Why the American Civil War was fought is not a mystery. The Civil War was another bloody chapter in the ongoing conflict between the Left and the Right. People who were loyal to the Confederacy thought that their logic, perceptions, and experiences enabled them to judge what was best: “Reason, common sense, true humanity … Continue reading 1.4 Left Versus Right: The Civil War
5.7 That Government is Best That Plans Least
For quite some time I had a misconception about government planning. I thought most government planning was harmless. I was wrong. Government planning limits our freedoms. All governments place some degree of limits on their citizens. They might be severe, as in Communism, or minimal, as envisioned by the United States Constitution, but all governments … Continue reading 5.7 That Government is Best That Plans Least
4.2 All Cultures Are Not Equal
Now and again I have read about the discovery of a tribe of people who have never been exposed to modern conveniences. Unlike the Christian missionaries who traveled all over the world at great personal risk spreading the good news of Christianity and the progress that accompanied it, the modern left-leaning explorer is very reluctant … Continue reading 4.2 All Cultures Are Not Equal
1.1 Right & Left
There is nothing conservative about taking a course of action based on faith that things will somehow work out if we do the right things, and there is nothing liberal or progressive about having kings or government grant us rights and take care of us. “Good people know about both good and evil: bad people … Continue reading 1.1 Right & Left
5.5 Silos in Government
The complexities of the internal workings of government do not stop with the official hierarchy, inefficiency, and the various underground gorilla, and behind the back networks. Within the bureaucracy you mostly work “horizontally” in that you primarily work with others at the same level of the organization. Depending on the position you have you may … Continue reading 5.5 Silos in Government
5.6 Fear in Government
FDR famously said, “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.” I have never been sure of exactly what he meant by that. It is not true, but it sounds clever. Fearing fear sounds like a never-ending circle, which is how it feels to work in the bureaucracy. I remember going to training where they … Continue reading 5.6 Fear in Government
5.4 Underground Employee Gorilla Networks in Government
The negative impact of government metrics and performance standards drive many employees underground into what I call Underground Employee Gorilla Networks. These networks thrive because they have resources available to them due to the inherent inefficiency of government. (Government inefficiency, metrics, and performance standards were previously explained in Sections 5.2 and 5.3.) These networks are … Continue reading 5.4 Underground Employee Gorilla Networks in Government
5.3 Metrics in Government
The need to have built-in inefficiency is not the only thing that differentiates government from the private sector. Success in business and success in government are measured quite differently. In a business, metrics are an important management tool, but the true and unescapable measure of success is profitability. In government metrics are the only way … Continue reading 5.3 Metrics in Government
5.2 Efficiency and Government
During my government career, I was a part of many project teams. Even though few career government employees are overtly vocal about their political beliefs, I knew that there were liberals, conservatives, and moderates on our teams, and that they had different value systems and beliefs that could be a barrier to teamwork. I thought … Continue reading 5.2 Efficiency and Government
5.1 The 4th Branch of Government
My friend Colonel Thom likes the phrase “passive irresponsibility”. I like that too as a way of explaining our federal government’s frequent failures. No one really means for the health care web site not to work, for VA construction projects to go far over budget, or for Veterans to have to wait and wait and … Continue reading 5.1 The 4th Branch of Government
Observations 