Jeff Faux

About the author: Jeff Faux is president of the Economic Policy Institute, a nonprofit think tank that performs research and analyses on issues affecting low- and middle-income workers.

Prior to September 11, 2001, it was fashionable in many circles to denigrate the public sector and public service. Such attitudes changed when terrorists attacked the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Americans turned to firefighters and other public workers and institutions for help following the attacks. In addition, the attacks revealed the price America has paid for making airport security a privatized matter in which low costs and wages were more important than reliable security.

There is no silver lining to the cloud of horror that descended on America on September 11, 2001. And the avalanche of pain, terror, and death we have...