re: Private Sector vs state employment

Second this, but to an extent. While it can be true, stability really does vary based on the budget cycle

For everything else, I agree. Many state positions work for far less pay than the private sector and can do a lot more work due to budgetary/positional constraints. I do think it can depend on what type of government worker you're talking about (civil service vs unclassified).

To me, the main benefits for working in state government is the healthcare and the pension.