Civil service / skewed values

NYC fire fighter at the scene of a gas explosion and fire / Salvadoran Red Cross worker resting after attending to a post-battle exploision in the numbers of displavced persons and internal refugees.

If people were compensated for the value they bring to society, corporate executives and stock brokers, et al. would get minimum wage—plus tips if they did an especially good job. Health care workers, firefighters, social workers, teachers, etc. would be paid enough to live well, have time off when physically or mentally exhausted, and given the gratitude and presige their work deserves.

As for the common label civil servant for congressmembers—who reap lucrative salaries, perks, status, and easy access to revolving doors that open onto corporate jobs? In many (but not all) cases, the question should be: Service to whom?