Quote Originally Posted by Crazed Rabbit View Post
The average federal employee pay is about twice what the average American makes. So I don't think you're underpaid. In my small hometown one city position is paid $100k - and doesn't require a college degree. I don't think public employees should be able to unionize either; they have no real opposition to keep costs low based on profitability. They also strive to support the worst employees.
Yes, the average federal employee is paid more than the average American. I do not claim otherwise. What I'm talking about is an equivalent position in the commercial sector. Most federal jobs are white-collar deskjobs which on average have a higher level of pay than the average non-federal job. It's inappropriate to compare a federal salary to that of a waiter or retail job, because the federal government does not employ people in those positions. That's like saying that doctors are overpaid because they make more than the average American. The proper comparison is with equivalent jobs in the commercial sector, not with the entire commercial sector.