I work for the government and I am NOT the enemy

Comment

Comment by Jim Moore on March 9, 2010 at 11:41pm

Phillip,

Thanks for your response, and candor. "Sorry to burst the collective bubble, but the only waste and injustice I see from inside is the inescapable need of people of a certain political persuasion to not want money spent on certain things by the federal government. That's certainly a fair subject for debate, but lets call it what it is - a policy disagreement - and not cast it as some grand witch hunt where federal employees would be loved if they'd only stand up and do the "right" thing. That's a red herring at best, and a disgraceful comment from a fellow citizen - unless of course you don't really think its just to spend money on defense, or clean water, or basic healthcare, or basic public education. Then sure, we're all wasting money and acting unethically, immorally, and unjustly."

I did not mean to offend but do not consider effectiveness a red herring for policy. After working for local government for two years it was made clear to me that requesting extra assignments was not appreciated. I first thought this was great--a cushy, well paying job. Soon I got bored and played games trying to see how early in each month I could complete my work (twice I did it in two weeks but almost always in three). I did not have the courage to complain but this practice was dishonest and, in effect, stealing. What does this have to do with politics? I've said nothing about what public policy should or should not be.

If you're effective at your job than you can better defend us or keep more of our water clean. If your department/division is operating well than I'm all for you. However, many of the comments in this thread say otherwise. For example, being frustrated when incompetence is promoted.

You're in the best position to provide feedback to top management and congress when your work is not achieving the stated legislative goals.

Anyway, my first comment was in response to Sandy's use of "just doing my job" as a defense.



Have you really never come across

Comment by Cyd Athens on March 9, 2010 at 8:50pm

Just got home and received a wonderful case in point about how the public sector shoots ourselves in the proverbial feet. In my mailbox, a letter that began with:

"About one week from now you will receive a 2010 Census form in the mail."

Apparently someone thought it was a great idea to spend the postage and personnel hours required to send out millions of reminders like this. It's a decennial year. How about just sending out the actual Census form? Even as a public sector employee, this reeks of government waste. And one of my Federal jobs was in a regional Census office.

Comment by Nancy Harrity on March 9, 2010 at 8:36pm

Sandy -- many good points made in your post and in the comments.

Three things we could do within government to improve the image of government and government workers:

First, the public's memory of $500 hammers is strong. Government doesn't talk about all the ways it saves the taxpayer's money. A lot of government workers are out there finding ways to save us all money every day. We need to celebrate those who save the government money in public forums outside of government.

Second, when a citizen looks for information from the government, he has to have some idea of how the government is organized to find that information. Put another way, we organize information according to how we, inside the government, see our organizations rather than how the CITIZEN sees government. We need to put the focus on the citizen and make how government is organized irrelevant to the citizen. After all, if it weren't for the citizens of our nation, the government wouldn't exist.

Third, involve your friendly government public affairs/communications professional when you talk to the media or want to engage the public somehow. They have a wealth of information and experience and want to use it to engage citizens in a meaningful way. And don't think for a moment that just because you can write an email, take a photo or post on a blog that you don't need their knowledge and experience. They need their help too. Share the success stories you'd want to see in the press. They can't be everywhere and they don't know everyone.

Comment by SteveWonder on March 9, 2010 at 5:06pm

Federally, there's this Virginia/Maryland/DC, Mid-Atlantic "Old-Guard" regional poltical culture of laziness, poor work ethics, and elitism permeating to other US public sector levels away from the eastern seaboard. This may be a reason why states tied to Capitol Hill's east-coast, "Washington is the Center of the Universe" budgetary allocations and inactions, can't get things done for their citizenry. This appears especially true for places far from DC, wishing to be national, progressive, "get it done now leaders" (i.e. California, Texas, etc.)---those who want to break free from the scandalous "left behind," geographically- shortsighted eastern US purse strings handlers.
Certain Western states and Central states want certain processes and justices done NOW, not in 50-100 years. Those with the puppet strings east of the Mississpppi might would rather see such changes, if indded permited, happen to those areas closest to them first. That's why both hard-working Repubs and Demos away from Washington often hate and resent Capitol Hill's puppetry moves that seems year-after-year, to unethically favor lazier, "get nothing done, more culturally backwards" eastern states closest to DC/Maryland/Virginia.

Comment by Hannah Zerphey on March 9, 2010 at 4:45pm

@Ken Mac Garrigle - the pay raise is required by law, which doesn't make it right, but it also doesn't give the public the right to persecute us.

In terms of the benefits - it takes a federal employee 25 YEARS to get those that you stated. Additionally, as a fed working in Chicago I have yet to see a snow day. Telework is not in all offices, nor are alternative work schedules (which are also private sector practices).

I think the public's disdain for federal employees is misdirected. It should be geared towards lawmakers and elected officials - not the boots on the ground employee.

