we faced reality every time we went to the marketplace to purchase our essentials.

and during working hours we faced reality every time a snivling, whining, complaining and abusive customer had to be confronted, dealt with and SERVED!

Those customers are your bosses. You work for the taxpayers, don't like it try getting a private sector job. I'm sure you would get an attitude adjustment seminar.

I'm not talking about what your spending. I'm talking about what you're earning and who you're earning it from. You're earning it from an entity that doesn't have to show profit. Your production has nothing to do with money earned. Your boss may have to be concerned with a budget, but it will never result in business failure, bankruptcy or a possible plant closing.

That's what I'm talking about. You don't have to generate business and revenue in selling or servicing a product. You are 100% overhead.

public works employees maintain the roads you drive on and plow the snow in winter and collect trash.

jail/prison guards keep those deemed criminals off of the street when incarcerated.

inspectors check to make sure your food is safe to eat from the grower to the processor to the restaurant that prepares and serves it; that scales weigh accurately in grocery stores and doctor's offices and ups facilities, and airports; that a gallon of gas from the pump is a gallon.

investigators respond to complaints re consumer protection laws to make sure consumers receive the protections the law affords them; to complaints of abuses allegedly perpetuated by health care providers; to complaints made by seniors re abuses inflicted upon them.

credential reviewers insure that your doctors, nurses, physician assistants, pharmacists, veterinarians, real estate agents, therapists, hair stylists, nail techs, barbers, plumbers, electricians, hearing aid providers, optometrists and opthalmic techs and morticians are properly licensed.

judges adjudicate allegations of criminal and felonius actions and prevent those convicted of same from doing it to you; and the judicial system has a staff of public defenders prepared to represent you should you need their service.

clerical support staff administer the recording of your birth and are awaiting the recording of your death; or the payment of your taxes; or the issuance of a motor vehicle license.

the municipal utilities authority insures that your home has potable water for your use and/or a sewer system that works [where appropriate].

teachers educate your children and the children of the future generation who will be entrusted to take care of you and serve your needs.

the transportation and bridge authorities and the faa ensure the safety of your travel.

a state banking/insurance dept will make sure that your money is in safe-keeping and that your investment advisor is legally credentialed.

an environmental agency will make sure that the air you breath is as safe as it can be.

a state board of public utilities will evaluate a provider's request for a fee increase and determine if it can be granted or modified or denied so that you should not be overcharged.

need i go on?

and as far as the private sector providing these services more efficiently - why have they NOT already done so? if ANYONE could come up with a way to do so AND be able to make a profit while doing so, i am sure they would have done so!

public works employees maintain the roads you drive on and plow the snow in winter and collect trash....~can be done by private companies

jail/prison guards keep those deemed criminals off of the street when incarcerated....~I think some states are moving to contracting this job out also

inspectors check to make sure your food is safe to eat from the grower to the processor to the restaurant that prepares and serves it; ...~buy alot of local foods from local growers, including range beef and chicken and milk...that scales weigh accurately in grocery stores and doctor's offices and ups facilities, and airports; that a gallon of gas from the pump is a gallon....~Wow, these make my friends and neighbors that work in these places sound like crooks that have to be kept in line...

investigators respond to complaints re consumer protection laws to make sure consumers receive the protections the law affords them;...~can be done by private enterprise...maybe even with less corruption? to complaints of abuses allegedly perpetuated by health care providers; ...~abuse by health care providers? not saying it doesn't happen but its an oxymoron for 100% of the health care facilities that I have been associated withto complaints made by seniors re abuses inflicted upon them.

credential reviewers insure that your doctors, nurses, physician assistants, pharmacists, veterinarians, real estate agents, therapists, hair stylists, nail techs, barbers, plumbers, electricians, hearing aid providers, optometrists and opthalmic techs and morticians are properly licensed.....~more distrust...why are all the honest people working only in the government???

judges adjudicate allegations of criminal and felonius actions and prevent those convicted of same from doing it to you; ...~many lawyers are private entities...I'd hire one of them over a public defender any dayand the judicial system has a staff of public defenders prepared to represent you should you need their service.....~Who is inspecting their work for accuracy?

clerical support staff administer the recording of your birth and are awaiting the recording of your death; or the payment of your taxes; or the issuance of a motor vehicle license.....~I'll give you this one, although I think it could be contracted out

the municipal utilities authority insures that your home has potable water for your use and/or a sewer system that works [where appropriate].....~Live out in the booneys with a well and septic tank...I pay a very nice young man who started his own business to come and clean the septic tank when necessary...he went to school with my middle daughter. I tutored him in math in 5th grade and I like him!

