Is the federal government's inability to recruit and retain top talent really a mystery? It's surprising that an institution that is capable of confiscating double digit percentages of it's people's labor and capital gains[1] is unwilling to pay market or above market salaries to its employees.
If they want to capture the best and brightest, they'll have to do more than just appeal to patriotism.
[1] http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/taxfacts/displayafact.cfm?Doc...