In a society where one needs to "bribe" someone to get a phone line installed, the additional cost is known to all. But here, the costs of corruption and ineffective government are masked--we are hectored into behaving as if they don't exist, while others make millions at our expense.
Oh, and just call your local monopoly cable / internet / phone / other utility company to come out for service. It will give you a small glimpse into what it was like in East Germany circa 1973.
Excellent article. I fear the corruption runs too deep for there to be any "reforming" of these agencies, whether public health, federal law enforcement or intelligence. The only thing that might work is to shut them down and rebuild from the ground up. And only the ones we really need, since many of their functions are either unnecessary or redundant and can be better performed at the state level.
That will be a battle for the ages, and only possible if a large majority of voters eventually see the light.
In a society where one needs to "bribe" someone to get a phone line installed, the additional cost is known to all. But here, the costs of corruption and ineffective government are masked--we are hectored into behaving as if they don't exist, while others make millions at our expense.
Oh, and just call your local monopoly cable / internet / phone / other utility company to come out for service. It will give you a small glimpse into what it was like in East Germany circa 1973.
Excellent article. I fear the corruption runs too deep for there to be any "reforming" of these agencies, whether public health, federal law enforcement or intelligence. The only thing that might work is to shut them down and rebuild from the ground up. And only the ones we really need, since many of their functions are either unnecessary or redundant and can be better performed at the state level.
That will be a battle for the ages, and only possible if a large majority of voters eventually see the light.