# To my libertarian friends complaining about getting furlough notices from their government jobs **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 29, 2013, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-libertarian-friends-complaining-about-getting-furlough-notices-from-their-government-jobs/659620 "2013-05-29T13:52:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2013, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-libertarian-friends-complaining-about-getting-furlough-notices-from-their-government-jobs/659620/1 "2013-05-29T13:52:18Z")
I don’t know what to say. ---
**Author:** ![elninost0rm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ed655f/32.png) [@elninost0rm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elninost0rm)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2013, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-libertarian-friends-complaining-about-getting-furlough-notices-from-their-government-jobs/659620/2 "2013-05-29T13:58:00Z")
I too have noticed a staggering amount of far right and/or libertarian folks in my office. No furloughs, but the huffing and puffing at the prospect of enduring them was indeed amusing. One woman even openly stated that “only those that voted for Obama should be furloughed”. Not sure where her mind was. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2013, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-libertarian-friends-complaining-about-getting-furlough-notices-from-their-government-jobs/659620/3 "2013-05-29T14:11:31Z")
At least they’re staying true to the essential hypocrisy of Libertarian behavior. ---
**Author:** ![Obnoxious\_Hood\_Ornament](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3be4f8/32.png) [@Obnoxious\_Hood\_Ornament](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Obnoxious_Hood_Ornament)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2013, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-libertarian-friends-complaining-about-getting-furlough-notices-from-their-government-jobs/659620/4 "2013-05-29T16:59:55Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > To my libertarian friends complaining about getting furlough notices from their government jobs All of my WAT. Libertarians in government jobs comes to mind about as easy as the Ethiopian Space Program. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2013, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-libertarian-friends-complaining-about-getting-furlough-notices-from-their-government-jobs/659620/5 "2013-05-29T17:01:46Z")
> [@Obnoxious\_Hood\_Ornament](#): > > All of my WAT. > > Libertarians in government jobs comes to mind about as easy as the Ethiopian Space Program. I’d be surprised too, except that a few years back I met a libertarian who works in DC for the Congressional Budget Office, and not as a “until something better comes along” job, either. Blew my mind. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2013, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-libertarian-friends-complaining-about-getting-furlough-notices-from-their-government-jobs/659620/6 "2013-05-29T17:19:19Z")
“I want smaller government! Fire all those lazy jerks sucking at the government teat!” “…except for me.” ---
**Author:** ![skylyn12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5f8ce5/32.png) [@skylyn12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skylyn12)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2013, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-libertarian-friends-complaining-about-getting-furlough-notices-from-their-government-jobs/659620/7 "2013-05-29T17:37:32Z")
When I worked in public education, I had several coworkers who, weirdly enough, strongly disliked public education. I didn’t get it. It was funny when one of them was fired. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2013, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-libertarian-friends-complaining-about-getting-furlough-notices-from-their-government-jobs/659620/8 "2013-05-29T17:40:45Z")
It’s been my experience over the past 40+ years that those who complain the loudest about government are the ones most eager to take government handouts in one form or another. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2013, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-libertarian-friends-complaining-about-getting-furlough-notices-from-their-government-jobs/659620/9 "2013-05-29T18:47:47Z")
Point taken, but a Libertarian with a government job is not an oxymoron. Libertarians do not advocate no government, but a significantly smaller government that concentrates on core functions like defense and regulating interstate commerce. A libertarian in either of those departments (or the afore mentioned CBO, gotta have a budget) could be perfectly logical. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2013, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-libertarian-friends-complaining-about-getting-furlough-notices-from-their-government-jobs/659620/10 "2013-05-29T18:54:06Z")
I’m a libertarian with a government job. Not necessarily a contradiction; libertarians aren’t the frothing anarchists that folks seem to have so much fun portraying them as. Perfectly frustrating to see enormous wastes of tax money on what seems to be a day-to-day basis, though. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2013, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-libertarian-friends-complaining-about-getting-furlough-notices-from-their-government-jobs/659620/11 "2013-05-29T19:07:02Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > Perfectly frustrating to see enormous wastes of tax money on what seems to be a day-to-day basis, though. _Your_ salary being a notable exception, I’m sure. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2013, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-libertarian-friends-complaining-about-getting-furlough-notices-from-their-government-jobs/659620/12 "2013-05-29T19:17:12Z")
