Rick, well spoken, with first hand experience thrown in for good measure. I
also worked a good part of my career in government service. Specifically,
a vocational instructor in an Oregon Prison. I had more than one occasion
to testify, and many face to face contacts with congressional
representatives and State senators during my tenure. As a community
volunteer after my working career, I had many occasions to interact with
city council members, and several mayors. Most of them had a personal stake
in their communities, and were passionate about their visions for the rest
of us. Some good, some terrible. But, land use regulations that
restrict the use of property that we all pay for and pay taxes and fees for
the "privelage" of ownership and occupancy is a really really hot button
item here in the West. Thomas Jefferson said it well. "The government that
governs least, governs best". We should be able to park our GMC'S on our
own property, where it best suits our needs. Don't get me started on
"little houses" (grin)
Jim Hupy
> I keep hearing that, but to be truthful, I haven't found it in abundance.
>
> What I have found is corruption (very rare, but notable and occasionally
> quite threatening), hostility to employees (certainly not the sole domain
> of government), pompous officiousness (also not unique to the public sector
> but particularly visible there), and general incompetence. The difference
> is that those in the private sector who are dominated by those attributes
> are often marked by a resume with a different employer every couple of
> years, while they can become entrenched in government. But I have also
> found dedication in the public sector only rarely seen in the private
> sector, and commitment to expertise and competence rather than just making
> the quarterly reports look good.
>
> During my first public-sector career, I personally handled about 12,000
> citizen complaints. (As a consultant, I received precisely zero citizen
> complaints.) Lots of those were completely legitimate and I did what I
> could to be responsive to those. During my time, we reduced response time
> to such requests (which required field observation and often a formal
> study) from months to one week, tops. But quite commonly even the
> legitimate complaints were delivered with the expectation that I was an
> unresponsive idiot, with a strong dose of "Do you know who I am?" It takes
> a pretty committed professional to maintain a desire to be helpful under
> that sort of onslaught. I find that, quite often, people undermine their
> own requests by being demanding and exercising their own pomposity.
> Government workers really aren't any worse that anyone else, and I for one
> respond poorly to ultimatums.
>
> I spent 2 years in research, 13 years in state and local government, 17
> years as a consultant--all but three with one company and maintaining high
> customer billings even when I was a corporate officer--, and now pushing 8
> years as a fed. The biggest problem I see at the federal level is
> persuading the best and brightest to work there in the first place, or
> keeping them there if we do manage to entice them. It's not an easy
> job--those coming in from engineering school spend two years moving all
> over, just like in the military but without the same level of support, and
> then have to take whatever assignments come along. They don't get to choose
> their location first, as those entering the private sector do, unless, like
> me, they come in much later in their careers when they have some bargaining
> power. My job now is mostly training and advice-giving, and I spend my time
> with those in state and local government helping them get better results. I
> don't see myself running out of work for the foreseeable future.
>
> If you want to find the infection, you'll find it in those who call up
> their local council members or county supervisors and lobby for rules that
> they want their neighbors to follow. They are often in real estate and
> development, and thus often have close ties to those politicians, who
> therefore listen and respond accordingly. The worst neighborhood nazis I
> ever knew were real-estate salespeople who worked that neighborhood or who
> wanted to keep their own property values high. There is a reason I live in
> the country, but there are plenty of busybodies and do-gooders there, too.
>
> Rick "deceit is part of the human condition" Denney
>
>
>
>
> > There is some infectious disease that is found in government buildings.
> > Doesn't make much difference whether it is City, County, State, Federal,
> > Parrish, or whatever. It infects all who linger there longer than it
> takes
> > to render truthful testimony on any subject. It turns decent, honest,
> > trustworthy folks into politicians. There are lies, damned lies, and
> > political statements. Particularly when it comes to sex and money. Cure?
> > Beats me!
> > Jim Hupy
> > Salem, Or
> > 78 GMC ROYALE 403
> >
> >
> > > Politicians will always find a way to pick your pocket. Distance makes
> > > little or no difference. We had an expiring 1% sales tax add-on that
> had
> > a
> > > time
> > > limit Set to expire last year. Instead of allowing the voters to vote
> on
> > > extending or making it permanent(will of the voters), the County Board,
> > in
> > > the stealth of the night, without publishing their intent, voted as
> > > executives to make the 1% permanent.
> > > They did this after losing 2 out of 3 mill rates in the last election.
> > > They will attempt this one again, I personally hope with the same
> > results.
> > > Honesty is what I expect. Deceit is what we get.