Comment by Ken Mac Garrigle on March 9, 2010 at 4:40pm

2% pay raise - that some Feds whined "wasn't enough" - was the tipping point.

Compare to private sector -- NO pay raise, unemployment, furloughs, layoffs, stress, etc.

A Fed for 25 years in D.C. gets: 26 days Annual Leave, 13 Days Sick Leave, 10 Holidays, Snow Days, Compressed Schedule, Free Metro, etc. I don’t see anything there to whine about.

Here's a start for fellow Feds - THANK the taxpayers instead of waiting for them to thank you.

Comment by Cyd Athens on March 9, 2010 at 4:31pm

It's not just at the Federal level. I've been at the Federal level as well as at the State and Local levels. State and Local employees are often pictured as lazy, overpaid, incompetent people leaning on the shovels at the side of the road (generally a reference to Public Works departments).

While "widget" analogies are often applied to the manufacturing sector, the "product" of government is "politics." That's what we do/create/sell. Very few people fully appreciate this, and it's probable that fewer like it. So, public servant equates to politics and bureaucracy, the latter of which is a pejorative.

So long as a mentality exists that taxes, regulatory standards, and other government business (read "politics") are the enemy, the view of those of us in the public sector isn't going to change much.

Comment by Eric Egger on March 9, 2010 at 4:30pm

The problem for me (as a federal worker) is that I see a fair number (granted not all) of employees who view their job as an entitlement. Promotions and raises--entitlements. You can see evidence of this mindset in the estimated number of federal workers who are delinquent in their taxes (nearly 278,000) as of December 2009. Problem is, it doesn't take a very large number to gain negative press that makes us all look bad.

I seriously doubt we'll ever have a special place in the hearts of our countrymen as long as Congress behaves the way it does. Don't forget, the "board of directors" of our company has an approval rating that's barely floating above 20%.

Given that level of frustration, all the PR in the world isn't going to do much good. Besides, do you think the federal government, spending tax payer dollars to let people know how good government is would be well received?

I get agitated whenever I see the looney Census commercials, which aren't necessary either. "Feel good" Ad Council campaigns for the gov't aren't appropriate uses of tax funds.

What can we do? I'm pretty pessimistic on this front--as I said--with Congressional approval rates so low, and with increasing polarization in the populace, I don't think federal employees aren't going to find much love anytime soon.

But those on the tax man's list could pay up, and we can all keep doing our jobs to the best of our abilities, and ensure we're giving the taxpayers the best value we can for their dollars.

Comment by Philip L. Hoffman on March 9, 2010 at 4:06pm

"What if you're asked to break the law, or at least significantly bend it?"
Then I'd resign and go downtown to the Washington Post and blow the whistle as loudly as I could.


"Does stating, "the reality is they are just feds doing their job" relieve you of responsibility if you are encouraged to be dishonest or unproductive in your work?"
No, it doesn't, and most o f the "waste, fraud and abuse" scandals that have hit the MSM the last few years have been started by Feds being told exactly that, and refusing to go along.

Sorry to burst the collective bubble, but the only waste and injustice I see from inside is the inescapable need of people of a certain political persuasion to not want money spent on certain things by the federal government. That's certainly a fair subject for debate, but lets call it what it is - a policy disagreement - and not cast it as some grand witch hunt where federal employees would be loved if they'd only stand up and do the "right" thing. That's a red herring at best, and a disgraceful comment from a fellow citizen - unless of course you don't really think its just to spend money on defense, or clean water, or basic healthcare, or basic public education. Then sure, we're all wasting money and acting unethically, immorally, and unjustly.

Comment by Jim Moore on March 9, 2010 at 3:57pm

[Non-federal employee.]

Does stating, "the reality is they are just feds doing their job" relieve you of responsibility if you are encouraged to be dishonest or unproductive in your work? What if you're asked to break the law, or at least significantly bend it?

To change public perception, you need to do something that's almost impossible; put your jobs at risk by standing up to waste and injustice. The perception that you're just sheep "doing their jobs" will change when there is evidence that you don't unjustly benefit from an artificial environment where there are no consequences for poor performance.

If the reports are accurate that you live not as public servants but in a higher paid, protected political class, then you should be aware that, when they eat more than their hosts, some parasites do kill their hosts. Witness Greece and California. Are we far behind?

Script excerpt from Cool Hand Luke where a prison guard follows unjust orders to put Luke into a sweat box.

Boss Kean opens the box.

BOSS KEAN
(to Luke)
Ah'm jus' doin' mah job, Luke. You
gotta appreciate that.

ANGLE ON LUKE IN BOX

LUKE
Boss, when you do somethin' to me
you better do it because you got to
or want to... but not because it's
your damn job.

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