Federal Government Civilian Worker Salaries

According to Will Wilkenson, Cato Institute Research Fellow, the average federal civilian worker in 2005 was compensated at over $106,000. This is double the average compensation of private workers and falls in the top 5% of personal incomes. In 2005, the average wages for a federal employee rose 5.8%. In the private sector, the income increase was only 3.3%.

Isn't it rather miraculous that private sector workers are so productive that the U.S. is the world leader in productivity, despite every effort these well-paid federal employees make to create roadblocks for their creative energies? We should assume that the government pays such high salaries because it wishes to lure the very best roadblockers into its employ.