As I’ve seen this excellent quote twice in one day, once while re-reading the Hitchhhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and again “randomly” generated by Wanda the Fish, I shall share this with you.
Anyone willing and capable to get themselves elected President by no
means should be allowed to do the job.
– Douglas Adams
I want to expand on the statement in regards to government officials at ANY level. They should have to pass a personality test and a psychiatric exam first, to make sure they aren’t narcissistic bastards, which is mostly what we DO have. That’s where the CHARM comes from. We also have many antisocial personalities in our government, such as those who have learned that it is ok to hate and kill, as long as someone gives you permission to do it. There’s a very fine line there between smart criminals and dumb criminals. Also, there’s the CHARM again. Oh…that Ted Bundy, he was such a CHARMING guy. The personality test idea is not so outrageous, many companies now REQUIRE personality tests, at the very least, before hiring.
I work in the private sector. My agency apparently, allegedly, assists government to make good decisions and take care of its constituents. That’s what they hired us for anyway. But they don’t really consult with the actual people who have the expertise, experience, or knowledge to help make a good decision. Then, when things go wrong, they can blame it on the private sector agency, thus saving their asses.
I suspect that this happens all day long, all the time, and has been going on for at least 70 years worth of government, perhaps longer. I think this happens at all levels of government.
When people who make decisions about things like budgets for heathcare or mental health, or anything else that they have no experience in, what you usually wind up with is shoddy planning, budget cuts, or shuffling of funds from one place to another without thinking about what it will do to the population they are affecting most. Speech writers draft things for the representative to say, such as, “We know this will affect many of our citizens and it pains us to have to make cuts anywhere. We hope you will bear with us through this difficult time.” The translation for this is: Enjoy your job loss and subsequent enforced vacation.Try not to cut yourself due to your situation, because that will be expensive and messy. If you do, try to die completely, as this is less expensive. Your alternative is to find a new job of course. If you can.
The person/people who take the heat for this crappy decision making when the mob shows up are people who were actually hired to be of service (on the payroll anyway), and have been stuffed into the basement to do a meta-analysis of the behavior of the population in the 1970’s. “So it will help us make a good decision NOW.”
What happens is that the decision is already made before the expert gets a good look, maybe 20 minutes will be given to look at a 400 page document and give any suggestions, and then they sign their name on it, a bit bewildered, and they are fired later for incompetency. They should have TOLD the higher-ups this would create a problem, as noted as a possibility on page 410 that the person never saw.
This person, as the expert, is not to be blamed for not whistleblowing, because they are generally hit over the head as soon as they begin work, or are told, you’ll get to what we hired you for, but we just really need to get a grip on our historical data….blah blah blah, and there’s no end of it. When suspicion arises, the person’s coffee is poisoned, or they are fired, or they are killed. Also, a person has to eat and pay the bills, unless you think the government tit should take care of EVERYONE.
But the point is this, shouldn’t any job be based on your qualifications and experience? Shouldn’t your decisions to handle massive amounts of money and affect people’s lives be backed up with some sort of degree and experience in the field you are about to muck about with? That seems like common sense to me, but that is actually ATYPICAL in government, which, by the way, is supposed to REPRESENT the people, NOT wipe the asses of the people, (if people want their asses wiped they should consider learning the technique for themselves, unless they are disabled), and actually listen to what the PEOPLE WANT, rather than what some fathead with bribe money is saying what the people want. Of coure, depending on your G-level, that bribe money might look nice. Especially if the special interest group offering it to you has also sent an unofficial official to hold a gun to your head to make sure you got it.
But anyway… our country, states, counties, and cities are run by people who are ill-equipped. Not all of them. Not always. My suggestion here is simply that people who work in government should have qualifications and expertise to work in their position. Outrageous, I know! Upheaval, destruction of the system as we know it!
