Should every government program be judged by results?

Rand, there really is a difference. For one thing, public servants know that their work files and emails are almost always subject to FOIA requests. Public servants work in a fishbowl unlike that of any private sector employee.


But, it seems as if you have your mind made up to dislike everything about the public sector so I'll stop trying to offer any different viewpoints.

Are you really suggesting that the motivations of someone who works on Wall Street are the same as someone who chooses to work in the public sector?


As one who has been a public servant and who now teaches current/future public servants, I can assure you the motivations are quite different.


I'm well aware this reply leaves much room for snarky comments, and I'll trust to your better nature.

Yes, you are right their work files are subject to FOIA requests, but in the private work force the files, emails, and really anything the employee does on company time or with company equipment is their property. I do not dislike everything about the public sector, but have grown tired of the "woe is me" attitude when they have better benefits and higher pay then is positions of similiar originals in the private sector.

And the flip side response to your first question ... Do you really feel the motivations of someone in the Senate are the same as someone who works for the Red Cross?


If you want to compare the Wall Street multi-millionairres ... It is best to do so with Senators and Congressman ... Some in both categories are very upstanding individuals, and others in both categories are doing it for what they desire most, be it power or money or a combination thereof.


And, as one who as worked as a private servant, and now helps other private servants ... I can assure that our motivations are far more altruistic. (Both directions of that statement are equally empty) (Other than if we don't do best by our clients, we get fired, which forces us to be more helpful and responsive to the clients' needs... The government doesn't have that concern)


Both of us can call ourselves servants and can say that we do what we do for philanthropic reasons, which may very well be the case. But you and I know that such is not the case for all parties in either of the camps or even most of the parties in either of the camps.


Even looking at teachers/professors ... Public sector teachers generally earn more than private sector teachers (that is my understanding from speaking with teachers on both sides of the fence) ... I would admit the teachersas a whole are generally in a job earning less than they could elsewhere ... (I am excluding from my generality those that use teaching as the back-up option)