The inescapable truth is: government does not have all the answers. In too many instances, government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them.
Government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them.
The instruments of state prove too big to do the small things and too small to do the big things.
Our bureaucracy had excelled at compartmentalizing intelligence - we had a 'need to know' system - but by 2004, it was impossible to foresee what elements of our organization would and would not need to know a given piece of information.
Bureaucrats sometimes do not have the correct information, while citizens and users of resources do.
The Homeland Security department doesn't have tasking authority in the intelligence community. They can ask for stuff, but they can't direct anything except inside their bureau.
The issues are too complicated for government leaders to discuss, and too important for bureaucrats.
Referring to foreign trade negotiations:
Large organizations cannot be versatile. A large organization is effective through its mass rather than through its agility. Fleas can jump many times their own height, but not an elephant.
I do a lot of work with policymakers, but how much effect am I having? It’s like they’re coming in and saying to you, ‘I’m going to drive my car off a cliff. Should I or should I not wear a seatbelt?’ And you say, ‘I don’t think you should drive your car off the cliff.’ And they say, ‘No, no, that bit’s already been decided—the question is whether to wear a seatbelt.’ And you say, ‘Well, you might as well wear a seatbelt.’ And then they say, ‘We’ve consulted with policy expert Rory Stewart and he says . . . .’
National governments are under paid, under staffed, and under talented.
