Funny Rick Synder Story about Bureaucrats

Yesterday I got a chance to sit down and talk for a bit with Michigan Governor Rick Synder and he told me a pretty funny story. I'm going to try my best to rely it to you...

So Synder moves into his new office in Lansing and goes to sit down at his desk, and he strikes up a conversation with the IT guys who are in his office installing his computer. He notices that his computer screen is a square computer screen, so he asks one of the IT guys about it- "How come I have a square computer screen?" From his time as CEO of Gateway Computers, Synder knew that square computer screens are more expensive and usually smaller than most modern rectangle shaped wide-screen computer screens.

"Because that's what They said that We should put in," the tech guys answered and kept on installing his new computer.

Synder said that he looked puzzled and then asked "Who are 'They'?"

"They are the ones that order that things get done," the guy guys said and kept installing the expensive and small square computer screen.

Synder looked more puzzled and then asked "Who are 'They'?"

"They order things, and we do them, and they say the specifications are that everyone gets a square computer screen," the tech guys said and continued working, "They are in charge of how things are done."

Synder said that he looked even more puzzled and once again asked "Who are They? Aren't I the Governor of the State of Michigan? Aren't I the one in charge of how things get done?"

Apparently this amused the tech guys, and they sort of chuckled and continued working. Synder never did figure out who 'They' are,and now it is a running gag in his office to figure out exactly who 'they' are, but he did say that he now knows a little bit more about just exactly what is wrong with Michigan's government- and what is likely wrong with national government- and it is the fact that bureaucracy is running our state. It is unelected paper-pushers with narrow job descriptions who service no customers and receive no job performance feedback and have great job security who are really running things, with vague chains of command and no accountability. 'They' are the problem- they do things that don't need to be done at great cost because 'they' have always done it that way and are always going to do it that way. 'They' run every department of our government, 'they' make up the majority of those who work in government, and 'they' play a big role in determining who are elected officials are. 'They' are the problem.

Synder learned a valuable lesson from this experience- if he is going to get anything done in Michigan, if he is going to put in place real change, he is going to need to figure out who 'they' are, and get them to be responsive to taxpayers and elected officials and not be a power unto themselves. I wish him good luck with that.