[mewzilla]

But at all levels, governments overpromise.

Overpromise? FWIW, from what I can tell, the voters of NO and LA didn't demand maybes let alone promises. The pols ought to be run out of town on a rail, but I'm having a harder and harder time drumming up sympathy for the folks who elected these expletives-deleted. What the heck were they thinking?!

[Cboldt]

My bigger point, on the overpromising by politicians, is that it tends to make government bigger, which does not necessarily translate into "better" or "more effective."

OTOH, making promises does curry favor with the voters, and does translate into winning elections.