For a long while after the founding of this Republic we were blessed with a central government that because it could do so little, could screw up so little ... though not for want of trying ... and as such our federal government was often among the least competent at being incompetent.
By default.
But with the men who cast the Constitution aside to embrace Arbitrary government the varied objects for federal attention have grown without limit and so it’s ability to be incompetent has similarly increased: so now ours is among the most competent at being incompetent.
Truly, “Progress!”
“Progress” from the “Progressives!”