The biggest inefficiency of them all

Imagine that you knew of a state government within which
there are many inefficiencies. You decide that it is time to
eliminate them.

The best plan you can come up with is to establish a hot line
where callers could report the inefficiencies to the same folks
who created and enable the inefficiencies in the first place.

It doesn't seem like a very efficient strategy to me.

For only a little more money immediately, with a promise of
net savings eventually, you could hire efficiency experts
who would examine all of state government, ferreting out
one inefficiency after another, until they are all gone.

So why propose a "hot line" instead of "efficiency auditors"?

The main reason is to keep control over accountability.
The minute impartial auditors come in, control over accountability
is out of the control of those whose interests are served by
keeping things under wraps.

Why propose a plan with no hope of succeeding?
Why bring it up at all?

The plan is a charade whose purpose is to make people
feel better.

Cover up incompetence and corruption, and make the people
feel good about it.

It's a twofer.