Just a quick note based on several reports over the last few months on the number of government employees and the average compensation increases they are receiving. Today the Bureau of Labor Statistics released the latest employment cost index, which showed higher than expected compensation increases. But most of the increase was concentrated among government workers, who saw a 4.8% rise year-over-year. We have a crisis in the size and scope of government and the tax that is imposing on businesses and consumers. Federal, state and local governments are hiring massive numbers of workers, who are almost impossible to fire and who are largely unproductive. And they are very highly compensated. At some point, there needs to be a massive down-sizing of federal employees in particular, just eliminate complete agencies. It will happen eventually due to the deficit and debt, so might as well do it now. No loss to the population in terms of service levels and remove a lot of impediments to private industry. (ZH Post)
