IF GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS ARE ALWAYS BAD...

Here we are in the silly season of August and the issue dominating the news is, of course, how utterly incompetent and wasteful our government is in anything it attempts. At least that's what's dominating the news from the mouths of Republicans. With each proposal to reform, say, health care, we are treated to a chorus of "The government wastes too much" or "The government can't do anything right" or some such. My question is, have these folks ever thought about how that attitude plays with the people who work for the government?

I know that if I worked for the government, in any capacity no matter how high or low, I would be pretty pissed off every time a Republican lawmaker stands up and tells the world how incompetent I and my fellow workers are. Because isn't that what all government programs are? They're just people trying to do a job with the tools that they are given. They really don't get up each morning thinking of new ways that they can screw up. And let's not forget that those lawmakers ALSO work for the government.

Here's a crazy idea. Instead of griping about poorly performing government programs, how about proposing ways for those programs to work better. Give the government workers better tools, better training and better pay. You know, like a good business owner might do in the private sector.