Tim Geithner to Grads: Work for the Government!
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said that his advice to young professionals would be that they take time away from their careers to work for the federal government.
Speaking to a gathering of mutual fund advisors in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Geithner was asked what his advice would be to young professionals entering the work force.
He said, “I guess what I’d say is learn about the world; make sure you try to understand the basics of economics and finance because it’s critical to everything; and at some point come try to work for your country for some time.”
Geitner explained that the economic challenges the country confronts depend both on politicians making difficult choices and federal employees with the knowledge and skills to handle them.
“[T]he economic challenges we face as a country depend a lot on getting a better understanding of economics and finance so you can get better policy outcomes from your government,” he said.
“And that depends on getting politicians willing to make tougher choices but also people in these jobs who are talented and willing to come and give part of their life – you don’t need to spend your entire life doing it – but it’s good for the country to try and attract people to do this and I hope you do that,” said Geithner.
The Treasury Department secretary also said that his time growing up abroad had made him appreciate his country and want to work for it.
“My parents gave me this great gift as a child, and that is I lived around the world and had this great chance to get a feel for the rest of the world and to look at the United States through the eyes of other countries,” said Geithner, “and that experience is what led me to want to work for my country.”
He further said it has been a “remarkably rewarding experience” working for the government and encouraged young professionals to dedicate a few years of their working lives to government.
“It was a remarkably rewarding experience and I won’t try to affect what choices they make,” he said, “but I think the country would be stronger if we could be successful in attracting people to come spend part of their lives in public service.”
According to the Bureau of Economic analysis, federal workers in 2009 made an average of $123,049 in salary and benefits, which is more than twice the average of $61,051 that workers made in the private sector. In 2010, according to the Office of Management and Budget, there were an estimated 2.65 million federal government employees.
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Comments
Gubmint Service
Submitted by Tugboat Phil on Fri, 05/06/2011 - 4:38pm.
It is rewarding when you don't have to pay income tax.
And
Submitted by bkeyser on Fri, 05/06/2011 - 4:37pm.
bookmarking this page.
Yeah, you liberal wussies.
Submitted by Newsbubba on Fri, 05/06/2011 - 5:05pm.
Graduate and enlist in a branch of the United States Armed Forces. Nothing like a few weeks in basic training to give you an education that may actually teach you something about yourself.
You'd be surprised how little you know with that shiny new degree.
If everyone works for the gubmit
Submitted by ctophfranko on Fri, 05/06/2011 - 7:19pm.
Who will pay the salaries? Iraqi Oil? Obama book royalties? Will they work for hugs?
Too bad he didn't stay abroad
Submitted by TheHistorian on Sat, 05/07/2011 - 6:02pm.
It is too bad that "Tax Cheat" Geithner didn't remain abroad. I know MY country would have benefited.
Dennis Prager
Yeah, perhaps if this tax
Submitted by fitzfong on Sat, 05/07/2011 - 6:23pm.
Yeah, perhaps if this tax fraud understood the basics of economics and finance he'd actually support policies that create jobs and trigger economic growth instead of giving taxpayer handouts to the corrupt unions and crony "capitalists" that have destroyed the economy. But he's just another greedy Obama-Administration beaurocrat, so he sees fit to lecture people on the value of being just another government parasite.
"I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered." -George Best
Yeah,
Submitted by killa37 on Mon, 05/09/2011 - 12:30am.
Yeah, fitz...................and these twerps are invited to give a 'part of their lives'- complete with the higher salaries and benefits and paid holidays and bla bla bla................so that they can confiscate and extort large 'parts of OUR livelihoods'.............just to support them and their idiotic, bankrupt policies - which are NOT based on the understanding of the basics of economics!!!
Why are so many of Boy Barry's minions such faggy little twerpy tilley-assed wussies???? Oh, yeah, look at Barry!!!!
And, on another note - from last week...............I've been wondering of the term 'Mooooooooooooolem sensibilities' is an oxymoron????
um...hello?!
Submitted by Simplicity101 on Sun, 05/08/2011 - 6:04am.
He said, “I guess what I’d say is learn about the world; make sure you try to understand the basics of economics and finance because it’s critical to everything; and at some point come try to work for your country for some time.”
Kinda strange considering 99.9% of the politicians in DC don't have a clue as to how basic economics and finance work!! Geithner being amongst the worst of them all!
I made it that far into the article and lost it. Sometimes I feel like Dark Helmet on board Spaceball One.
*sigh*
I guess
Submitted by retrocon on Sun, 05/08/2011 - 10:48am.
I guess since little Timmy doesn't pay his own taxes, he just doesn't realize that the rest of us productive tax paying citizens, have to pay the salaries of those gov'mint workers.
So, if they all come work for the gov'mint, who will be left to pay their salaries?
Wow, no wonder this guy is Sec Tres.