When It Comes to Rewarding Inefficiency, Washington Puts Wall Street to Shame

When It Comes to Rewarding Inefficiency, Washington Puts Wall Street to Shame

The public feels rightly outraged at lavish pay-packages for executives in government-assisted companies that have blown billions in recent years. But why hasn’t the restive public developed comparable indignation regarding the shocking salary increases for an operation that’s been bleeding even more money: the federal government.

For 2009, Washington will spend $1.4 trillion more than it takes in – an unbelievable monthly deficit of more than $100 billion. At the same time, the federal workforce has received whopping salary boosts—at a rate nearly double the increases for those who hold jobs in...