View Poll Results: Are or were you or your spouse government workers?
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I or my spouse are or were government workers.
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80 |
56.34% |
Neither I nor my spouse are or were government workers.
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62 |
43.66% |
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Poll- Are You or Were You a Government Worker/Public Servant?
10-23-2010, 02:04 PM
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#1
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Hooverville
Posts: 22,983
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Poll- Are You or Were You a Government Worker/Public Servant?
We have a lot of polls going about different aspects of government retirement benefits. This got me to wanting a poll on how many of us are or were government workers (Don't count short-time military, only something that would qualify for at least some minimal degree of government retirement benefits.)
Ha
__________________
"As a general rule, the more dangerous or inappropriate a conversation, the more interesting it is."-Scott Adams
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10-23-2010, 02:23 PM
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#2
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Lawn chair in Texas
Posts: 14,183
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Was not for most of my career, but am now a "state" employee, per se, working at a state U. Still waiting for all those glorious bennies, though...
__________________
Have Funds, Will Retire
...not doing anything of true substance...
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10-23-2010, 02:43 PM
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#3
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,171
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Not only am I a public employee, many of my relatives and ancestors also are or were. My aunt is a doctor, and before her retirement was a high-level official in the NYC health department. One of my SILs is a college professor, and my mother, grandmother, and other aunt were all schoolteachers. One niece is following in their footsteps, and another niece is planning to go to medical school and from there into public health. My grandfather and some of my great-uncles on both sides of the family worked for the U.S. Post Office (long before it became the Postal Service). That same grandfather and at least one of his brothers served in the army in WW I, and my great-grandfather was in the navy (or possibly was a civilian employee in a shipyard). We think one of GGF's brothers was in the army in the Spanish American War, but I can't prove that for sure. My other grandfather is said to have worked on the Panama Canal, but I'm not sure whether that would have been as a public employee, or working for a contractor of some sort. Anyway, that was before he immigrated to the U.S. from Barbados.
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10-23-2010, 02:46 PM
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#4
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: In a van down by the river
Posts: 407
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Neither of us are or were employed by any gov. entity.
Well ...I was in the service but that doesn't count in this poll.
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10-23-2010, 02:56 PM
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#5
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Northern IL
Posts: 26,899
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I'm hesitant to vote, since the granularity is so large. DW is currently an employee of the local municipality, long enough to earn a small pension, but some of that was part-time and all of it is part-year. On a weighted average of our combined career income, the public income would probably be a small single digit %. She spent more time and earned more in the private sector, and I've worked longer than her and earned more in the private sector.
That small % could look like 50% or more.
-ERD50
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10-23-2010, 03:10 PM
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#6
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Hooverville
Posts: 22,983
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ERD50
I'm hesitant to vote, since the granularity is so large. DW is currently an employee of the local municipality, long enough to earn a small pension, but some of that was part-time and all of it is part-year. On a weighted average of our combined career income, the public income would probably be a small single digit %. She spent more time and earned more in the private sector, and I've worked longer than her and earned more in the private sector.
That small % could look like 50% or more.
-ERD50
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I intentionally made this poll simple. If you feel it is too simple, I guess you are correct, you cannot vote. By my design, you should vote yes. What most of the recent polls are about is benefits in retirement, and often part time, or intermittent, or short term government work can earn some retirement benefits. For example, access to a group rate or automatic issue health insurance is a valuable benefit, even if it is not subsidized.
In this poll it makes no difference if you are Meg Whitman, and your husband was a GS-3 for 5 years and now hangs out on the couch and eats pork rinds all day- the answer is "Yes, I or my spouse are/were government workers."
I like polls in which the results can be understood, and that don't exhaust your patience before you even read all the categories.
Ha
__________________
"As a general rule, the more dangerous or inappropriate a conversation, the more interesting it is."-Scott Adams
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10-23-2010, 03:19 PM
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#7
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Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Flyover country
Posts: 25,362
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I'm a military retiree (USAF).
Mom's two brothers both retired from the gummint (USGS and GSA).
Two of their kids (my cousins) are near retirement (both Army civilian employees), and another is already retired (FAA).
One of Dad's brothers, too (Army civilian employee).
So that's seven in just two generations.
__________________
I thought growing old would take longer.
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10-23-2010, 03:23 PM
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#8
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: In a van down by the river
Posts: 407
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Quote:
Originally Posted by haha
I intentionally made this poll simple. If you feel it is too simple, I guess you are correct, you cannot vote. By my design, you should vote yes. What most of the recent polls are about is benefits in retirement, and often part time, or intermittent, or short term government work can earn some retirement benefits. For example, access to a group rate or automatic issue health insurance is a valuable benefit, even if it is not subsidized.
In this poll it makes no difference if you are Meg Whitman, and your husband was a GS-3 for 5 years and now hangs out on the couch and eats pork rinds all day- the answer is "Yes, I or my spouse are/were government workers."
I like polls in which the results can be understood, and that don't exhaust your patience before you even read all the categories.
