Comments on: Mercer Citing On NYT's Economix Blog

By: Myron Pauli

Myron Pauli — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:21:18 +0000

To Vic Jones – sadly, in this “mixed” economy, it is difficult to find the “PRIVATE sector” outside of Chinese restaurants, Silicon valley, and my nephew’s bookstore. Richard Blum’s CEO pay for Perini, a defense contractor, is due to the largess he gets partially as the spouse of Senator Diane Feinstein. Auto dealerships are a government ordered cartel. The medical and legal professions are basically government-licensed guilds often billing customers for governmentally required “paperwork”. Agribusiness is part of the oink sector.
The security and defense sectors are basically neo-governmental with ex-Generals securing money from their former underling Colonels. Universities – even the so-called “private” ones – are basically governmentally funded institutions. Banks? – don’t make me laugh! The tentacles of the beast are deep.

Whole Food’s CEO John Mackey (ironically, a libertarian who is against governmental health care and also says that CEO’s are overpaid) is NOT taxing us for his $ 1 salary – unless we shop at his store. But Robert Stevens’ $ 26.5 million compensation (Lockheed Martin) was paid for by selling F-22’s to the TAXPAYERS – and his salary is paid by Vic, Ilana, and myself whether we want to or not. OINK!

By: Vic Jones

Vic Jones — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 02:53:38 +0000

Nancy Folbre is operating off some interesting premises. First, the government doesn’t “create” jobs. Secondly, we are supposed to believe that those individuals who head large companies are not performing as important a job as the President. Thirdly, those “extremely” high paid CEO’s are not taxing people to obtain their incomes. So I’m left with wondering how “oinking” is applied to the private sector. And then there’s the ever-present playing of the “inequality” card regarding incomes. And so we’re supposed to gasp in horror at the unfair gulf between CEO and government employee salaries.

By: Robert Glisson

Robert Glisson — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 02:16:49 +0000

“Some oinking can definitely be heard out there in the labor market, but anyone willing to follow the numbers can tell that the biggest piggies are not those employed by the federal government.” Say what! I was a probation and parole officer for the state of Oklahoma for twenty-two years for a base salary of less than thirty K a year, a three year Federal Probation officer earned double that and I don’t know what they made if they stayed over three years. I’m not complaining, but just comparing jobs, apples to apples. Like Mr. Bleckert, I’m glad that you’re getting noticed and they can spell your name right. Keep it up.

By: M. B. Moon

M. B. Moon — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:35:00 +0000

Yes, congrats Ilana.

Mish Shedlock was cited by Paul Krugman.

I have good taste in bloggers, it seems.

By: Roy Bleckert

Roy Bleckert — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 23:55:42 +0000

Bravo !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pretty soon your writing will be in such demand, you will not have time for us little people, LOL.

By: M. B. Moon

M. B. Moon — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 23:25:28 +0000

I would bet government backed cartels account for quite a bit of wage discrepancy:

Doctors and lawyers come to mind, bankers most certainly. The US is a nation of looters via government backed cartels.

There’s a cartel for US,
somewhere a cartel for US.
Money, security, and corporate welfare
wait for US somewhere. apologies to “There’s a place for us” from the West Side Story

My cartel? I am retired but formerly lived off the Space Cartel (NASA). I never voted for anyone based on how it would feather my nest though.

By: Myron Pauli

Myron Pauli — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 22:45:11 +0000

Glad that you got a reference.

The salary differential (not counting benefits) is somewhat understandable since there are not too many “federal employee” waiters, grocery baggers, janitors (much of that has been privatized), gardeners, etc. compared to the private sector. The fed sector is full of college-degreed “middle managers” ranging from contract officers to meat inspectors to researchers and (of course) lawyers.

The big difference with the corresponding private sector (to the extent that there still really IS a private sector in America) comes in job tenure, pensions, and health care – all in favor of the government. With cops, firemen, and teachers retiring in their 40’s or 50’s, it is somewhat ridiculous.