Is There no Limit to Government Stupidity?

I wanted to capture some of the all too common examples of really stupid government action - here are some of my favorites.

Politicians - Expert Sanitation Engineers (not)
2011-03-02

What is it about political power that makes one think they suddenly are experts in everything? The federales, in their infinite wisdom, degreed that effective January 1, 1994 no toilet could use more than 1.6 GPF (gallons per flush). Before that, the market had pretty much settled on about 3.5 GPF toilets.

Not to be outdone, the plumbing experts in the San Francisco government began a generous program of rebates to encourage the locals to replace their water wasting toilets with those using 1.28 GPF. Today, a San Francisco resident can get a rebate of up to $200 for replacing a 3.5 GPF toilet with one using 1.28 GPF or less.

Can you see where this is going? Because of anemic flushes, San Francisco literally stinks. It turns out that feces are accumulating in the SF sewer system and sections of town have taken on an unpleasant, distinctive odor.

The city claims to be saving about 20,000,000 gallons of water a year as a result of its toilet tyranny, but has spent at least $100,000,000 dollars over 5 years to improve its sewer system to accommodate the frugal flushes and will spend another $14,000,000 buying a 3 year supply of bleach to (hopefully!) reduce the new characteristic odor of SF.

Let's see, that about $25,000,000 a year to save 20,000,000 gallons of water a year. Does residential water really cost over a $1.23 a gallon in San Francisco? Well, I guess it does now that government experts are helping us.

Is there no limit to government stupidity?

http://tinyurl.com/46hs2z9
http://tinyurl.com/4w8wz3j

Since this was posted, Senator Rand Paul has had an entertaining exchange with one of the government busybodies that make up the silly rules we are required to follow. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did:

In a Coma? - Get a Ticket!
2011-01-07

Trying to keep up with friends, 13 year old Las Vegas resident Takara Obong was hit by a car. The Metro police investigating the accident claimed that after hitting the car's windshield and flipping three times in the air Takara ended up 125 feet from where she was hit.

Rushed to the hospital, Takara was injured enough to be put in a medically induced coma. She is, as I write this, quite literally fighting for her life.

Takara's mother, Kellie Obong, may have been surprised to see the police at the hospital. She may have thought "it is really nice of the officers to be visiting to see how Takara was doing after her accident."

But no, the officers where there to give Takara a ticket for jaywalking!

The Metro police, in a statement assured us that "Our officers conduct themselves in a professional and compassionate way. We wouldn't do anything deliberately insensitive."

Of course, she probably was jaywalking, but really! The argument government uses when justifying tickets and fines is that they are in place to discourage the behavior. After reading this story, does anyone still believe that is the real reason, or could it just be all about the revenue? I find it hard to believe that Takara will ever jaywalk again.

Is there no limit to government stupidity?

See:
http://tinyurl.com/2abmbu9
http://tinyurl.com/2gxlegq

Do Good - Get Arrested!
2010-05-28

Ben Bond, of Eugene Oregon, appears to be a normal type of guy. While feeding his parking meter one day he noticed two things - the meter for the car next to him had expired and that same meter was being rapidly approached by one Maria Velasquez, government agent ("Parking Officer").

Ben thought he could save his fellow parker from ruin at the hands of the state, so being a generous guy he proceeded to feed the meter of his absent fellow human being.

Perhaps it was the petty threat from the government agent ("I'm going to give that car a ticket anyway!") or perhaps it was just soul satisfying to help his fellow parker, but whatever the reason Ben began feeding other expired parking meters in advance of the approach of our government agent, excuse me, Parking Officer. Maria did not like what Ben was doing, so she called for state backup and soon enough Ben was in hand cuffs and on his way to jail.

Is there no limit to government stupidity?

Read all about it here:

http://kezi.com/news/local/158781

and on other linked pages.