One way or another, federal employment pays off

The quick liberal response: That's comparing apples to oranges! Federal employees have much higher educational attainment than private-sector workers, which is why they earn more.

But the Congressional Budget Office has a re-response: Sorry, liberals, but federal workers really are paid more than private-sector workers of comparable educational attainment. And once you count the lucrative nature of the revolving door available to high-level federal employees, the case is a slam dunk.

Some specifics from the CBO study: If your highest level of educational attainment is high school, you will earn more working for the federal government. If your started college, but didn't finish, you make more working for Uncle Sam. If you graduated college, but never went to grad school, you make more working for Uncle Sam. And even if you have a Masters degree, you make more working for Uncle Sam -- unless you have a PhD, in which case you will make more in the private sector.

The net difference: Federal workers are compensated 16 percent more than their equally educated counterparts.

Kevin Drum at the liberal Mother Jones draws this conclusion: