We're Mad As Hell And We Want To Change Things

An old joke in California is "what is orange and sleeps six?" The answer is "A CAL Trans Work Van." It got so embarrassing they had to change the color scheme of the vans!

Why does it seem every job paid for by tax payer dollars has four people standing around, one working and one supervising? It would be far more efficient to fire the four standing around and their supervisor, give the guy (or gal) working a raise and make him (or her) the supervisor in charge of his (or her) own work.

CAL Trans is the California Department of Transportation. My dental hygienist told me she had to stop her plumber husband from stopping their car to get out and yell "get to work" at the "workers" working on El Camino Real in Santa Clara last week. Her husband owns his own business. She said the hardest part of his job is finding workers who will work while unsupervised. I suggested he do what the cable companies do, pay by the job rather than the hour. If he needs a ditch dug, then he should put it out to bid and take the lowest bidder who has referrals from others who have paid him to dig ditches. Why can't we do the same with public works projects?

Why can't we do the same, or something similar, with all public jobs? Why is it once you are hired for a desk job in Government it is nearly impossible to get fired? Who will work hard if you know your job does not depend on being better than the person in the next desk like it does in the private sector when times are tough and layoffs are made?

This blog has the goal to explore government waste at the city, county, state and national level. Contact us if you want to participate by writing articles. Lets get heard!