security at night

This parable is alive and well after decades.
 
Once upon a time, the government had a vast scrap yard in the middle of a desert.
 
Congress said, “Someone might steal from it at night.” So, they created a night watchman position and hired a person for the job.
 
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 the time studies.
 
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.
 
Congress said, “How are these people going to get paid?” So, they created two positions: a timekeeper and a payroll officer and hired two people.
 
Congress said, “Who will be accountable for all of these people?” So, they created an administrative section and hired three people, an Administrative Officer, Assistant Administrative Officer, and Legal Secretary.
 
Congress said, “We have had this command in operation for one year and we are $918,000 over budget, and we must cut back.”  So, they laid off the night watchman.
 
Now slowly, let it sink in.
 
Does anybody remember the reason given for the establishment of the Department of Energy in the 1970s?

Bottom line is, we have spent several hundred billion dollars in support of an agency, the reason for which very few people who read this can remember!
 
It was very simple, and at the time everybody thought it very appropriate.
 
The Department of Energy was instituted on 8/04/1977 to lessen our dependence on foreign oil.
 
And now it’s 2022, 45 years later, and the annual budget for this department is over $35 billion. It has 14,000 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?”
 
Thirty-four years ago, 30% of our oil consumption was imports. Today about 72% of our crude oil consumption is imports.
 
Now, we have turned over the banking system, health care, and auto industry to the same government. What can possibly go wrong?
 
Signed,
 
The Night Watchman