Roles of Government

I attended a business meeting the other day and was early to beat traffic. Had a surprising discussion with a colleague I hadn't expected. It focused on his belief that government isn't working very well, that executive functions are going well beyond their authority and holding private enterprise back from what they could be accomplishing in our economy.

I took this to mean that private enterprise is shackled by government regulation thus extending the current economic recovery. He said no, the problem is that executive departments of the federal government have overstepped their bounds and are making regulations and ‘law’ that were never intended.

I asked which departments he was most concerned with. His reply: the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and we also talked a little about the IRS (Internal Revenue Service).

When asked for more details he didn’t really have any specifics. But I did remind him these agencies may be ensconced in the Executive Branch of the government, but they were formed by the Congress, are authorized by the Congress, are further driven by policy and protocols designed and written by Congress, and are subject to oversight by Congress. These agencies are part of the Executive Branch in name only. They are congressional beasts and the upset or blame for their actions need go directly to Congress.

Congress, of course, is super partisan and cannot administer itself out of a paper bag.

In the case of the IRS, Congress even authorized a separate administrative court system and protocol to keep the massive case count out of the normal court system and keeping the latter from getting bogged down. The unintended result: the IRS is a government unto itself and fully the super organizational beast of the Congress. They have full control and authority over the IRS, not the President or Executive Branch.

My colleague went on to complain that people don’t speak about facts. Rather they make up things and label them facts. How this complaint pertains to government specifically was left unstated. My contention is that partisan politics have poisoned the halls of government in Washington, DC so badly that no meaningful dialog is possible at this time. I suggested to my colleague that political parties should be ignored and that we all ask our elected representatives to begin the arduous task of identifying issues of importance, ranking them for priority of solution, and then getting down to fixing problems without determining political ideology.

I pointed out that political ideology has distracted the American people and its government from actually getting anything done. Gridlock is not a productive partner for any dynamic organization let alone a government.

He didn’t accept my point of view, but at least I did not pretend polite agreement to forge a false working relationship. We both have points of view. Both must be expressed equally or both should remain silent. A little push back from time to time might be helpful.

In the meanwhile I came away from our interaction deflated. I had thought there was more intelligence and deeper reading of current events in my circle of colleagues but evidently I am wrong. I truly respect and like these people. However, increasingly I am aware of their ever present reactionary conservatism that accepts broad ideas and positions as correct without analysis. It’s in need of giant fact checking all the time if honest discussion is even possible.

Luckily this group of colleagues is in their 70’s and 80’s. They are all retired careerists. Most all of them led quite successful business lives. But they have a huge blind spot: public sector, non-profit organizations work on the basis of grand ideas and purpose rather than the profit motive. Dollars earned at the end of the year by the organization is not the motive of such organizations. Social purpose and mission are the motives. And they work for the common good of the society at large. Some of them are fueled by public tax dollars, but most make giant strides with private dollars raised in the good old fashioned entrepreneurial fashion. 

They seem blind that such organizations are positive contributors to private enterprise as well as social stability. Such is the operating environment for private business, an environment that builds success and healthy living conditions for most.

Non-profits are not always charities. They are social service agencies, environmental protection entities, educational organizations and research and development structures of formidable genius. We need them all if our nation is to succeed. We need them all if entrepreneurs are willing to take on an investment in a less risky environment.

There is a balanced approach to viewing all of these issues. It is not healthy to jump to the conclusion that a conspiracy or ideological war is at work. Better to calm down, assess the facts – all of the facts – and then set about doing the work in need of doing.

These retired captains of industry should know better and do better. Is that why I’m suddenly in their midst? Hopefully not; that would be a mighty task for one person to take on. Oh but then the mighty prayer of serenity enters the play: “Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

Alas, the entire prayer is tough to live; but the last phrase begs a wisdom few possess!

May 12, 2015