Ok.  Me too.  They think you and I are idiots.

As local and state leaders respond to the budgetary impact of the economy induced tax base erosion, their opinion of their constituents intellect is becoming abundantly clear. Here is the politicians favorite budget plan being exercised across the country right now:

1. Propose draconian cuts to non-negotiables
2. Let fear, uncertainty & doubt stew a while
3. Wait until they [the idiots] beg for raised taxes to save their precious programs
4. Preserve their [the politicians] precious programs & lack of accountability

Case in point.  Listening to my favorite news radio station  WHAM 1180 the other day, I heard that because Kindergarden is not a part of the state’s minimal education requirement, it was being recommended that this would be a good place to cut costs.

Outrage?  No.  It’s a trick!  Part of the “favorite budget plan”.  

Personal safety – another great fear trigger.  Put police departments on the target list.  I think threats to baby seals, fuzzy kittens, cute dolphins and of course the whales are on the list too.  That’ll surely get some public passion behind the “No, not that! Please tax me instead!” strategy.

Reggea band Steele Pulse in one of their songs aptly refers to politicians as “Politricksters”!

What about the obvious?  Like, spending less than your make.  Why is that never a part of the repertoire?

Interesting discovery #1 -  When our senior leadership team goes to a full day off-site, email traffic (a.k.a work for the troops) slows to a trickle.  Not just e-mails from the attendees at the off-site, but from everyone else below the top of the work generation pyramid.  I call it the multiplication effect. 

Interesting observation #2 -  Give someone 6 weeks to do something and they will take 6 weeks.  Give someone 3 weeks to do the same task and most of the time they will find a way to still get it done without significant compromise in the end result including quality.   Constraints spur creativity and efficiency.

So lets demand that our government leaders do more with less and get creative, nimble and efficient.  Don’t give them the easy way out by letting them trick us out of more of our hard earned cash to cover their inefficient bureaucratic status quo.

Here’s a cost savings initiative voter on both sides of the aisle can get behind:

Redesign the government to operate with 33% fewer politicians (and related administrators, staff, capital and operational expense that comes with them), while delivering the same services.

Don’t tell us all the reasons why it won’t work!  Tell us what it will take to make it work! 

Watch the multiplication effect when they get out of their own way and are forced to focus on output rather than input.

It’s possible and besides, who ever thought “we need more politicians” any way? 

Watch out for the Politricksters.

Don’t let them shift the burden of fixing the problems they create and perpetuate to you!

Filed under: Musing, Politics