Time I've spent working for the Government and the time I've spent working for the private sector. How different.
In my younger years I've had the privilege of working for both our Government and what they call the "private sector." There is a very real difference between the two. Punching time cards is common to both ... from then on the differences become apparent.
Working in my private sector job I was expected to produce. I was expected to work! Things were laid out in man-hours and we had a boss who was there to see that we kept busy. He would walk around rubbing his hands together and singing ... "Go Go, Go Go Go!" On occasion the company brought in "Efficiency experts." They were dressed in a suit and tie and carrying a clip-board, they simply watched us with this question in mind. "How can this man do his job simpler and faster?" Am I making the company profit? If not ... I go! On my private sector job I went home feeling I had earned my pay!
Now on the Government payroll it was different. It was more who you knew than what you did. I was young and inexperienced; I remember working my buns off only to be told that "I was working too fast and, well, we work slower here." (The message? I was showing them up!) I got the point and slowed down. On occasion I remember my boss telling us in so many words, "get lost. Get out of sight ... we have nothing to do today." I would head for the tail cone of one of the airplanes on the assembly line and sit inside, out of view, with the rest of the crew ... that's where I drew my best cartoons. My Government time was boring and political. We eventually got the job done, but at what expense?
I'm one of those who believe that we have way too much Government; City, State and Federal!
My advice for the Government dilemma is very simple; fire a third of all Government workers and put the rest to work!