But how did we get this way? Most of the time what happens is little Mr. or Ms. starts at a low-level gruntling job, gets a bland generalized degree, and by virtue of hanging around the office long enough, learns just enough by osmosis how their predecessor did things, and is hired for the job regardless of qualifications, because they are part of the office furniture now. The predecessor has either a.) died b.) been fired just prior to retirement for some damn thing so they won’t get their full benefits c.) was moved up the ladder to a position vacated by a mummy, so no one knows how to do it d.) moved on to a totally different area of work, such as telling the private sector how incompetent government agencies are and need help-expensive consulting help, e.) actually, by a miracle, smells the dogs before they smell him/her and retires, probably early, f.) commits extremely unethical acts, such as sleeping with half the office, and cutting children’s funding, and shutting down clinics, and is therefore rewarded for immediate recommendation to high level positions in state or national government. Perhaps to be a judge, or one day, maybe president.
So, I think we could probably cut back our deficit just a teensy amount if we required people to be qualified, actually checked them out as qualified, and then required that they consult with experts before making gigantic decisions about things they know nothing about. That seems like common sense to me. Also, I think that agencies such as the FDA should be held accountable by an outside agency, possibly by some folks from an extremely poor country, who nevertheless have made it through school, and are qualified to determine if a drug is likely to kill you before it is on the market, insists that there be no feces in your food, and will give you the facts about dyes, preservatives, and genetically engineered food. By no means should the FDA even know who these people are. They should not even know the country.
But really, you probably shouldn’t listen to me anyway, because although I have 3 degrees and a license to practice, but I do not have a degree in political science, which is more an art than any kind of science. I did take American Government, but this is now outdated, as it is being REMOVED from school curriculum-at all grade levels. What you get in university now is (I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP) a book with a forward by Karl Marx, and some angst ridden professor’s ramblings about how BAD AMERICA IS, and NO DOCUMENTATION OF FACTS WHATSOEVER. Not even a footnote or anything. No glossary. The author is apparently unhappy that he got an education, has a job, has a roof over his head, and has insurance, and food and everything. So is the professor teaching this crap. Bad America indeed.
This is truly the kind of shit that DOES make America bad, rotten to the core. It makes me physically ILL to think of these little 18-year-olds who have been told what to do their whole lives, sitting and having this garbage stuffed down their throats at university. They come out thinking socialism, fascism, and communism are great, because no one gave them any FACTS about how many people died because of them, or how they all engender total economic collapse. Redistribution of wealth means, “We, the government, will now take everyone’s money, so now everyone will be POOR.” There’s no promise in redistribution of wealth that people will have more-it promises more equality. Everyone will be equally poor.
Despite the flaws in our system, I shall say that I am intensely grateful to be an American. I support capitalism, which is a self-correcting system, as long as government doesn’t interfere. I am grateful for my freedom of speech, which allows me to write this opinionated blog. And I am also grateful for my right to bear arms, which I never used to give much thought to, but am now considering, as there is a legion of university students who will soon be grown…I only pray to God there is even one professor in each university that can set them straight. It’s this simple- Question everything you have ever been told, or experienced, and validate it through facts. Seek the truth, not what is comfortable. And young ones-kick some ass and take some names, but do it after you have read a real American History Book, an American Government book, and Lies My Teacher Told Me. The books you read have to have facts in them, ok? Documentation. That’s like when you write a paper and have to state your sources so you don’t plagarize.
If you’re still in favor of anything like socialism, communism, fascism, etc, get the hell out of here. America doesn’t need your weak-sauce kind. Go work and live in a country that takes 50-80% of your paycheck for a year, like Canada, or maybe Norway, and see if you don’t come running back to the great USA, a changed individual.
For the hardcore, I recommend China, if you think you’ve got the balls. I have been there. At the invitation of their government. You go see how “wonderful” communism is. The “People’s Republic” does not even allow them to travel from one province to another. I had to tell people in one part of China what Beijing was like, even though it was just hours away. You don’t even get to control your own thermostat in China. THAT is a FACT. And if you”re born to a couple that doesn’t qualify for an extra child, you might live, but you will never attend school, get healthcare, or qualify as a citizen. You may have a limb or three missing, so people might take pity on you and give you scraps.
I love being an American. Fuck you if you don’t.
