Call It “O" fficiency

What is the most effective way to make the numerous layers of government bureaucracy work more efficiently?

Add another layer of government bureaucracy!

President-elect Obama took the first step towards that laudable goal yesterday by naming Nancy Killefer the nation’s first “Chief Performance Officer.”

How will this work?

Under the old, inefficient system, government employees would answer to their managers who would answer to the heads of their agencies.

In the new, vastly more efficient system, government employees will answer to their managers who will answer to the heads of their agencies, who will answer to Nancy Killefer.

We know what you’re thinking, “Hey, wait a minute, I thought this blog was for posting links to Megan Fox bikini pics.”

Also, “Isn’t it the responsibility of agency heads and cabinet members to run their organizations efficiently?”

Sure, but as Obama points out, “We can no longer afford to sustain the old ways when we know there are new and more efficient ways of getting the job done.”  

Like hiring someone to keep an eye on the people you just hired.

Just look at Bill Richardson.

And according to Obama, this is absolutely necessary if we are to “restore confidence that our government is on the side of taxpayers and everyday Americans.”

Everyday taxpayers and Americans like Nancy Killefer, who like you, struggles to balance work and family and her three-person household staff for whom she almost always pays unemployment compensation tax. 

You know how it is, you’re running late, you go to grab your car keys, and the next thing you know, you’ve completely forgotten to pay unemployment compensation tax for a year and a half for your two nannies and personal assistant.

It’s an old story, but a uniquely American one that surely resonates with working families everywhere.

Obama’s approach to government efficiency does leave open one question:

Who will he appoint as his Chief Performance Officer Officer?

After all, if we are truly serious about becoming more efficient, we're going to need someone to keep an eye on Killefer too.

J.