The night watchman

[iddee]

NIGHT WATCHMAN

Once upon a time the government had a vast scrap yard in the middle of a desert.

Congress said, "Someone may steal from it at night."

So they created a night watchman position and hired a person for the job.

Then Congress said, "How does the watchman do his job without instruction?"

So they created a planning department and hired two people, one person to write the instructions, and one person to do time studies.

Then Congress said, "How will we know the night watchman is doing the tasks correctly?"

So they created a Quality Control department and hired two people. One was to do the studies and one was to write the reports.

Then Congress said, "How are these people going to get paid?"

So they created two positions, a time keeper and a payroll officer then hired two people.

Then Congress said, "Who will be accountable for all of these people?"

So they created an administrative section and hired three people, an Administrative Officer, an Assistant Administrative Officer, and a Legal Secretary.

Then Congress said, "We have had this command in operation for one year and we are $918,000 over budget, we must cut back."

So they laid off the night watchman.

NOW, slowly, let it sink in.

Quietly, we go like sheep to slaughter. Does anybody remember the reason given for the establishment of the DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY during the Carter administration?

Anybody?

Anything?

No?

Didn't think so!
Bottom line is, we've spent several hundred billion dollars in support of an agency, the reason for which very few people who read this can remember!

Ready??

It was very simple ... and at the time, everybody thought it very appropriate.

The Department of Energy was instituted on 8/4/1977, TO LESSEN OUR DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL.

Hey, pretty efficient, huh???

AND NOW IT'S 2012 -- 35 YEARS LATER -- AND THE BUDGET FOR THIS "NECESSARY" DEPARTMENT IS AT $24.2 BILLION A YEAR. IT HAS 16,000 FEDERAL EMPLOYEES AND APPROXIMATELY 100,000 CONTRACT EMPLOYEES; AND LOOK AT THE JOB IT HAS DONE!

(THIS IS WHERE YOU SLAP YOUR FOREHEAD AND SAY, "WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?")
34 years ago 30% of our oil consumption was foreign imports. Today 70% of our oil consumption is foreign imports.

Ah, yes -- good old Federal bureaucracy.

NOW, WE HAVE TURNED OVER THE BANKING SYSTEM, HEALTH CARE, AND THE AUTO INDUSTRY TO THE SAME GOVERNMENT?

Hello!! Anybody Home?

Signed...The Night Watchman
 

[kingbee]

Love it.

[Joe D]

And this is not an isolated incident.  And the grants they give out for studies.  Back a few years ago there was one where a guy got a million a year to do a study of the history of the black and tan coonhound.



Joe

[kingbee]

Sush,  That was me.  NOT! 

[kingbee]

... And this is not an isolated incident. ...a few years ago there was one where a guy got a million a year to do a study of the history of the black and tan coonhound...

Watch the whole speech, the Military Industrial Complex part of Eisenhower’s speech begins at about minute 6:30 and lasts until about minute 8:10.  Eisenhower’s warning about scams like Global Warming (Man Made) begins at minute 9 and continues till minute 11.  Much of the rest of Eisenhower’s farewell speech warns us to only spend the money available in the present and not to mortgage our children’s and grand children’s future to stoke our own or some silly politicians’ egos in the here and now. 

Eisenhower Farewell Address (Full)

[BlueBee]

Overall a good video Kingbee

(THIS IS WHERE YOU SLAP YOUR FOREHEAD AND SAY, "WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?")
34 years ago 30% of our oil consumption was foreign imports. Today 70% of our oil consumption is foreign imports.

LOL, and our Republican friends don’t believe in peak oil.  Y’all have lived through it folks!  Our peak oil is past and as a result we have to import more.  Oil doesn't grow on trees after all  

NOW, WE HAVE TURNED OVER THE BANKING SYSTEM, HEALTH CARE, AND THE AUTO INDUSTRY TO THE SAME GOVERNMENT?

I think you got this one wrong too.  We turned everything over to Wall Street years ago and this is what we got in return.

OK, I'll throw you a crumb   I do think the DOE should be cut.

[kingbee]

Oh I believe in peak oil, I just don't think that the politicians could recognize peak oil if it bit them on the tush.