[speaker001:] Thank you for showing me your offices, Mr. Becker. I can see why Washington bureaucrats enjoy their jobs.
[speaker002:] Why do you say that?
[speaker001:] The city is beautiful, the off..., the offices are modern and comfortable, and the work is so interesting.
[speaker002:] Many people work for the federal government their entire adult lives. Government service can be a rewarding and secure career.
[speaker001:] Do you mean financially rewarding?
[speaker002:] Well, many positions pay salaries that are comparable to those in private industries.
[speaker001:] I've always thought that most bureaucrats are lazy.
[speaker002:] Sometimes that's true, but not usually. Most feds are honest, hard-working professionals. It 's hard to keep highly trained people, so the pay and working conditions have to be attractive.
[speaker001:] How much do you make?
[speaker002:] I'm a GS 15. That's high on the scale of workers, but even a GS 1 is paid a living wage.