Some billionaires or successful people in the private sector have skills that do not translate into useful skills in the public sector. The names of Robert McNamara and Herbert Hoover come immediately to mind. On the other hand, some captains of industry like Henry J Kaiser were very effective in mobilizing America's industry for war. But of course in times of war money is not the object and opposition is steamrolled in the name of survival. Not so in the sausage making business of cooking up legislation in peacetime.
Reform of government is terribly difficult, ask Al Gore, because the people who operate government are not interested in generating a profit but are interested in cultivating votes or growing turf. The public too often is not interested in government efficiency but in a government largess. In short, there is almost no constituency for leaner, more effective, more economical government.
We see liberal Democrats being put in the role of breaking Rice bowls, let us give them the benefit of the doubt and credit them with good intentions but they are about to learn how tenacious the owners of those rice bowls will be in their defense.
