Review: Bring Back the Bureaucrats: Why More Federal Workers Will Lead to Better (and Smaller!) Government

Bring Back the Bureaucrats: Why More Federal Workers Will Lead to Better (and Smaller!) Government Bring Back the Bureaucrats: Why More Federal Workers Will Lead to Better (and Smaller!) Government by John Diiluio
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is one of those small books that manages to say a good deal in order to start a meaningful discussion about untried or reconfigured ideas. Diiluio puts forward an argument that while, numerically, it looks like the government is massive, the reality is quite different. When one accounts for all people that receive some type of check for services, the number is large but when you actually look at how many people are actual government employees, this number has been stagnant at best for decades. He argues that part of why we have so much waste is because we have contracted and subcontracted work out further and further while adding on more and more responsibilities to so many agencies as well as increasing demands for accountability measures (which in themselves, require more time and effort to manage). He argues that the rise in professionalism of the last three decades could mean that agencies have a more competent and skillful staff and manage more effectively if there were more actual federal employees; that is, by adding more federal employees, it can lessen the burden and the costs of all the people currently employed. Coupled with his long-essay are two other essays that offer a critique; one from a liberal view and the other from a more conservative/libertarian view. Each offers their thoughts to Diiluio's consideration and then he comes back to respond to them, making the book a rather interesting and civilly engaged dialogue (something so lost in this day and age). Not everyone will agree with Diiluio's work but it's presented in a way that at least shows an earnest interest by all involved to think more critically about what it means to effectively run the US.

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