> [@Obnoxious\_Hood\_Ornament](#): > > All of my WAT. > > Libertarians in government jobs comes to mind about as easy as the Ethiopian Space Program. Everyone needs to pay the rent. Your ideals tend to suffer when you need the job to keep a roof over your head. There was a guy around here a few years ago who was a communist. Thought Lenin and Stalin had the right idea. Hated the entire system of government. But was a full time employee of the federal government. Can’t seem to remember the name right now. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2013, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-libertarian-friends-complaining-about-getting-furlough-notices-from-their-government-jobs/659620/13 "2013-05-29T19:23:27Z")
I don’t begrudge libertarians who work for the government. It’s just that I have to listen to these same people complain about the deficit, government waste, bureaucrat ineptitude, and high taxes, and then I have to listen to them complain when the logical result of their ideology affects them personally. Even if there’s an underlying logic to their specific circumstances, my sympathy is greatly eroded. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2013, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-libertarian-friends-complaining-about-getting-furlough-notices-from-their-government-jobs/659620/14 "2013-05-29T19:30:14Z")
Isn’t this just the flip side of asking why people who advocate higher taxes don’t pay extra money to the Treasury voluntarily? I.e., that’s it’s possible to believe that systemic change is desirable while also recognizing that individual gestures are unproductive? I suspect that there are also some who believe in smaller government while also believing that the sequester is a bad way to go about it. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2013, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-libertarian-friends-complaining-about-getting-furlough-notices-from-their-government-jobs/659620/15 "2013-05-29T19:41:06Z")
I was a government employee for a long time, and I also saw a lot of waste. I took action to reduce it when I could by doing projects to install energy efficient lighting, etc., and once turned in a suggestion that saved (and continues to save) the gov’t hundreds of thousands of dollars. I got a check for $5,000 for my effort, which at least showed that somebody was listening. Regrettably, the majority of employees just bitch without helping to find solutions in their own little fiefdoms. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2013, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-libertarian-friends-complaining-about-getting-furlough-notices-from-their-government-jobs/659620/16 "2013-05-29T19:46:01Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Isn’t this just the flip side of asking why people who advocate higher taxes don’t pay extra money to the Treasury voluntarily? I.e., that’s it’s possible to believe that systemic change is desirable while also recognizing that individual gestures are unproductive? > > I suspect that there are also some who believe in smaller government while also believing that the sequester is a bad way to go about it. No, the flipside is people who advocate higher taxes who then bitch about high taxes. I’m sure those people exist, but I don’t know any of them. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2013, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-libertarian-friends-complaining-about-getting-furlough-notices-from-their-government-jobs/659620/17 "2013-05-29T20:00:07Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > _Your_ salary being a notable exception, I’m sure. Well, my personal salary is relatively on par with my abilities and responsibility, so no it’s not a waste. I’m talking more about money wasted on material and equipment rather than personnel costs. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2013, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-libertarian-friends-complaining-about-getting-furlough-notices-from-their-government-jobs/659620/18 "2013-05-29T20:10:16Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Isn’t this just the flip side of asking why people who advocate higher taxes don’t pay extra money to the Treasury voluntarily? I.e., that’s it’s possible to believe that systemic change is desirable while also recognizing that individual gestures are unproductive? But it’s not an indivdual gesture is it? It’s being done across the board. ---
**Author:** ![Obnoxious\_Hood\_Ornament](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3be4f8/32.png) [@Obnoxious\_Hood\_Ornament](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Obnoxious_Hood_Ornament)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2013, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-libertarian-friends-complaining-about-getting-furlough-notices-from-their-government-jobs/659620/19 "2013-05-29T20:12:22Z")
> [@](#): > > Everyone needs to pay the rent. Your ideals tend to suffer when you need the job to keep a roof over your head. While I would seldom impugn someone who is willing to work for a living, the concept does seem a bit like a Jedi running the cafeteria on the Death Star. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2013, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-libertarian-friends-complaining-about-getting-furlough-notices-from-their-government-jobs/659620/20 "2013-05-29T20:20:47Z")
Although not really to my taste — I prefer multicamera setups — I noticed a rather obnoxious civil servant in ‘Parks & Rec’, who seemed to be a Randian stereotype. I thought that anyone who despises taxes and government and adores private enterprise really shouldn’t be sucking the government teat \*. Much like career social workers who hate the poor and consider them architects of their own misfortune: why stick with perpetuating damaging help when you are sure beyond sure both they and you can get rich without money from the government ? - The sucking bit copied from one of those weird paperback comic novels America produced in the 1950s to '60s all written by someone called Art or Max. This was about an USAF base being built in the country, or something, and a local businessman heartily and jocularly jabs a colonel in the chest and congratulates him on suckling on Uncle Sam’s teat. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-my-libertarian-friends-complaining-about-getting-furlough-notices-from-their-government-jobs/659620.md?page=2)