by Diane Jones, Stevensville
If it is true that more Americans have their public services dealt with by approximately the same number of public servants as population grows, doesn’t that indicate considerable efficiency appears to be keeping pace with work load?
If in 1953 the civilian government employees numbered around 2 million, and a decade later the U.S. population had experienced significant increase, it stands to reason that efficiency should get some credit here if the number of government workers had essentially remained constant. Plenty of more workload but about the same number of workers. If 2 million is still the worker count in 1973, then in 1983 again, well what a fine situation! Now all we had to do was keep an eye peeled for inefficiency setting in anywhere and deal with it in an efficient manner.
So we must ask, what happened in the Ronald Reagan presidency, a man revered by so many to this day for his ‘conservative’ nature and ‘fiscal prudence’? Even as some rather serious scandals proliferated, few people today remember. Federal employment numbers expanded by about 80,000 workers and the national debt went through the roof! As an example of Reagan administration flaws I recall that the U.S Forest Service, where my husband was employed in those days was getting clobbered on their budgets, and then getting called inefficient for trouble with the growing workload. An illusion was being nurtured. Fast forward through a few more of those fiscally ‘conservative’ administrations where the national debt went bananas, requiring words like ‘trillions’, and a growing myth that the Democrats were maniacs of a tax-and-spend bunch began to galvanize. Then eight years of Clinton ended significantly in black ink. Obliterated an enormous debt, balanced the federal budget and created a surplus for his entire second term. However, serious amnesia set in (about the good stuff) in short order, but not so regarding his attempt to conceal some fooling around with a pretty intern. Oh no. Selective memories are an amazing thing.
Apparently nearly a full half of the voters in the U.S. selectively deleted their sensitivity to lies when Donald Trump, the creepy fraud from New Yawk launched his grandiose plot to double his already exorbitant fortune by any means necessary. Eviscerating government workplaces, tripling the debt (the opposite of what middle and lower classes needed), successfully taking control of the Legislative branch, law enforcement, prosecutory powers, and on and on, all the while the deletion of memory increased and the hoax of government ‘inefficiency’ ground the great U.S.A. into a feudal kleptocracy. Rather efficiently I should add, thanks to that selective memory epidemic combined with a serious dose of inability for so many to recognize a con, nor understand the Constitution.
Tim A says
The author conveniently forgets that Reagan had a Democratic Congress for his entire 8 years and Clinton had a Republican Congress for 6 years of his term.
Even basic civics courses teach that Congress spends, not the President.
The same people who lecture you about democracy and the Constitution actively work to oppress basic rights like free speech and let foreigners have the bulk of the power in the country. If California didn’t get to count 10 million illegals in their census, states that don’t harbor illegals would have more power in the Congress. Democrats are the kings and queens of dirty tricks from gerrymandering to dark money groups to counting illegals for redistricting of House seats. They give themselves license to lie at all times if it gains their tribe power.
Tracy says
You are leaving out an important fact. groping Joe add 1.3 million “government” jobs in a little over a year. You mentioned Reagan adding 80K and that is a fact but nothing to the 87500 the Groper added to the IRS alone. Typical lib hater not telling the whole story. There is much more I could add however you dont care nor do those of your ilk. It is solely about your hatred for the Bad Orange Man.