2 Responses to “Dealing With the Government”

  1. Doug Matthews /

    I think your comment that "..they are likely to treat every decision as if it sets a precedent.", only goes part of the way. The sentence might then go on to say "and, as a result, they are often very reluctant to accept any new ideas or plans that could result in changes they will have to accept in the future, given the precedent they have now accepted." Reply

  2. Greg Mowat /

    I served as a "regulator" for a state agency for nearly 9 years and currently serve as a regulatory internal consultant for a public transit agency - I agree with the 4 points set forth above; my only reflection for those who may wish to contemplate the whys and wherefores of government would be to request that as you deal with government workers you may want to consider the lose-lose situation that many agency policy implementers find themselves in - We who labor to make democracy work are constantly under scrutiny from most every corner, those who support/agree with what we do always would like us to do more; those who disagree with current legislative policy are seeking to prove us either wrong or incompetent. To make matters more interesting, many of us who have a genuine interest in reasonable, workable public policy labor under the tyranny of the electeds who live largely in a world of idiotic ideology and 30 second sound bites with the sole goal of gaining their 15 minutes of fame via re-elction. Finally, if something goes wrong, we who move the implementation on the ground will surely get the blame - All of it!! Having said this, I agree with the sage who observed that democracy is a messy system, but beats the heck out of whatever is in second place. - Peace, Greg Reply

Leave a Comment