Re: [tlug] From an enthusiast TLUG follower

["Stephen J. Turnbull" <turnbull.stephen.fw@example.com>]

Stuart Luppescu writes:

 > I would say, "fracking bureaucrats".
[...]
 > In contrast, the bureaucrats with the Immigration department were
 > heartless, cruel, unforgiving SOBs.

Since you bring up Donald Trump ;-), nothing personal, but I would say
if anyone needs keeping out, US residents head the list.

Be that as it may, as heartless and cruel as this policy is, the
bureaucrats were just implementing a (xenophobic and incoherent)
*political* decision to keep you out, just as eventually they
implemented a *political* decision to let you in.  Either way, they
would be punished if they got in the way of the politicians.

The difference between politicians and bureaucrats is not the absence
of heart or presence of cruelty.  The difference is that the
bureaucrat keeps her job by being honest and consistent about it, and
the politician keeps his by being dishonest and inconsistent about it.

If we want better bureacracies, we need to elect better politicians.

Steve