[LINK] The PLAN, and broadband speeds?

[Jan Whitaker]

At 11:48 PM 21/06/2007, Michael Still wrote:
>Jan Whitaker wrote:
> > At 07:47 PM 21/06/2007, Howard Lowndes wrote:
> >>> The Americans have a very viable and active local government level which
> >>> handles education and a whole lot of other stuff ... stuff that we
> >>> dump on
> >>> the states and federal governments with their massive bureaucracies
> >>
> >> I disagree.  The American system of local government is corrupt.
> >
> > And what do you have to back up such a blanket statement?
>
>Specifically, I really like the way cabinet ministers in the US aren't
>elected officials. Being a cabinet minister distracts from representing
>your district, and you end up with unqualified people in important
>positions.

That's Federal, Mikal. Howard was saying that local governments are corrupt.

A similarity to Australian government Ministers are the Chairs of the 
Congressional Committees where the legislation is agreed. The 
Secretaries that are heads of US govt departments are like the Public 
Servant dept. secretaries here. The US doesn't have a Parliament, 
therefore there is greater separation of powers. The accountability 
is through the Congress as the oversight. The Executive branch is to 
administer the programs -- that's why they are referred to as The 
Administration. The Australian and US governments are two different approaches.

Howard said in reply:
>You just end up with a situation where the people who make the most 
>important decisions that affect the population  are totally 
>unanswerable to that population.

So where is the corruption in local government in the US?

Jan

Jan Whitaker
JLWhitaker Associates, Melbourne Victoria
jwhit at janwhitaker.com
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Writing Lesson #54:
Learn to love revision. Think of it as polishing the silver for 
guests. - JW, May, 2007

'Seed planting is often the most important step. Without the seed, 
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