Plank #1 in the Republican 2012 Platform

The Congressional Budget Office has just issued an eye-opening report on the compensation of federal employees.   Here's the money quote:

Total Compensation


Differences in total compensation—the sum of wages and benefits—between federal and private-sector employees also varied according to workers' education level.

• Federal civilian employees with no more than a high school education averaged 36 percent higher total compensation than similar private-sector employees.
• Federal workers whose education culminated in a bachelor's degree averaged 15 percent higher total compensation than their private-sector counterparts.
• Federal employees with a professional degree or doctorate received 18 percent lower total compensation than their private-sector counterparts, on average.

Overall, the federal government paid 16 percent more in total compensation than it would have if average compensation had been comparable with that in the private sector, after accounting for certain observable characteristics of workers.

If I were drafting the Republican platform, the first thing I'd draft would be a plank stating that all federal employees should have their compensation cut by 16% immediately.    Otherwise, Congress and the President are essentially sanctioning thievery.