英语翻译
"FormanyAmericans,governmentistheInspectorClouseauofinstitutions–bunglingandinept.Buttherecordshowsthisisnottrue."
Althoughconservativesportraygovernmentasincompetent,publicsectorprogramshaveactuallyamassedanadmirablerecordofsuccessinawidevarietyofpolicyareas.
AconstantproblemforBarackObamaandotherproponentsofmoreactivegovernmentisthecommonperceptionthatthisinstitutionhasapoorrecordofachievement.Conservativesandlibertarianshavepersistentlypromotedtheideathatgovernmentfailsmoreoftenthanitsucceeds.TheyhavebeentellingAmericansforyearsthatgovernmentisanincompetentinstitutionthathasachievedlittleofrealvalueinsociety.Asoneconservativecriticputit:“Themoreimportantquestionisnotwhygovernmentissobig…butwhywithfewexceptions,itfailsinevenitssimplesttasks.”1Anothercritic,CharlesMurray,putsitevenmorebluntly:“Therealityofdailylifeisthat,byandlarge,thethingsthegovernmentdoestendtobeugly,rude,slovenly–andnottowork.”2OrconsidertheboldchallengeutteredbyRushLimbaughononeofhisradioshows:“Withtheexceptionofthemilitary,Idefyyoutonameonegovernmentprogramthathasworkedandalleviatedtheproblemitwascreatedtosolve.Hhhmmmmmmm?I'mwaiting....Time'sup.”3
TheStereotype:GovernmentasBunglingandInept
Manyofushaveboughtintothisimageofgovernmentasabungler–abunchofbureaucratsthatcan’tdoanythingright.AskmostAmericansandtheywilltellyou:ifyouwantsomethingmessedup,havethegovernmentdoit.We’veallheardthejokes:
Q:Howmanygovernmentbureaucratsdoesittaketoscrewinalightbulb?A:Two.Onetoassureeveryonethateverythingpossibleisbeingdonewhiletheotherscrewsthebulbintothewaterfaucet.
Q:Howmanygovernmentworkersdoesittaketoscrewinalightbulb?A:Two.Onetoscrewitinandonetoscrewitup.
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