, you better start reading 10K's of public companies. Why do you think government cannot retain top talent. Because they can easily double their money going outside.

It's this kind of arrogant garbage that turns my stomach.

That any moron believes this is simply not possible. The idea that any public employee stays in their job out of some sense of noble sacrifice is absurd.

In THIS economy, if any of THESE arrogant putzes "go outside," then they're going to be unemployed.

That the scum unionist/government workers commenting on this issue believe we OWE them is simply sickening.

Here's a clue: If you don't like what we pay you, then QUIT.

Pack it in. You should be FIRED for being the ungrateful scum you are to begin with, but recognize this: you are owed NOTHING.

We are in a RECESSION. FIVE HUNDRED PEOPLE WOULD APPLY FOR YOUR JOB AT ANY PAY SCALE.

Our economy is in a shambles. Millions can't find work of any kind and you express this bogus, fake outrage?

If, in fact, any of you ever DID work in government, then I pity those who you worked ON. You miserable creatures have no business having ANY job, let along a job working for the people.

And there's absolutely no lie these scum won't tell to support their point:

Can anyone tell me, then, why a Blackwater/Xe employee can earn $1,000 per day when our senior special ops officers at the top of military pay scale make $50,000 per year, most boots on the ground earning not much more than half of that?

There is absolutely nothing in the link in question to back up any of that tripe.

God, but you lot make me sick.

Comments

I have been a Public servant for 32 years and a Columbian subscriber for as many. This is typical of the Columbian to blast public servants. We all work hard at our jobs and to lambast our pay is a low blow. If you think someone making $170,000 per year is over paid, you better start reading 10K's of public companies. Why do you think government cannot retain top talent. Because they can easily double their money going outside.
I urge all Public Employees to call the Columbian like I did and CANCEL your subscription. Enough is enough.

markmisky — January 3, 2010 at 9:07 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

I've long wanted to know if the Columbian was an owner's paper or the people's paper. This editorial answers my question, but, Mr. Campbell, events of the last year have exposed your idea of privatization as a sham.

The health insurance industry has been crying for the past year that they can't compete with a PUBLIC HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN. Forces for privatization have more or less defeated the public option in health care reform because PRIVATE INDUSTRY admits they can't COMPETE with the work that efficient and cost effective government workers do. In short, (if we can believe what PRIVATIZED health insurance sellers have been saying) we'd end up paying more of our hard earned dollars for privatized services than we do when government workers perform them. That just doesn't make much sense.

What really bothers me, however, is your contempt, Mr. Campbell, for the intelligence of your reading public. You must believe that we've already forgotten last year's debate over private versus public health insurance and which group of workers would perform the work more cost effectively and efficiently. Do you think none of us have been following that debate or that our memories are so short? But that's been my experience with the Republican Party. They depend on some peoples' short memories or lack of interest in American history to keep reviving old ideas like trickle down economics or that we ought to deregulate everything so that corporate criminals can wreak havoc on the American economy while enriching themselves at our expense.

The irony of all this is the tremendous burden now devolving on government services to shore up the safety net that Republicans like Mr. Campbell have so devastatingly destroy over the last quarter century. We need government services more than ever at this point in our history. We haven't needed government workers this much since the 1930s when another greedy bunch of Republicans let private industry run wild in the country and darn near destroy America's middle class.

Appeal to greed all you want, Mr. Campbell... I hope Vancouver's citizens' memories aren't so short as that of others in the past.

aintnogod — January 3, 2010 at 11:19 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

markmisky-I totally agree with you. The employees of our local agencies HAVE experienced the effects of the recession the same as private-sector employees. I'm tired of all public servant employees being lumped in together. I have been a public servant for 18 years and my salary has never (and will never) come close to $170,000. Not even half of that. And, I have not received any type of salary increase for two years and yet have had my costs (insurance, etc) raised. And, the agency I work for has lost many jobs and laid off a good deal of hard-working employees and will continue to lose more. Why isn't the Columbian asking those good people if they have felt the pain of the recession? Can government do more? Sure...But, it almost seems as if no one will be happy until all government workers are either laid off or are paid nothing above minimum wage. I wish everyone would remember that public employees are just hard-working people trying to support their families the same as any private-sector employee. Are there some bad public-sector employees? Sure...but I have run across a great deal of private-sector employees who could learn a lesson about customer service as well.

