The Night Watchman

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

From an email I received today!!

Memorial Day Thinking From The Liberal Left!!

Found this blog while surfing around and had to repost for my friends. Liberals wanting to change why we honor Memorial Day. Please log into her website and comment.

From Transition Times
by Jennifer Browdy de Hernandez

This Memorial Day, I want to honor my ancestors, at least as far back as my family memory goes.  On both sides of my family, my ancestors were hounded out of Europe by the dogs of anti-Semitism and greed.  Under great pressure, facing an uncertain future in a faraway land, in a time when leaving home very likely meant never again seeing or speaking with family and friends, they bravely gathered what they could carry and set off to try to establish a better future for their descendants.

They succeeded.  My family has prospered here in America.  On my father’s side, the three surviving children of my Russian immigrant great-grandparents became a doctor, a lawyer and (my grandmother) a teacher.  On my mother’s side, the German emigrants of the late 19^th century became comfortable businessmen, doctors and dentists.

The Depression took its toll on my family, but by and large they did well, creating generations of hard-working, honest, loving people who entered energetically into building the American Dream.

Just because none of them died in war doesn’t mean we shouldn’t honor them on Memorial Day.  There are many forms of service to one’s country and one’s family.

This Memorial Day, I raise a toast to the departed, to peace, and to life!

Go here and comment!!