I think some public works provide good service. We just often do not see them. Highways in Spain are rarely being "worked on," but offer great service. My last medical checkups have made me wait 10-20 min past my appointment time, but have worked really well...doc responded to digital communication within a day or so. Not stellar. But quite good. Here public is better than private for severe things, but private is quicker and sometimes more comfortable. I have both. Public covers so much and is extensive.
I do think doge like processess that seek to evaluate efficiency can be good, but DOGE is not doing what it should,.
True, there are some department that does well, but they are rarely talked about. It goes back to that thing where you can do 1000 things right, but the moment you do 1 thing wrong, that’ll be everyone’s focus, for better or worse.
I’ve experienced public services in a few countries, and my experience is a mixed one to be honest. The NHS in the UK operates on triage mode most of the time, they’ll prioritize senior citizens and almost dead cases, while the rest of us can wait until they find the time. To be fair to them though, they’re struggling with personnel and equipment shortages. The DVLA charges you *triple* if you want to show up their offices to pick up some documents, they prefer to mail it to you, which never made sense to me, isn’t it easier for them if i just show up there and pick it up?
My french friends share similar woes with their public services down to a T.
Agreed that the premise of DOGE is promising and inspiring, however, it seems they went way off course, which pissed off lots of people…
Indeed, its an angle we did not include here as we’d like to keep it simple, however, your points (and those of the articles in the links you posted) stand, and there seems to be an element of ‘nothing to do with efficiency’ work with DOGE.
Necessity or Stupidity, that is the question. There is no doubt that civil servants' mushrooming in the last few decades has become unsustainable, whether the means and ways implemented so far for shaking up the system and save on $$ are the appropriate or they are just squandering more money via different routes remains to be ascertained... Like most dilemmas, this one is very tough to solve.
Yep, layers upon layers of bureaucracy, often in the guise of enhancing the system, ironically lead to more problems down the road, and by the time we realise it, it's too late to undo the damage that has been done, hence we just go along with it. These problems also come with a hefty price tag to boot, and at the end of the day, we the taxpayers are footing all of it but seeing little of its benefits...
Very well-written and conceptually sound. However, it conveniently ignores at least 3 major issues: excessive, intricate and complicated regulations; entrenched incentives for mediocre performance; and the tremendous squandering of allocated resources which were not properly managed to enhance antiquated systems.
The entrenched culture you mentioned is there to stay, and there really is no incentive to change it since the ones suggesting the change would most likely be the ones shouldered with the burden to do so. Besides, most civil servants are content to sit quietly, draw a paycheck, and reap the benefits of their public service until they're eligible for pension, and are least likely to rock the boat and jeopardize their well being...
That is exactly one of my points (ergo “entrenched”); as for the misuse of funds to update antiquated & incompatible systems, the solution is even worse.
One possible DOGE-type attempt for each would be an administrative mandate for a zero-based budgeting analysis. While somewhat hypothetical given the arcane rules and political scheming that prevail it could expose achievable targets.
I think some public works provide good service. We just often do not see them. Highways in Spain are rarely being "worked on," but offer great service. My last medical checkups have made me wait 10-20 min past my appointment time, but have worked really well...doc responded to digital communication within a day or so. Not stellar. But quite good. Here public is better than private for severe things, but private is quicker and sometimes more comfortable. I have both. Public covers so much and is extensive.
I do think doge like processess that seek to evaluate efficiency can be good, but DOGE is not doing what it should,.
Thanks for reading and commenting!
True, there are some department that does well, but they are rarely talked about. It goes back to that thing where you can do 1000 things right, but the moment you do 1 thing wrong, that’ll be everyone’s focus, for better or worse.
I’ve experienced public services in a few countries, and my experience is a mixed one to be honest. The NHS in the UK operates on triage mode most of the time, they’ll prioritize senior citizens and almost dead cases, while the rest of us can wait until they find the time. To be fair to them though, they’re struggling with personnel and equipment shortages. The DVLA charges you *triple* if you want to show up their offices to pick up some documents, they prefer to mail it to you, which never made sense to me, isn’t it easier for them if i just show up there and pick it up?
My french friends share similar woes with their public services down to a T.
Agreed that the premise of DOGE is promising and inspiring, however, it seems they went way off course, which pissed off lots of people…
It looks like DOGE succeeded marvellously in its actual goals, which have nothing at all to do with "efficiency".
https://snyder.substack.com/p/the-fraud-fraud
https://saltypolitics.substack.com/p/lies-and-the-lying-liars-who-tell
https://www.narativ.org/p/doge-is-the-most-comprehensive-domestic
https://navigatornews.substack.com/p/why-doge-is-an-insider-threat
https://donmoynihan.substack.com/p/skilled-technologists-are-being-forced
https://americanmanifesto.news/p/whistleblower-doge-exfiltrated-sensitive-data-and-exposed-us-systems-to-russia
Thanks for your restack and comment!
Indeed, its an angle we did not include here as we’d like to keep it simple, however, your points (and those of the articles in the links you posted) stand, and there seems to be an element of ‘nothing to do with efficiency’ work with DOGE.
That's understandable!
It seems the options are: 1) radically reduce spending, 2) radically increase taxes, or 3) wait for the financial collapse.
Thanks for reading and commenting!
None of the options would win the candidate votes, so yea, not happening....
Necessity or Stupidity, that is the question. There is no doubt that civil servants' mushrooming in the last few decades has become unsustainable, whether the means and ways implemented so far for shaking up the system and save on $$ are the appropriate or they are just squandering more money via different routes remains to be ascertained... Like most dilemmas, this one is very tough to solve.
Thanks for reading and commenting!
Yep, layers upon layers of bureaucracy, often in the guise of enhancing the system, ironically lead to more problems down the road, and by the time we realise it, it's too late to undo the damage that has been done, hence we just go along with it. These problems also come with a hefty price tag to boot, and at the end of the day, we the taxpayers are footing all of it but seeing little of its benefits...
Exactly. Perfectly said.
Very well-written and conceptually sound. However, it conveniently ignores at least 3 major issues: excessive, intricate and complicated regulations; entrenched incentives for mediocre performance; and the tremendous squandering of allocated resources which were not properly managed to enhance antiquated systems.
Thanks for reading and commenting!
The entrenched culture you mentioned is there to stay, and there really is no incentive to change it since the ones suggesting the change would most likely be the ones shouldered with the burden to do so. Besides, most civil servants are content to sit quietly, draw a paycheck, and reap the benefits of their public service until they're eligible for pension, and are least likely to rock the boat and jeopardize their well being...
That is exactly one of my points (ergo “entrenched”); as for the misuse of funds to update antiquated & incompatible systems, the solution is even worse.
One possible DOGE-type attempt for each would be an administrative mandate for a zero-based budgeting analysis. While somewhat hypothetical given the arcane rules and political scheming that prevail it could expose achievable targets.