Ha
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mmmmmm....pork rinds
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10-23-2010, 04:25 PM
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#9
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Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 996
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Me - never
DW - teacher
__________________
Wherever you go, there you are.
(In other words, no whining!)
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10-23-2010, 04:33 PM
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#10
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Northern IL
Posts: 26,899
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Quote:
Originally Posted by haha
I intentionally made this poll simple. If you feel it is too simple, I guess you are correct, you cannot vote. By my design, you should vote yes.
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OK, I simply voted YES.
So you did get me thinking. IIRC DWs total pensions from private work was a lump sum payment of a few thousand when she left one company. I don't think she earned anything else. I'd have to look it up, but I think she would earn at least a couple hundred a month once she was vested... I'll look it up later.
-ERD50
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10-23-2010, 04:47 PM
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#11
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Dryer sheet aficionado
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Ottawa
Posts: 45
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I have 9 years pensionable service with the Canadian federal government. I plan to stay indefinitely.
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10-23-2010, 04:53 PM
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#12
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: midwestern city
Posts: 4,061
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I simply voted no
Quote:
Originally Posted by ERD50
OK, I simply voted YES.
-ERD50
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__________________
Very conservative with investments. Not ER'd yet, 48 years old. Please do not take anything I write or imply as legal, financial or medical advice directed to you. Contact your own financial advisor, healthcare provider, or attorney for financial, medical and legal advice.
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10-23-2010, 04:55 PM
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#13
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: near Canadian border and near Mexican border
Posts: 1,142
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I once was their slave but now have been freed. (Or is that FIREd?)
__________________
Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered. That's my story and I am sticking to it.
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10-23-2010, 05:11 PM
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#14
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Bossier City
Posts: 2,183
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Yeah, I'm a federal employee. I'm also retired from the USAF Reserves. I enlisted in the Air Force in 1977. Separated from the Air Force in 1981, and went to work for the Air Force as a civilian (fed) employee, and at the same time, joined the Air Force Reserves. I continued with the Air Force as a fed & reservist until 2008, when I took job with DoD, with an outfit called Defense Contract Management Agency. I still work for DCMA, and will retire in 2 yrs at 55. I'm stationed at a major defense contractor (Lockheed Martin) in east Texas, where I do Quality Assurance stuff. I retired from the USAF Reserves in April, 2010, after 33 years. Right now, I have a total of 33 yrs, 5 months federal civil service time. When I retire in January 2013, I'll have almost 36 yrs. I might work an extra 2 or 3 months to bump it up to a full 36....nahhhhh!
__________________
“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.”
-John F. Kennedy
“Hard work never killed anybody, but why take a chance?” - Edgar Bergen
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10-23-2010, 05:40 PM
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#15
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 160
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not quite sure what you're driving at with this poll, but I faithfully responded. Seems to me it would be more instructive had you differentiated b/w fed, state and municipal.
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10-23-2010, 05:44 PM
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#16
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Minneapolis
Posts: 4,455
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Martyb,
Good for you. It's amazing that you have managed to hang in there for so many years. I was in the USAF from 1972 - 1976. That was more than enough for me. The work was not very rewarding and purposeful at all. It seemed that it really didn't matter whether the work was done or not. Promotion has very little to do with performance and is based tests and time in service.
__________________
May we live in peace and harmony and be free from all human sufferings.
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10-23-2010, 05:45 PM
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#17
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Minneapolis
Posts: 4,455
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stoutboy
not quite sure what you're driving at with this poll, but I faithfully responded. Seems to me it would be more instructive had you differentiated b/w fed, state and municipal.
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Ha wants to make it simple!!!!
__________________
May we live in peace and harmony and be free from all human sufferings.
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10-23-2010, 05:50 PM
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#18
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 160
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At least the both of you had the sense to sign up with the Chair Force. I was active duty US Army, Field Artillery. Four years was plenty enough for me, though I often become a tad whimsical when I consider I could've retired with full pension at 38 had I stayed in---would've definitely had to join the Dark Side however. The officer/enlisted disparity in pay and benefits makes that decision easy.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spanky
Martyb,
Good for you. It's amazing that you have managed to hang in there for so many years. I was in the USAF from 1972 - 1976. That was more than enough for me. The work was not very rewarding and purposeful at all. It seemed that it really didn't matter whether the work was done or not. Promotion has very little to do with performance and is based tests and time in service.
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10-23-2010, 05:58 PM
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#19
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 35,712
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I voted No, both for myself and my wife, although we have worked for some megacorps that operate so inefficiently like the gummint that we wondered if we shouldn't just join it.
Nope, that would not work. We would have quitted the jobs early and forfeited all the beenies, just like we left megacorps.
__________________
"Old age is the most unexpected of all things that happen to a man" -- Leon Trotsky (1879-1940)
"Those Who Can Make You Believe Absurdities Can Make You Commit Atrocities" - Voltaire (1694-1778)
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10-23-2010, 06:02 PM
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#20
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Gone but not forgotten
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Sarasota,fl.
Posts: 11,447
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Me , never . My late husband worked for the IRS for twenty five years so I have a survivor annuity .
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