General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Krugman: When a business owner complains about being unable to find workers, ask how much he pays. [View all]1StrongBlackMan
(31,849 posts)the right has attacked government employment.
Once the private-sector, effectively, quashed unions, government employment set the floor for private-sector wages and benefits, as the private-sector had to compete for talent. While this continues to be the case, having a vocal minority of private-sector tax-payers crying: "Why should government worker get Special benefits that we don't get", is eroding the wage/benefit base for everyone.
My response to these, IMO, mis-informed cries continues to be: "It seems that you are fighting the exact wrong fight ... Rather than, attempting to take from others, a strategy that does nothing to benefit you, it would be more wise to fight for the private-sector to compete with government wages and benefits, thereby lifting up everyone. Pulling me down into the mud does nothing to make you any cleaner; it just gets everyone dirty."