> > > Tom, MS II
> > > --
> > > 1975 GMC Avion
> > > KA4CSG
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > GMCnet mailing list
> > > Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> > > http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
> > >
> > _______________________________________________
> > GMCnet mailing list
> > Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> > http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
> >
>
>
>
> --
> '73 X-Glacier 230 "Jaws"
> Northern Virginia
> Offlist email: rick at rickdenney dot com
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
also worked a good part of my career in government service. Specifically,
a vocational instructor in an Oregon Prison. I had more than one occasion
to testify, and many face to face contacts with congressional
representatives and State senators during my tenure. As a community
volunteer after my working career, I had many occasions to interact with
city council members, and several mayors. Most of them had a personal stake
in their communities, and were passionate about their visions for the rest
of us. Some good, some terrible. But, land use regulations that
restrict the use of property that we all pay for and pay taxes and fees for
the "privelage" of ownership and occupancy is a really really hot button
item here in the West. Thomas Jefferson said it well. "The government that
governs least, governs best". We should be able to park our GMC'S on our
own property, where it best suits our needs. Don't get me started on
"little houses" (grin)
Jim Hupy
> I keep hearing that, but to be truthful, I haven't found it in abundance.
>
> What I have found is corruption (very rare, but notable and occasionally
> quite threatening), hostility to employees (certainly not the sole domain
> of government), pompous officiousness (also not unique to the public sector
> but particularly visible there), and general incompetence. The difference
> is that those in the private sector who are dominated by those attributes
> are often marked by a resume with a different employer every couple of
> years, while they can become entrenched in government. But I have also
> found dedication in the public sector only rarely seen in the private
> sector, and commitment to expertise and competence rather than just making
> the quarterly reports look good.
>
> During my first public-sector career, I personally handled about 12,000
> citizen complaints. (As a consultant, I received precisely zero citizen
> complaints.) Lots of those were completely legitimate and I did what I
> could to be responsive to those. During my time, we reduced response time
> to such requests (which required field observation and often a formal
> study) from months to one week, tops. But quite commonly even the
> legitimate complaints were delivered with the expectation that I was an
> unresponsive idiot, with a strong dose of "Do you know who I am?" It takes
> a pretty committed professional to maintain a desire to be helpful under
> that sort of onslaught. I find that, quite often, people undermine their
> own requests by being demanding and exercising their own pomposity.
> Government workers really aren't any worse that anyone else, and I for one
> respond poorly to ultimatums.
>
> I spent 2 years in research, 13 years in state and local government, 17
> years as a consultant--all but three with one company and maintaining high
> customer billings even when I was a corporate officer--, and now pushing 8
> years as a fed. The biggest problem I see at the federal level is
> persuading the best and brightest to work there in the first place, or
> keeping them there if we do manage to entice them. It's not an easy
> job--those coming in from engineering school spend two years moving all
> over, just like in the military but without the same level of support, and
> then have to take whatever assignments come along. They don't get to choose
> their location first, as those entering the private sector do, unless, like
> me, they come in much later in their careers when they have some bargaining
> power. My job now is mostly training and advice-giving, and I spend my time
> with those in state and local government helping them get better results. I
> don't see myself running out of work for the foreseeable future.
>
> If you want to find the infection, you'll find it in those who call up
> their local council members or county supervisors and lobby for rules that
> they want their neighbors to follow. They are often in real estate and
> development, and thus often have close ties to those politicians, who
> therefore listen and respond accordingly. The worst neighborhood nazis I
> ever knew were real-estate salespeople who worked that neighborhood or who
> wanted to keep their own property values high. There is a reason I live in
> the country, but there are plenty of busybodies and do-gooders there, too.
>
> Rick "deceit is part of the human condition" Denney
>
>
>
>
> > There is some infectious disease that is found in government buildings.
> > Doesn't make much difference whether it is City, County, State, Federal,
> > Parrish, or whatever. It infects all who linger there longer than it
> takes
> > to render truthful testimony on any subject. It turns decent, honest,
> > trustworthy folks into politicians. There are lies, damned lies, and
> > political statements. Particularly when it comes to sex and money. Cure?
> > Beats me!
> > Jim Hupy
> > Salem, Or
> > 78 GMC ROYALE 403
> >
> >
> > > Politicians will always find a way to pick your pocket. Distance makes
> > > little or no difference. We had an expiring 1% sales tax add-on that
> had
> > a
> > > time
> > > limit Set to expire last year. Instead of allowing the voters to vote
> on
> > > extending or making it permanent(will of the voters), the County Board,
> > in
> > > the stealth of the night, without publishing their intent, voted as
> > > executives to make the 1% permanent.
> > > They did this after losing 2 out of 3 mill rates in the last election.
> > > They will attempt this one again, I personally hope with the same
> > results.
> > > Honesty is what I expect. Deceit is what we get.
> > > Tom, MS II
> > > --
> > > 1975 GMC Avion
> > > KA4CSG
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > GMCnet mailing list
> > > Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> > > http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
> > >
> > _______________________________________________
> > GMCnet mailing list
> > Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> > http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
> >
>
>
>
> --
> '73 X-Glacier 230 "Jaws"
> Northern Virginia
> Offlist email: rick at rickdenney dot com
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
