MSNBC - 9/11 panel seeks major changes
What I really get out of this article is that government cannot fix all of our problems. It is as messed up and disorganized as our worst corporations. The amount of waste and lack of accountability is attrocious. Just the fact that it is almost impossible to fire many government employees because of union protections just hurts. You end up with really good people having to spend too much time helping to bring up the rear. There are situations where some people just aren't capable of performing a job and there needs to be a way to move them out. This happens in corporations and needs to happen in government.
Another common problem is the building up of empires. This happens in the real work force and in the government. The problem with the government empires is they start out as something good but are virtually impossible to remove. When one's empire is threatened they sometimes don't look towards the greater good but only towards the preservation of the empire.
Let's hope for all of our sakes that our intelligence operations can be shaken out so they can truly be effective. Again, lots of great people but the system is just broke.
Posted by Tim at July 17, 2004 10:59 PMre: "It is as messed up and disorganized as our worst corporations."
I also can't believe how screwed up this all is. But one thing I have to ask my Republican friends is why isn't President Bush more angry about this? Senator Pat Roberts was on the PBS Newshour last week (talking about the Senate Intelligence report) and said:
"...let me say something about the president. I think he more than anything, more than anyone else should be disturbed by this and knows the value of intelligence in such far reaching decisions and important decisions as to bring to the country to a war footing...." http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/fedagencies/july-dec04/senate_7-09.html
But I'm not seeing the anger in the President towards the intelligence apparatus of the government---the anger that any CEO in a big corporation would show if the company staff made a huge, ongoing error.
And I understand the President's argument that he keeps saying in light of the Senate report that he believes Saddam was still a horrible person who needed to be taken down. But that's not the same as being angry at a broken intelligence system.
Posted by: Tom at July 18, 2004 08:31 AMI think any President is in a tough situation when a government entity is under fire. You don't want to slam your own employees but I think you are right Tom. This is life and death so let's get it fixed.
Posted by: trogers at July 18, 2004 08:46 AM
