IT Industry people, step in plz

[Evan]

Yeah, but then you want to slit your throat every day....

I'd rather make less than work with people who are looking to get paid the most for the least about of effort.

Well, there are still good people in government, and (usually) they rise to the top.
The incompetents are generally boxed off, their work taken from them and given to someone else (further incentivizing their incompetence), and moved somewhere else where managers dont have to look at them.

So the team you work with is still pretty good and competent, you just have a mess of people parked in offices with their doors closed who dont do anything and dont interact with anyone.
It sucks as a "this is my tax dollars at work" kind of thing (and when you think of how many smart hardworking people would love that job) but it doesnt affect your day to day work much.