Makers and Takers

So I'm listening to the early morning local news and the attractive yet irritating newsanchor says that the last time that the federal government shut down, it cost us $1.6Billion in salaries by federal employees not working. 
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Huh?
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Seems like if we didn't spend the money, we saved it.
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Sure... I feel bad for those non-essential Federal employees who weren't paid.  Some of them are so incompetent, that if they didn't have those public jobs, they would be on welfare.   And for you politically correct types, I spent nine years on public payrolls and I said "SOME" employees.  
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So....
A.   I know what I'm talking about,  and....
B.   There are exceptions to the rules.
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But, having worked in both the public and private sector, there are fundamental differences.
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In the private sector, you have to produce sales at some level in order to keep your job.
In the public sector, you have to cover your ass to keep your job.
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Again, there are exceptions to the rules,   And this doesn't apply as much to big corporations, where I also spent an inordinate amount of time, and found that those who cover their ass to be much more attuned to the public sector.
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The basic problem is that we need government services and government regulations.   And we need people to carry these out.  But the system gets out of control and bloated as those empowered find they can spend money that they have not earned with impunity and little consequences.  That's why public buildings are so overbuilt and grandiose.
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Enough of this.   You are either a maker or a taker, and you know in your hearts what your are.  There are culprits in both sectors.