Recently a franchise buyer who works in a government agency contacted our franchise company for opportunities. In doing so he told us that civil servants were hard working and honest and that politicians were bad. He told us how he had put together a team of folks who could run a franchised outlet because they had experience in government running things.

I laughed because government doesn't run anything very well. Well they are good at running some things such as running people around in circles at the Department of Motor Vehicles or running small companies out of business because of some inane regulation and form that someone forgot or had no clue they had to fill out in the first place.

My thoughts were, why on Earth would I want to allow anyone who has experience in the government to be part of our company? After all they cannot do anything right and I would rather them stay as far away from my company as possible. Why would a private company wish to allow infiltration of bureaucratic insurgents? There is no way you can win a battle for market share in the real world with that sort of perspective.

When I explained this to the gentleman, he could not understand and said he disagreed and indicated that 80% of those civil servants are hard working, good and honest people just doing their job? Well, that is what the International Terrorists say as they strap a bomb to them selves to disrupt our civilization, trash our economy and cause the demise of innocent people.

Of course he was taken a back by my realistic observations and he said I had misjudged the civil servants and their work ethic. I have only one comment for such folks, as they just do not get it; if they really believe this; may I ask. What coffee pot are you standing at? Think on how beautiful a small government would be; more on this in 2006.