Countrygolden — January 3, 2010 at 11:24 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Mark,
So help me understand your point. Are you saying we owe you?
Are you saying that you cannot be competitive? I too was a public servant, retired after 29 yrs. in the fire service. Were we competitive, yes..partially anyway. Cheaper labor can always be found, no matter what the job. Quality is what people should be bringing to the table. When there is no significant difference in quality, why should people be forced to pay more? Public servants should remember that it is the quality of their work that insures the security of their job. Now is that always true...of course not..."stuff happens". The true challenge for public servants and unions is finding the balance in cost for quality. You cannot price your quality out of your particular market. Even the best firefighters have a ceiling on what they can charge the public for their services. Why....the public will not / can not spend more than they can afford for firefighters, police, teachers and all of the other public servants.
Government should not expect to hold the best talent. If anything, government should expect to be the "minor leagues" in the talent game. Why...because the private sector has more capital for the "talented". The public sector's biggest asset was job security....if you worked hard (quality) you could expect to reach retirement. Somewhere the quality got sidetracked to "you owe me". Maybe it was the poor leadership, due to the best leaving, I don't know. I do know that in the public sector, Leadership skills are often sacrificed for management skill. "do what you are told...not do the right thing".

jmac — January 3, 2010 at 11:36 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Just another note....The Columbian's success or lack of it lies in it's ability to deliver quality service. Our use of this forum is an example. The printed page is fast becoming an anomaly. The ability to recognize trends and move fast to capitalize on those are really the essence of the private sector.....the public sector would be wise to acknowledge that, where and when it is appropriate (always the $64,000 question).

jmac — January 3, 2010 at 12:02 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Can anyone tell me, then, why a Blackwater/Xe employee can earn $1,000 per day when our senior special ops officers at the top of military pay scale make $50,000 per year, most boots on the ground earning not much more than half of that?

We, the people, are paying for both. Which is at less cost to the taxpayer?

http://thinkprogress.org/2006/03/30/b...

Mrs_T — January 3, 2010 at 12:50 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

To Jmac. My point is not with privatization it is with the Columbians consistent lambasting of what public employees make. I have been a subscriber to this newspaper for 31 years until today and at least 2-3 times a year they blast public servants wages, benefits or quality of work. I work for a federal agency where I see what people make and public employees in most cases are underpaid especially those in leadership roles. Go read some 10K's of public companies and see what a CEO of a Fortune 500 company makes. Multiples of 170k per year. Senior managers in my agency are normally offered 2-3 times what they were making as a federal employee when they leave. I want Scott Campbell to print the salary and benefits of the top 10 Columbian employees. I wonder how much Scott made after forcing his company into bankruptcy. I will also add that this is not a newspaper but the AP Vancouver. When was the last time the Columbian broke a good story? My God, I got more in-depth reporting from the Reflector and that is free. The Reflector stumped the Columbian AGAIN this past week with CTRANS plan to raise our sales tax to pay for their empty buses and LIGHT RAIL.

markmisky — January 3, 2010 at 1:07 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

markmisky - I think there is a very out-dated feeling that the public sector salaries are superior to private sector. That may have been the case 30 years ago, but certainly no longer. If it were not for the benefits packages (insurance, retirement) they would not be competitive at all anymore. Yes, I was a county employee for 8 1/2 yrs. Wages for my position were (and are) higher in the private sector.

Mrs_T — January 3, 2010 at 1:12 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Feeling that public sector salaries are superior to private sector salaries is a relatively new phenomenon, Mrs T. Years ago, public sector employees actually made a low wage. Nowdays with the Unions, benefits, and job security, you can't really say that any more, especially during this Recession.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with anyone scrutinizing public sector salaries or comparing the cost of privatization since we all pay for those public employees. We have a right to examine our expenses.

clarkcountie — January 3, 2010 at 3:32 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Would everyone agree that the predominate perception is that, public employees overall compensation package is desirable? Who is the largest employer in the U.S. if you include, municipal, county, state, and federal, as opposed to private? Taking a position that is in the public sector involves a degree service to the "public trust", and along with that goes the perception that we are not getting our monies worth because historically the overall compensation package has been so sought after. Isn't the point of the discussion that, why should anyone's compensation be above reproach or examination?

S_Mac — January 3, 2010 at 3:44 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )