Private Public Service

Shortly after 9/11, we saw a spate of stories reporting renewed interest on the part of students in public service. In particular, various polls showed large segments of people more inclined to consider a job in government. It looks as though many of them have reconsidered. A recent study by the Brookings Institution says that while interest in public service remains high, students want to channel that interest through non-profit groups. Government, by contrast is "seen as less than stellar in helping people, spending money wisely and being fair."

The study's author seems both more surprised and more upset by this than I was. One line reads: "More troubling, seniors do not see government as the best place to go for helping people." Troubling? If you say so…

Comments

[digamma]

"In particular, various polls showed large segments of people more inclined to consider a job in government."

Did they take into account the facts that the economy is in the crapper and that government jobs are regarded as more stable?

[julian]

The polls mentioned if you click on "renewed interest" were asking specifically about whether 9/11 had made people think more seriously about working in government. Apparently about a third said that it had.

[Warren]

Amen Julian. It's far more troubling the number of folks who do see government as the best (even the only) place to go for helping people.

[JDM]

"More troubling, seniors do not see government as the best place to go for helping people."

So what's his concern? That the government is going to lose good people? Why would he care so long as they are doing work "helps people" anyway? I don't get it.

[Brian]

No suprises, here. I'm sure more than a few of them have flown since 9.11 and seen the TSA in action. Maybe kids are more perceptive than we give them credit for being.

[M.Zindler]

To say that the cure for bad government is to bring more "good people" into government, is like saying, the cure for prostitution is to bring more virgins into brothels.