Nice article, especially the historical irony. As you well know, the British learned little from the events of 1776 and we are similarly afflicted by faceless, unelected, unaccountable, wasteful bureaucracies known colloquially as quangos (quasi autonomous non-governmental organisations) but officially as NDPBs (Non- Departmental Public Bodies).
In 2010, the Tories had a bonfire of the quangos when the 901 then known to exist were reduced to 648. However, the current count (depending on your definition) is circa 1,000.
And of course, despite BrExit, we are still subject to the whims of much of the unelected EU machinery in Brusells.
The Pendleton Act preceded the Interstate Commerce Commission. As bad as the Spoils system was, at least there was accountability with the (then) current admin and hence, Executive Branch policy would be responsive to and carry out the will of the elected executive. To me, it’s the nefariousness of the idea that all things, especially people, can be perfected. It’s just weird that people think you can wring partisanship out of people.
Nice article, especially the historical irony. As you well know, the British learned little from the events of 1776 and we are similarly afflicted by faceless, unelected, unaccountable, wasteful bureaucracies known colloquially as quangos (quasi autonomous non-governmental organisations) but officially as NDPBs (Non- Departmental Public Bodies).
In 2010, the Tories had a bonfire of the quangos when the 901 then known to exist were reduced to 648. However, the current count (depending on your definition) is circa 1,000.
And of course, despite BrExit, we are still subject to the whims of much of the unelected EU machinery in Brusells.
The Pendleton Act preceded the Interstate Commerce Commission. As bad as the Spoils system was, at least there was accountability with the (then) current admin and hence, Executive Branch policy would be responsive to and carry out the will of the elected executive. To me, it’s the nefariousness of the idea that all things, especially people, can be perfected. It’s just weird that people think you can wring partisanship out of people.