A new report entitled “Mapping the Swamp” describes a bureaucracy reportedly consisting of bloated paychecks and enormous incentives for government employees.
These federal employees are making the big bucks… 30,000 of them out-earned all 50 state governors. #MappingTheSwamp pic.twitter.com/gHHQLk8ozF
— OpenTheBooks (@open_the_books) December 28, 2017
In the past 10 years under Obama, Open the Books found an explosion in big paychecks. Those making $200,000 a year have jumped 165 percent and 406,960 earn $100,000 or more.
The report was published by OpenTheBooks.com, self-described with a mission to “post ‘Every dime, Online, In Real Time,’ of federal, state, and local government spending to provide transparency for smart government.” Open The Books is a function of American Transparency, a public charity that refuses government money and “[presents] hard data without policy recommendations,” in order to “enhanced public discourse with delineated facts,” Breitbart reports.
The cover of the report features quotes from both Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and President Ronald Reagan. It poses three essential questions: “Should the federal government reassess its payroll priorities?” Second, “is it necessary to maintain an expansive and costly bureaucracy?” Finally, “Does a large and widespread federal workforce facilitate good government?”
It's end-of-the-year bonus season! Last year, the federal government disclosed more than 330,000 bonuses totaling $351 million. #MappingTheSwamp pic.twitter.com/AkPV60qvrb
— OpenTheBooks (@open_the_books) December 31, 2017
Inside, the report details the roughly $1 million per minute that taxpayers spend on the $136 billion in pay and benefits to federal workers — over $20.6 billion of which is contained within the Washington, DC “Beltway” alone. Recent years have reportedly seen a marked increase in large payouts, with 165% more federal employees making more than $200,000 a year, and 406,960 making at least $100,000. These findings prompted Open The Books to dub $100,000 the “minimum wage” for government employees.
Talk about a sweet deal. After working for the government for three years, employees are eligible for 8.5 weeks off! #MappingTheSwamp pic.twitter.com/z17NWuIjEv
— OpenTheBooks (@open_the_books) December 27, 2017
The most-paid man in the federal government is reportedly a heart surgeon at the Department of Veterans Affairs who is bringing in $403,849 annually, while the largest bonus was reportedly $141,525 paid out to a human resources manager at Presidio Trust in San Francisco. The aforementioned surgeon makes more money than President Donald Trump himself. The average worker takes 10 holidays off, 13 sick days, and 20 vacations days — and up to two full months of vacation, after three years’ employment.
After #MappingTheSwamp, we found that bureaucracy is expensive! In FY2016, the federal government paid out $136 billion to 2 million employees… Broken down, that's $1 million every minute. pic.twitter.com/gBBHIZTjzE
— OpenTheBooks (@open_the_books) December 27, 2017
Federal employees are currently expected to receive a pay increase as part of an order signed by the POTUS.