Illness. First problem is that there's a virtual (so far non combat) civil war in this country to day. Fortunately, it only afflicts about 15% or so of the fringe elements on each side. The political divide is pretty significant for those elements and the leaners. This isn't a political blog and I only mention that to point out that the two poles in Congress would each agree to that scheme only if their agenda were followed. I doubt we can get there.
Regardless, that's still applying the fix to the symptom.
Most federal employees want to do a good job. Most of the problems in the Federal service, military and civilian, are caused by the ludicrous budgeting process that pits agencies against each other and the overweening bureaucracy that stifles -- even punishes -- initiative and deters rational decision making. Congress has passed many laws governing federal agency operations and they are as bad as the Tax Code. Congress has insisted the Federal government stick its nose into many areas of State and Local responsibility. We thus have a federal government that is marginally competent because it is forced to try to be everything to everyone.
If you want to 'fix' the "bureaucratic torpor and intellectual retardation of the Interagency as a whole," You will only be successful if you fix Congress. The suggested approach will be co-opted by Congress as quickly it it appears to be reaching some success.
Good luck on getting them to give up an iota of power. Until the American voter gets fed up and consistently votes incumbents out of office and those yo-yos realize they finally have lost their sinecure, there's little hope for much improvement. Congress is the ultimate arbiter of the staus quo -- they pay for it and reward it for not rocking the boat.
To get rid of sclerotic bureaucracy, you have to fix the heart and the arteries, not the hands and feet.
Bookmarks