Monday, May 07, 2012

The Federal Government in the Toilet

Yesterday, I was in Salem, Massachusetts, working on my boat.  Needing to use the restroom on my way back from lunch, I went into the public facilities at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site (a title that takes almost as long to write as it does to see what's on display).  Not the most elegant bathroom I've ever been in, but clean and it worked.  Just as I expected.

When you go into a federal facility you know that it will work.  It will be clean.  More than you'd expect from a state or local government facility in many areas.  That's the point:  While there are exceptions, for the most part the federal government is more efficient, more effective and more reliable than most state or local governments.  Or many corporations, for that matter.  (Had to use a bathroom in a gas station, store or restaurant lately?)  

There's a lesson here.   Think about Obamacare vs. private health insurance.  Or Social Security vs. a private 401(k).  

1 comment:

Michael A. Burstein said...

An odd comparison, but an apt one. I think it was a character in a Robert A. Heinlein novel who said that you can tell a society is beginning to decay when they stop taking care of their public bathroom facilities.