Commentary

Serving the public interest. . .

We’ve all heard the insistent assertion that government worker’s serve the public interest and private companies serve only their bottom line, and so, whom do you really want to trust. But, of course, the self-interest of the private sector is usually a good thing, and in government self-interest exists too. We all see it plain as day in politicians but it is just a prevalent in the bureaucracy as well. A new report by the California bureau of state audits (full report or summary) gives us just a snapshot of things that bureaucrats get up to following their own self interest. It’s interesting stuff–funds misappropriated into employee party accounts, employees forced to do work for manager’s private night-owl businesses, stealing money, and, of course, visiting porn web sights during work time.