![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif){kind=small}
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
eclecticfanWhat's it like to work for the government the way you do? Do you experience a sense of fragmentation and if so, how do you reconcile it? (You don't have to go into specifics nor even answer the question if you don't want.)
What I do is so non-political it really has no bearing. Not even my administrator (the head of my agency) is a political appointment. We're a very small agency within USDA (~1,000 employees across the US) and have special rules (ie. we are not subject to FOI requests) that insulate us even more.
The biggest thing politically I pay attention to in reference to work is the yearly budgets. If they don't get passed in time, we work under continuing agreements and projects might need to be cut or postponed due to lack of funds. Also, depending on how the Farm Bill goes, will play a roll in how farmers feel about the government and hence how they will respond to surveys.
Some things I just can't do. I can't wear a pin that supports a particular candidate nor have any type of political material on my desk. But I can slap a bumper sticker on my car and give donations to the candidate of my choice.
Mainly, I find working for the Feds to have more positive than negative points. I like the job security. But that's my personality. Plus, I still can switch to other gov't jobs without loosing seniority, or look to an outside company - but it's truly my choice.
Easier question: what's your favorite place in all the world?
So far it's kind of a toss up between New Zealand and Tuscany. It's so much easier to get to Italy... and the food and wine are superb but there is something about NZ and the people there...
What I do is so non-political it really has no bearing. Not even my administrator (the head of my agency) is a political appointment. We're a very small agency within USDA (~1,000 employees across the US) and have special rules (ie. we are not subject to FOI requests) that insulate us even more.
The biggest thing politically I pay attention to in reference to work is the yearly budgets. If they don't get passed in time, we work under continuing agreements and projects might need to be cut or postponed due to lack of funds. Also, depending on how the Farm Bill goes, will play a roll in how farmers feel about the government and hence how they will respond to surveys.
Some things I just can't do. I can't wear a pin that supports a particular candidate nor have any type of political material on my desk. But I can slap a bumper sticker on my car and give donations to the candidate of my choice.
Mainly, I find working for the Feds to have more positive than negative points. I like the job security. But that's my personality. Plus, I still can switch to other gov't jobs without loosing seniority, or look to an outside company - but it's truly my choice.
Easier question: what's your favorite place in all the world?
So far it's kind of a toss up between New Zealand and Tuscany. It's so much easier to get to Italy... and the food and wine are superb but there is something about NZ and the people there...
