As much as I am not a fan of "lean" and "six sigma," the government is actually large enough of an organization that it would benefit from it.
That's the thing... they don't see it as a benefit. In normal companies, those methodologies are attempted prior to layoffs and other more draconian cost-cutting measures.
If there's nothing causing any cost-cutting for government, there's no impetus/motivation to even attempt efficiency.
Henning says he doesn't want smaller government, but it's a Catch-22... without the threat of smaller government, you won't get more *efficient* government.
Generally in private business if I make $X in salary + benefits, I must be making or saving the company >$X or I'm gone.
In public business the more "free money" I can get my group/department for the least amount of work, is the mode of operation.
I've known good government workers, there are even some here on this board, but I've never heard any friends who work for government ever say, "I'm on the bubble for a layoff, I need to work harder."
I've heard that sentiment in one way or another in private from private sector workers my whole life. ("I need more sales, or I'm fired." "We have a project that's critical and I'm going to have to work some 70 hour weeks to pull it off." Etc.)
If a FSDO is behind... are they burning the candle at both ends like I have to in my world to PAY for them? I have my doubts that ever happens.
I know some FAA field techs who work on RF systems... those guys are on the road ... a lot. They seem to earn their keep. You don't see Comm or Navaids NOTAM'd OTS for very long. (The direct measure of whether or not the maintenance program as a whole is efficient/effective... Downtime and Mean Time to Recovery... easy metrics.)
FAA, agreed -- is one of the better organizations. Probably because so many inside it are also aviators. FCC used to be that way... if you want to see where FAA *could* go... look at FCC. They're about 10 years ahead, and mostly controlled by politics and special interests and their "spectrum auctions"? Similar to what User Fees would do to FAA.
Yes, FAA would be better funded, but the focus would shift to figuring out how to maximize those fees... just like FCC's focus has shifted to maximizing income from spectrum "leases". Landlord collecting rent payments, instead of Regulator/Engineering Consultant.
Those clerks at the Passport Office that didn't even know their jobs after doing it for years? That's just Welfare of a different sort... jobs for the clueless. I suppose they have to work somewhere.