teachers educate your children and the children of the future generation who will be entrusted to take care of you and serve your needs....~My kids all went to private schools from kindergarden until graduating from private colleges...Oh, I did homeschool my daughters for 7th and 8th grade since our little catholic grade school only went up to 6th grade. Took the son to a catholic school 16miles away for 7th and 8th grade because he thought he could be a football star :p

the transportation and bridge authorities and the faa ....~wouldn't fly if you paid me, Mr. Katz is the only one who has permission to grope me :pensure the safety of your travel.

a state banking/insurance dept will make sure that your money is in safe-keeping and that your investment advisor is legally credentialed.....~again, distrust of local companies? but hey, where were those state people when the banks were forced to make loans to people that could not afford to pay?

an environmental agency will make sure that the air you breath is as safe as it can be.....~Surely you jest

a state board of public utilities will evaluate a provider's request for a fee increase and determine if it can be granted or modified or denied so that you should not be overcharged.....~more distrust?


by the way...Mr. Katz reminded me that we have a volunteer fire dept in our township:p

njbchbum~I see you snipped my account of a "singular" personal dilemna...Actually is was several personal dilemna's made by a singular government run entity.

"You're earning it from an entity that doesn't have to show profit." - the entity, by law, is not allowed to earn a profit.

overhead - yes - but one which is required by law and can only be done away with by law.

a budget failure WILL result in the reduction/elimination of a service or a reduction in force - similar to the private sector actions you cite - as public employees are laid off and out of work and a program/service is no longer provided.

BUT, as in the private sector, when the leader FAILS to properly fund their accounts - like pensions and benefits and matched 401ks - thousands of lives can be ruined.

Public sector jobs were supposed to be low paying in return for reasonable pensions after many years of servitude to the communities. After many years of "bargaining" public service jobs now make twice their equal of private sector jobs. Disgraceful.
So now public sector jobs pay twice as much as private sector and have pensions more then twice the size of Social Security. What makes public servants think that they should be more comfortable and financially secure then their employers, the private sector. Just because you knew a politician or a crony that got you on the dole?

those customers are the people we SERVE. we are not indentured to them; therefore, they are NOT our employers!

if you are inferring that i never worked beyond the confines of my public employers, you would be WRONG AGAIN! i cut my teeth in the private industries of insurance and healthcare! at the tender age of 21 i was flown around the united states and canada - as a representative of the corporate office - where i conducted salary surveys and developed compensation plans for corporate and branch offices. i had considerable impact on the earnings of every employee in those private sector offices - and indirectly on you and how much your insurance policies cost you! and after working in a private hospital as the 2nd in command of h.r. and employee relations, i realized that retirement security lay in the public rather than private sector. thus i accepted the salary and benefits cut and sought refuge in the playground of state employment!

so there!

There are many people who cannot hack the private sector and take refuse under the nanny state system. It is safe and secure and there is almost zero chance you will get fired for incompetence. Lucky you.barf

public sector jobs WERE low paying [and some still are]. when public employees left their positions for jobs in the increasingly successful private sector, the public sector was placed in a position of 'catch-up'. public sector salaries today are generous - but public employees are not collecting bonuses and profit-sharing checks and participating in stock option plans as some private sector employees are doing. and the vast majority of public sector employees do not have expense accounts and corporate transportation...only the elite executive officers in govt have those perks.

you would have to show me statistics to prove your statement that public sector salaries are twice that of their employment equivalent in the private sector - back it up with fact and not the words of someone who wrote some article somewhere.

i choose to ignore your tired old rant that public employees work for the private sector - it is boring me.

and as far as getting my public employment from a politician or a crony - you show your ignorance AGAIN. i took an employment test for my first position with the state of nj and was placed on a list to wait for a job opening. i then interviewed and was one several new hires. after successfully completing my six month working test period and achieving permanent employment status, i was permitted to apply for promotions when the positions became available; but before i could be interviewed i had to take a promotional exam and get on another list! had i not placed as one of the top three candidates - i mught never have been promoted!

loveithere - i have enjoyed pointing out your misconceptions of me and of life in the public sector. i had hoped to provide some enlightenment into both subjects. however, your CONTINUING demeaning of and disdain for public sector employees is a drone with which i cannot abide. you give me a headache! therefore, may i bid you and your lack of gratitude adieu!

as you see from my subsequent post - I CUT MY TEETH IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. and i was bright enough to see that there was and still is safety in the refuge of the public sector. i am proud to have worked there and served well. and i am grateful that i was able to achieve a significant retirement portfolio between my private AND public sector employment!

whatever!

OMG, katz! you asked for a "list of public servants and what services they provide to ME" and i provided it. and you come back at me with a display of opinion that i did NOT ask for! i could counter each of your points - but that would be a waste of my time and limited typing ability. so i will try to broad brush your entire dissertation and tell you that there are BAD people in this world and the public sector is out there every day to protect you from them; and there are services available to you that you can choose to take advantage of or not...regardless - they are still there for you AND FOR OTHERS!

AMEN!

OMG! Who protects me from the public sector? ...