The Weekly Standard today brought us this bit of wisdom from First Lady Michelle Obama speaking to employees at the Department of the Interior.

"I ... know that the work that you do isn’t easy, especially right now during these times.  I know that budget cuts mean that you all are juggling even more responsibilities with fewer resources.  And I know that many of you are stretched thinner than ever before," said the first lady.

"So that’s one of the reasons why it’s just as important for me to be here at the start of this term as it was to be here four years ago, because I want you to know how much Barack and I truly appreciate everything that you do.  And I know you don’t hear that.  People don’t even know you exist.  (Laughter.)  It’s so true.  I mean, federal workers are this invisible face.  No one knows what they do, what it means, how much they benefit us.

"So on behalf of myself and the President and the first family, I want to say thank you.  Thank you, thank you.  I want you know how proud we are of all that you do.  We want you to know how grateful we are to your families, for the sacrifices that you make oftentimes to do what you do."

Unfortunately, they didn’t use this photo to illustrate it.

That’s Paul Prouty who spent 39 years in the General Services Administration before being fired for questionable and excessive expenditures of taxpayer money, including paying for his nice bath there in Las Vegas.

I mentioned he was fired for this, right?

And then he was hired back with 11 months of back pay.

For the record, I think most federal workers should strive to be an invisible face. If the American public does have to see you, it shouldn't be this way.