Theft at the Public Till
program management are parceled out to the private sector. Finally, an ever changing cycle of leaders determined to work their will on an allegedly un- responsive public service inject political influence into professional decision making, at times undermining laws, and often ignoring those most qualified to shape public policy. The government monolithic as it seems, is like any other organization in that it requires dedicated and motivated people for its successful operation. The private sector has recognized this fact for years, and many companies work hard to promote and praise their employees. The nation as a whole loses when the federal government is unable to recruit and retain superior workers. Public service increasingly has been dismissed and disparaged as the popular myth of an incompetent, burgeoning bureaucracy flourishes. College graduates have found better paying jobs in the private sector, especially during the economic boom of the 1980s, that carry none of the bureaucracy's stigma. As the country increasingly identifies government as a cause, instead of a solution, of society's problems, many of the civil service's brightest employees have departed for the country's colleges and corpora- tions. The Volcker Commission summed up the quiet crisis well: "It is evi- dent that public service is neither as attractive as it once was nor as effective in meeting perceived needs. No doubt, opposition to the specific policies of government has contributed to a lack of respect for the public servants who struggle to make the policies work. This drives away much of our best talent which can only make the situation worse. The problems of serving in government today are many. Federal pay and benefits often lag well behind private sector compensation. Drug testing requirements and ethics rules are demeaning and smack of distrust, and critical professional needs such as travel and training often are denied as agency budgets tighten. For those who answer the government's call, most quickly find their advancement stymied by the increasing politicization of the career civil service. The reasons why people join government today and stay with it are basi- cally the same as they always have been. The challenges and the rewards that come with making society better instead of, perhaps, making some detergent better, are still a powerful motivator. But in an age of "bureaucrat-bashing,"
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