Larger Government? Please...

Let me start by saying that I'm no fan of Government run anything. The assertion that the government can run any organization better than the private sector is simply ridiculous. I didn't always feel this way, my idealistic origins had me spend 16 years working for the Government proving it to myself. Now, do I believe that we should start dismantling all Government run operations? It doesn't really matter because it is clearly impossible to do that, largely because it is simply insurmountable. These are massive culturally entrenched institutions that have evolved superior defenses. It is every public job in this country. No, they most assuredly aren't going anywhere soon.
But what about private companies like Enron or Worldcom? Disasters of course, but they did finally go down in flames. There was a beginning and and end and there was plenty of ways to look into what was going on. It took some time but that transparency ultimately brought them down. This simply does not exist in Government. I could go on and on about the waste and the secret settlements that are paid to people who are wronged (or think they were) by inside actions that never see the light of day. But, by far the real culprit is the ongoing steady erosion of performance that results from the vacuum that the Government operates in. This amounts to unimaginable billions squandered over the years.
For those of you who operate in the private sector imagine for a moment that the sales staff no longer generates the revenue. (Send them home, or sorry you can't, you'll need to absorb them into other functions.) Revenue just sort of shows up. No gross profit, no net ; margins? who cares, no profit or loss, and ebidta? forget about it. It's like being in a white room with no doors. It's what brought down the Soviet union.
It almost makes you feel sorry for them. But not really, because if you don't receive the benefit they do, your being played for a fool. To make things worse, the delusion they live under makes them odd citizens believing that an honest days work is less than it really is. Because they don't work as hard for their money, they don't think anyone else should either. This gets incorporated into society in many ways and becomes a national handicap and remarkably your tax dollars pay for it.
Now back off Mr./Mrs. Government employee who happened to stumble on this site. I am fully aware that there are hordes of you who are overworked and underpaid. But this is likely a result of what you brought with you, like a strong commitment and work ethic, not what you learned while your there. You are the ones that keep the Government running. I considered myself one of you, working myself to death while others coasted. I had a choice, become one of them or leave. I left and never regretted it.
I think that if you think for a second you'll agree that a lot of people at work don't come close to pulling their weight. But unlike the private sector nothing ever comes along to dislodge them from the system. I think I was one of the good guys but got tired and left as many do. This just concentrates what's left. This is in large part the insidious nature of large organizations without proper checks and balances.
So, what do you do? If your in a position to effect the size of government, think small. This is the ultimate case where less is more. If a politician suggests the need for a new committee or agency or department or whatever he calls it, realize that they probably don't have any answers and are buying time until the storm passes, then they'll do whatever they want. It's good old fashion lip service. Don't underestimate the power of the bureaucracy, growth is power and power is survival. You've heard it before, the bureaucracy runs the Government and it is by far more interested in serving itself than serving you. Try to elect leaders that are willing to deal with it.
Don't accept inferior service, demand to speak to a supervisor or their supervisor, raise hell, call your congressman if necessary.
Also remember that when you see the high dollar settlements, typically for discrimination or sexual harassment know that their are thousands of lesser amounts routinely paid for claims resulting from poor management. When you find yourself taking the bait, going along for the ride analyzing the fairness of some settlement amount, you have probably lost the point. The point is, incompetence. The inability of your Government to conduct itself properly. Given the way it is designed, it simply cannot improve unless the people it is supposed to serve speak up.