Having worked/contracted with the government for 45 years, I have to disagree with your thoughts. The only way to deal with the entrenched bureaucracy is with a sledgehammer. Every attempt to cut is a direct challenge to each little empire. I’ll give you an example. Edward Teller at Livermore National Laboratory realized that the more PhDs that a group had the more funding they got. He worked a deal with the local university to have everyone working on a project enrolled in the doctoral program and their thesis was the program they were working on. He increased the number of doctors and got more funding. Only one of many such examples. Got that one from one of his people. Never could understand how the fellow had a doctorate until he got drunk one night.
EVERY government organization is run as an empire. No matter how poorly someone performs they are a valuable addition to their leader’s head count which is all that matters. There are certainly stars in the govt galaxy but they are far fewer than most people realize.
As was I so are many “consultants” who perform valuable services but are not part of a “lean and mean” structure. Small companies are dynamic, large companies are sluggish and the government is ossified.
Another egregious example is the way insurance companies “ up code” diagnoses for extra medicare reimbursement. Often without the knowledge of patients. Costs literally billions.
Trump may be an asshole (OK is an asshole) but no other approach has worked. His may not either but at least it is different.
I’ve never worked in the federal government but I’ve heard similar from others who have. That said I’ve met plenty of smart, well meaning, dedicated federal employees who think employees’ roles follow a rough capability / effort curve as other orgs. Perhaps on a lower plane as you say. So I think we’re both saying similar things. But I’d still try hard to keep the best people.
It will be interesting to see if either Republicans or Democrats wake up during tonight’s “State of the Union” or let Trump have his way.
Maybe we should have a contest -- how many rules of economics can be broken in one speech??!!
Thanks for sharing, Dave. It is striking that the one senator who is standing up for "the middle" is the one senator elected via RCV...
Yeah, and sadly this is her last term. Lots to do...
I heard a news story yesterday that we and Canada may have a recession coming. Should we expect the markets continue declining?
Dave
Having worked/contracted with the government for 45 years, I have to disagree with your thoughts. The only way to deal with the entrenched bureaucracy is with a sledgehammer. Every attempt to cut is a direct challenge to each little empire. I’ll give you an example. Edward Teller at Livermore National Laboratory realized that the more PhDs that a group had the more funding they got. He worked a deal with the local university to have everyone working on a project enrolled in the doctoral program and their thesis was the program they were working on. He increased the number of doctors and got more funding. Only one of many such examples. Got that one from one of his people. Never could understand how the fellow had a doctorate until he got drunk one night.
EVERY government organization is run as an empire. No matter how poorly someone performs they are a valuable addition to their leader’s head count which is all that matters. There are certainly stars in the govt galaxy but they are far fewer than most people realize.
As was I so are many “consultants” who perform valuable services but are not part of a “lean and mean” structure. Small companies are dynamic, large companies are sluggish and the government is ossified.
Another egregious example is the way insurance companies “ up code” diagnoses for extra medicare reimbursement. Often without the knowledge of patients. Costs literally billions.
Trump may be an asshole (OK is an asshole) but no other approach has worked. His may not either but at least it is different.
I’ve never worked in the federal government but I’ve heard similar from others who have. That said I’ve met plenty of smart, well meaning, dedicated federal employees who think employees’ roles follow a rough capability / effort curve as other orgs. Perhaps on a lower plane as you say. So I think we’re both saying similar things. But I’d still try hard to keep the best people.