Federal workers vs The People - Part 2 – By the numbers
Bottom Line: If you’ve followed any of my previous reporting on this partial government shutdown you should be familiar with this number... $15,200. That’s how much every US household pays just for federal government employees per year. As I’ve also illustrated, non-essential government employees are about 82% of the federal government and earn far more on average than the essential government employees. The average federal employee earns total compensation of $128,000 per year. How much does that cost you per year for non-essential government employees?
$12,464
How much would some of that mean to you and your family? Where is anyone else in the news media working to bring you this perspective? But that’s not the only conversation that needs to happen here. Here are two more numbers for you.
- 1.7 million
- 7.6 million
Know what those two numbers are? Probably not. 1.7 million is the number of non-federal government workers laid off in 2018. Not furloughed for a month or so. Out of work permanently from their prior employer. And what about that 7.6 million?
Those are the current numbers of long-term unemployed, under-employed and marginally attached workers according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. How many of those pictures are shown on the capitol steps? Where’s the news media championing their causes? But the 800,000 impacted federal government employees... That’s that what’s most important right?
As long as I have a voice, I’ll promise to be your advocate. Even if I’m the only one left with the perspective and willingness to say what needs to be said.