No real world experience? No problem!

By Cordeiro

Filed Under POTUS on Nov 30 

I don’t think I’m going to cause any surprise coronaries by stating there is a vast difference between the way government works and the way private industry works. The same can be said for the mindset and culture of those who work in the public sector versus those who work in the private sector.

For example: If a guy running his business needs a new printer, he goes down to Wal-Mart, pays $150 and walks out with a new printer. If a fed needs a new printer, he has to go get four bids from five separate contractors, pays them $1,000 and ends up with a printer built by the lowest bidder only to find out the toner cartridges have to be purchased under a separate contract.

The pathetic part of the story is that the fed thinks he got a great deal and saved the taxpayers some money.

As a general historical rule, most Presidents have filled a good sized chunk of their cabinet with people who had some sort of experience in the money making private sector of the economy. The chart below* shows the percentage of cabinet officials with private sector experience dating back to Teddy Roosevelt:

obamacabinet.jpg

The One keeps harping about the “unprecedented” nature of nearly all the challenges faced by his rudderless administration. He keeps using that word. I do not think it means what he thinks it means. Perhaps, dear reader, these challenges seem “unprecedented” to Team Obama because so few members of the brain trust (including The One) have ever actually held a job in the private sector.

Still wondering about the difference between a government and private sector mindset? Here’s a video scenario which might help you better understand. Watch and ask yourself, “what would The One do?”

*HT Nick Schulz from AEI

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Comments

3 Comments

  1. Alaina Segovia on 30.11.2009 at 23:38 (Reply)

    The One never ceases to amaze me.

  2. East of Eden on 01.12.2009 at 11:05 (Reply)

    Having a spouse who works for the government, in a top secret way, I can tell you this printer scenario is 100% true. They recently had some extra budget left over and ended up wasting money on things they didn’t need so they would get the same ammt next year. Foolishness I say.

  3. Neil Braithwaite on 01.12.2009 at 15:23 (Reply)

    This chart shows that conservative presidents are more likely to pick the “right person” for the job vs. liberals who tend to appoint jobs as “pay back.”

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