One of the most important books I read when first in business was a book entitled ‘Management by Objectives’. In it the author says if one is really honest you will admit you work an hour a day. You might be busy 12-14 hours a day. But, he said to analyze what actually makes you money, and see how much of that you do. Likely it takes up an hour a day. All the rest didn’t need to be done. He said if you want to double the money you make double the time you spend actually making money to two hours a day. I did. And it worked.
Anyone who has worked in a rather large private company sees this all to well. And the unfortunate thing is that those spent hours on non-sense could have resulted in increased revenue to the company had the person(s) been allowed to ask who reads/uses this stuff.
As for the public offices, well I go back to BO's presidency and how many staffers his wife had as compared to other president's wives. Waste upon waste upon waste. But here is the rub...if they take away all of those unnecessary people the $$$ amount saved would not go to pay down the debt, oh no, instead it will go to buy something else.
Your statement that 80% of what government does isn't creating anything of value for anyone is exactly why they will fight tooth and nail to keep it and expand it if possible. Government is overwhelmingly a make work program for the professionally useless.
I am a member of The Silent Generation, or as a granddaughter states, "an ancient one." When I told my father we were having duck and cover drills at school. he said that we didn't have to worry about Russia dropping an atomic bomb on the U.S., they were going to aim for our minds and take over the educational system. And they have. I wish I could tell him how correct he was. Cleaning out the mess of the Leftist educators would be a good start in changing the way our kids are taught, but I really think that it is too late for that. The people who run our country have already been corrupted.
Every weekend, the Federal government, basically "shuts down" the only people taking care of things are the "essential" ones. Same thing happens on snow days. Both of these can include many days.
Guess what, the government survives. We are still safe and things still run fine. (As much as they do normally, good or bad)
So my question... WHY do we pay all these non-essential people to show up every day (except holidays, weekends, covid etc)? Are they really needed or are they there just to justify the power and control of the bureaucrats?
Most SES or higher GS levels get paid based on the size of their departments. That needs to change.
In the early 1980s the Navy produced a monthly accounting report that took 26 boxes of continuous feed computer paper to print. It was supposed to be divided up with various part going various places. As far as we could figure out nobody read any of it.
Sometime, especially in social situations I listen and think ‘did that actually have to be said?’ Or I think to say something and think ‘is this beneficial to say’. Don’t do this!!! Because almost all being said by anyone is gas. Pure waste of air. It makes you realize how much wasteful energy there is in any situation.
One of the most important books I read when first in business was a book entitled ‘Management by Objectives’. In it the author says if one is really honest you will admit you work an hour a day. You might be busy 12-14 hours a day. But, he said to analyze what actually makes you money, and see how much of that you do. Likely it takes up an hour a day. All the rest didn’t need to be done. He said if you want to double the money you make double the time you spend actually making money to two hours a day. I did. And it worked.
Healy's First Law of Holes: When you find yourself in one, stop digging.
Practiced, practical advice to put into place on January 20, 2025 in the PM. The celebration parties can happen at another time. Gotta get to work !
Interestingly, Saturdays WSJ had an article about the new CEO at Ferrari who did just what you suggest.
Anyone who has worked in a rather large private company sees this all to well. And the unfortunate thing is that those spent hours on non-sense could have resulted in increased revenue to the company had the person(s) been allowed to ask who reads/uses this stuff.
As for the public offices, well I go back to BO's presidency and how many staffers his wife had as compared to other president's wives. Waste upon waste upon waste. But here is the rub...if they take away all of those unnecessary people the $$$ amount saved would not go to pay down the debt, oh no, instead it will go to buy something else.
Your statement that 80% of what government does isn't creating anything of value for anyone is exactly why they will fight tooth and nail to keep it and expand it if possible. Government is overwhelmingly a make work program for the professionally useless.
I am a member of The Silent Generation, or as a granddaughter states, "an ancient one." When I told my father we were having duck and cover drills at school. he said that we didn't have to worry about Russia dropping an atomic bomb on the U.S., they were going to aim for our minds and take over the educational system. And they have. I wish I could tell him how correct he was. Cleaning out the mess of the Leftist educators would be a good start in changing the way our kids are taught, but I really think that it is too late for that. The people who run our country have already been corrupted.
Every weekend, the Federal government, basically "shuts down" the only people taking care of things are the "essential" ones. Same thing happens on snow days. Both of these can include many days.
Guess what, the government survives. We are still safe and things still run fine. (As much as they do normally, good or bad)
So my question... WHY do we pay all these non-essential people to show up every day (except holidays, weekends, covid etc)? Are they really needed or are they there just to justify the power and control of the bureaucrats?
Most SES or higher GS levels get paid based on the size of their departments. That needs to change.
When a problem with my car can't be diagnosed, a fresh set of fuzzy dice will suffice.
In the early 1980s the Navy produced a monthly accounting report that took 26 boxes of continuous feed computer paper to print. It was supposed to be divided up with various part going various places. As far as we could figure out nobody read any of it.
Sometime, especially in social situations I listen and think ‘did that actually have to be said?’ Or I think to say something and think ‘is this beneficial to say’. Don’t do this!!! Because almost all being said by anyone is gas. Pure waste of air. It makes you realize how much wasteful energy there is in any situation.