Yesterday, I had to renew my driver's license, renew my passport, and ask a question about social security and medicare yesterday. So I interacted with not one but three different sets of bureaucrats, one state and 2 federal. I was not looking forward to any of the above.

To a person, in all 3 cases, they were friendly, helpful, and amazingly polite with smiles on their faces. Must be something in the local water......

Or, their guaranteed annual raises came through.

George

Coulda' just been a dream. You sure you're awake?

Possibly "pod people" you did check for pods? Right?


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The social security people I've dealt with have been sharp.

What I've noticed with passport / immigration is that the best are working within our borders; the rejects are working in our embassies and consulates around the world. I always thought that was the only reason they had 3" of glass between you and them, because you want to grab them by the neck after about two minutes of them providing you totally inaccurate information.

Gatorgordo: You are confusing bureaucrats with the 'worker bees'. Most public servants dealing with the public are good folks attempting to do their best, IMHO. Of course, there are the 'five percenters' who are present in every occupation that sully the reputations for the rest of the 95%.

quote:

Originally posted by Shootshellz:
Gatorgordo: You are confusing bureaucrats with the 'worker bees'. Most public servants dealing with the public are good folks attempting to do their best, IMHO. Of course, there are the 'five percenters' who are present in every occupation that sully the reputations for the rest of the 95%.

First of all, I consider anyone in a bureaucratic structure that the usually suffering public has to deal with as a bureaucrat. The usual definition agrees with me. In short, they are all bureaucrats if they are in the structure and have anything to do with applying the rules and regulations to the public.

Second, I consider my pleasant experiences with not one but three separate sets of bureaucrats to be so amazing, as my heading indicates, so contrary to my normal experiences that I found it worthy of note. Usually dealing with one will give me the urge to reach across the counter or whatever and choke the shit out of them and the internal conflict of not doing so usually leaves me with a headache . It may not be their fault, but they are the ones on the front line and the ones I have to deal with. A pleasant experience with even one is an instance of note, 3 in a row is nearly a miracle.

Many years ago, I well remember waiting in line over 2 hours in an immigration office, getting to the front, and being told "Oh, you'll have to go to that (equally long) line over there." when all it would have taken was a simple handwritten sign to clarify the situation. That's when I hired a lawyer.......(with a nod towards lavaca). I was lucky I didn't have to hire him to defend me in an assault case.

If we got rid of many of the myriad of rules and regulations that cause the myriad of "public servants" the US and the suffering public would be better off IMO.

Of course, I agree with you that some bureaucrats are simply doing their best but I think you've got the percentages backwards or nearly so, it would be more like 5% doing their best, and 95% grumbling through their day.

To be fair, I imagine that some of the public would make me want to choke the shit out of them if I was on the other side of the table as well.

Gatorgordo: You are confusing those who make the rules (bureaucrats) with those who apply the rules ('worker bees'). Have you ever considered that some public servants at times would also like to choke the life out of most of the citizens they serve? The vast majority, though, treat citizens with respect and dignity in a helpful matter. Your claim that 95% of public servants are rude/disrespectful/uncaring is way off the mark. Makes me wonder about YOUR attitude whenever you deal with same......

quote:

Originally posted by Shootshellz:
Gatorgordo: You are confusing those who make the rules (bureaucrats) with those who apply the rules ('worker bees'). Have you ever considered that some public servants at times would also like to choke the life out of most of the citizens they serve? The vast majority, though, treat citizens with respect and dignity in a helpful matter. Your claim that 95% of public servants are rude/disrespectful/uncaring is way off the mark. Makes me wonder about YOUR attitude whenever you deal with same......

If you could understand the common usage of the term, you would find that you are the one who is confused, not I. Let me save you the trouble of looking it up since you apparently don't know the term: (bold emphasis mine)

BTW your attitude as clearly illustrated by your posts is EXACTLY the attitude the long suffering public gets when it deals with bureaucrats.

quote:

bu·reau·crat
ˈbyo͝orəˌkrat/Submit
noun
1.
an official in a government department, in particular one perceived as being concerned with procedural correctness at the expense of people's needs.
synonyms: official, officeholder, administrator, public servant, civil servant, functionary;

Gatorgordo: Your crummy attitude is EXACTLY why public servants (NOT BUREAUCRATS) cringe whenever folks like you approach their counter. You remind me of the elderly man driving the wrong way on the freeway. When his wife heard the news on the radio she called her husband on his cellphone. 'Going the wrong way on the freeway you say? Hel*, there are hundreds of them!'. By the way, the only attitude you can ever change is YOURS.

It took you 10 days to answer....you obviously are a well-trained bureaucrat.

Gatogordo..... in the last 3 weeks, ive had to do my drivers license, my ID card, a birth certificate and a social security card... in all cases, I was prepared with the proper documents and all went well.... I was pleased....

The sun shines on a dogs ass some days. I deal with public employees on a daily basis the helpful ones are a rarity, to find one that knows their job and has a good attitude is definitely worth commenting on.

quote:

Originally posted by Gatogordo:
It took you 10 days to answer....you obviously are a well-trained bureaucrat.

10-4 Charlie!

I just recently had dealings with the passport Maroons. I went to the post office were they have a separate room where all they do all day long is take passport photos and send off for you to get a passport renew etc. Anyway I went to renew. They tooka picture sent everything off and money order etc. THey sent it back saying the photo was unacceptable. This place takes these pictures all day long and I was wearing a leather jacket. Why in the world is that not acceptable?