Editorial: Government Is Too Big, Too Complicated

As we have seen in the federal government’s response to Hurricane Katrina, in its response to immigration and health care problems, and in its fudging on its stewardship responsibilities as they pertain to water resources development, we can safely conclude the U.S. government is much too large and in many instances is dysfunctional. (Yes, we wrote of this before, but because of the president’s proposed budget, it bears repeating.)

Responses in many instances reveal that some in Congress, as well as in the administration, rely too much on catering to corporations and other entities that can contribute campaign cash, thus helping to ensure tenure in office as opposed to solving problems for the public.

In addition to the public’s needs (an immigration fix, affordable health care, jobs, infrastructure repair, etc.), there is another villain at work. If we think our mailboxes are becoming junk boxes, filled regularly with undesired mail and advertising flyers, we should consider the size of legislative packages offered up on a regular basis in Washington.

Proposed bills and budgets range from hundreds to thousands of pages, many of which congressional delegates have little time to read unless it is their own concoction. Thus, they rely on their staffs to read and digest legislation. By the same token, legislators rely frequently on aides to draw up legislation, meaning that staffers often have more to do with the meat of important bills than do the bills’ sponsors. In other words, too many vote on bills they don’t even have time to understand.

Adding to the mess, congressional delegates add amendments to various legislative measures that they believe to be shoo-ins in order to try to force passage of proposals that are running into opposition. Close examination of legislation and especially Coast Guard regulations give the distinct impression that government is guilty of micromanaging our every action. It is.

A vessel can officially be categorized as unseaworthy if the crew fails to post certain notices in the proper place on the vessel. This designation opens the way for injury lawyers who are trying to get big settlements for their clients. The designation has nothing to do with unseaworthiness of the vessel, but juries don’t pay attention to that. Common sense does not prevail.

A private firm in Mississippi, a power company, performed virtual miracles following broad-scale destruction by hurricane weather. The boss just told his people, “Here’s what we want to accomplish. You handle it.” They demonstrated what enterprising people could do when not reined in too tightly, and they beat their own deadline in doing so. Power was restored in record time.

Obviously, government cannot function that way. In fact, the response to Katrina and the continuing problems in Louisiana and perhaps other hurricane-targeted areas, seem to indicate government has grown too large and complicated to be useful.

Repairing and maintaining our infrastructure properly can be done if we just set our minds to it. The health care problem can be fixed if we just make up our minds to fix it and start. The immigration problem can be mended but not if we don’t start. Menders have to be genuinely concerned with developing good cures, working together with others in an effort to do the best job possible. It may take several attempts. Many bills require refinements after first passage. But those who govern have to start, and they have to make an effort to keep their legislation under 10 gazillion pages or no one will evaluate it.

Speaking for our own segment of industry and its related entities, we can safely conclude that the money spent by benefactors to promote good water resource development has totaled in the billions over the years. Millions of man-hours have been contributed at great expense. Congress listened. The Bush administration didn’t.

It is sad to know that the work of sincere, dedicated people can be ignored or neutralized with a few strokes of the pen by shortsighted people.

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