Want a government job? Try Hawaii or Alaska

Amid all the reports of government payrolls being slashed across the country, public employment is still a big deal in Hawaii. Almost three out of every 10 workers in Hawaii (29.7 percent) work for federal, state or local government, according to a recent Gallup Daily tracking poll.

That places Hawaii at the head of the pack nationally. Alaska is right behind with 29.6 percent doing government work, followed by the District of Columbia with 29.1 percent. Pennsylvania brought up the rear on this score, with 11.8 percent.

Hawaii and Alaska, respectively, come in fourth and fifth in federal employment, though. It’s in state employment that they lead the nation, which explains the high ranking overall. As for local-government workers: New York, New Hampshire, Maryland, Connecticut and New Mexico top that list.

In case you wondered why the Hawaii Government Employees Association has such influence, well, now you know the numbers.

For Bishop Museum, no earmark means no jobs

In its simplest form, the debate over eliminating earmarks to bring down the federal deficit comes down to this: "Earmarks bad" versus "Earmarks good."

But we all know that life is not so simple —and that while some earmarks can be political waste, others do bring community benefits and those all-important jobs.

Bishop Museum is one entity now feeling that brutal reality: It’s had to lay off 13 workers and curtail some services after losing a $2.2 million federal grant, which was part of Hawaii’s total $321 million cutback in federal earmarks. Museum public hours and operations, though, are expected to remain the same.

It’s a blunt reminder that policy debates on The Hill do indeed translate to real jobs, even in faraway Hawaii.