What are they worth to you?

According to a Congressional Research Service report, "more than 77,000 federal government employees throughout the country — including computer operators, more than 5,000 air traffic controllers, 22 librarians and one interior designer — earned more than the governors of the states in which they work."

The Washington Times notes the report was "released at a time when public workers’ salaries and benefits are under scrutiny across the country as governments try to streamline.were released at a time when public workers’ salaries and benefits are under scrutiny across the country as governments try to streamline."

In the report, according to the WT, "CRS reviewed 2009 salary figures, the most recent available, and found 77,057 employees who earned more in annual pay than their respective governors. Of those workers, 18,351 were doctors — the highest percentage. The second-highest total was for 5,170 air traffic controllers — likely both front-line controllers and their supervisors."

These folks? I hope they're well-paid...

The story goes on to say that, "CRS said nationwide there were 122 park rangers, 271 environmental protection specialists, 14 chaplains and one prison guard who earned more than their governors. There were also 21 archaeologists, three sociologists, 48 social workers, four food service workers and five civil rights analysts who made more than their governors. CRS said some locales are likely to have a higher concentration of well-paid employees. For example, 942 of the medical and public health workers who made more than their governors were from Georgia, the location of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"Air traffic controllers, who were the second-biggest group to get salaries higher than their governors also generally have high salaries," the story notes. "That category likely includes both front-line controllers and their supervisors. The Bureau of Labor Statistics said the median salary for an air traffic controller in May 2008 was $111,870, while the top 10 percent earned $161,010 or more a year."

No offense to interior designers, but should a government-employed one make more money than - say - a governor?

It's difficult to argue with certain "life-or-death" positions being paid at high levels (particularly for those requiring a great deal of training/education or having so much responsibility...the doctors and air traffic controllers come to mind), but what's with an interior designer making more than a governor? Or a food service worker? Or a...? Well, you get the picture.

Interesting to see where your taxes go, isn't it?

“Fake, fake…fake, fake!”

Those four words, uttered by the great 20th century philosopher Elaine Benes, sum it up rather nicely…don’t you think?

What am I talking about? Why all the fake jobs and fake money that’s been flowing into fake Congressional districts from the fake Stimulus bill.


Jerry: "What about the breathing, the panting... the moaning, the screaming?"
Elaine: "Fake, fake...fake, fake!"

Recovery.gov shows money flowing to nonexistent Congressional districts. “Recovery.gov also shows 2,893.9 jobs created with $194,537,372 in stimulus funding in New Hampshire’s 00 congressional district. But, there is no such thing. The site also shows $1,471,518 going to New Hampshire’s 6th congressional district, $1,033,809 to the 4th congressional district and $124,774 to the 27th congressional district. In fact, New Hampshire only has two congressional districts; inviting confusion about where the money listed for the 00, 4th, 6th and 27th districts is going.” (h/t: Instapundit)


The "yeas" had it...

According to The Washington Times, “The government Web site that promised to show exactly where the $787 billion in stimulus spending was going to "create or save" jobs is allocating billions of tax dollars to hundreds of congressional districts that don’t exist. Researchers at the Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity found 440 “phantom districts” listed on Recovery.gov, consuming $6.4 billion and creating or saving nearly 30,000 jobs. Their findings are listed HERE.”

And there’s a map of the federal fakery HERE!


It's all about jobs, especially when you can double-up on them...

You know it’s bad when even the Democrats are up in arms about it. “Rep. Dave Obey (D-Wis.), who chairs the House Appropriations Committee, took the administration to task for pervasive errors on the Web site designed to monitor disbursement of the stimulus funds. He called those errors ‘outrageous.’ He added, ‘Credibility counts in government and stupid mistakes like this undermine it. We've got too many serious problems in this country to let that happen. Whether the numbers are good news or bad news, I want the honest numbers and I want them now.’"


Give it away, give it away, give it away - now...

The White House, of course, blames it on “human error.” Of course…