In a mere 12 years, the number of managers and consultants in a country doubles. “Consultants” are usually another word for “Someone’s ne’er do well, but well-connected, brother-in-law”.
What of the people who actually take care of patients? Their numbers hardly increase at all, but they must report to twice as many “managers” and, of course, those who become what all “managers” want to be, “senior managers”.
The numbers of “managers” and “senior managers”, when totaled, nearly double. The number of people they “manage” stays about the same.
Can any sane person feel that this will make things better? When asked that question, every single person in favor of Universal Health Care will tell the same lie: “Our version is designed to do much better.”
II.
On a related issue, it is apparent that when government moves into any area, the number of people “supervising” increases dramatically. In government agencies, the farther one is removed from actual work, the more successful one has become.
In departments that deal with any workers, from nurses to farmers, the lowest-ranking bureaucrats actually deal with an occasional patient or farmer. Above them in status and salary are those who supervise those who deal with workers. Above them are the supervisors of the supervisors. Vast, palatial offices are built for those who have reached the higher positions in various regions. If successful, they are ensconced in new, special buildings, always described as being “green”, or “ergonomic”, or whatever buzzword of the day has generated enough credibility to keep workers from complaining enough to cut their budgets.
