For years I have heard Republicans and Democrats alike – although Republicans more than Democrats – say that if only government could be run like a business everything would be fine.
They surmised that a good business person would quickly cut the fat out of the budget and get all those lazy government employees to work – maybe 12 or 16 hours a day.
All that, of course, was mostly the wish of people who wouldn't like the government no matter who was running it.
There is, however, an example right here in Tulsa. Mayor Kathy Taylor has deep business roots. She also is a lawyer. She and her husband ran a successful business.
Now she is the mayor. And, in some ways, she is running the city government much like a business. And some people, many of those who yearned for it, don't like it.
Now, this is an oversimplification of the Taylor administration, but she has shown that business side. When she sees something that needs to be done, she acts. If she wants someone on a board, she appoints them. If she thinks a purchase should be made, she gets people working on it.
A CEO of a company works much the same way. He or she might have some people to answer to, such as boards and shareholders, but for the most part he or she makes a decision, acts on it and then lets the chips fall where they may.
This doesn't always work so well in the public/political sector. A mayor's "board of directors" is pretty much a city council. The "shareholders" are the voters. Normally it takes a lot of sucking up to make all of them happy.
Now, there are problems with lifetime politicians running things, for sure. Getting the best of both worlds, however, is rare if not impossible. So, maybe it's just easier to complain about whichever one is in the office.
The detractors of Mayor Taylor gripe because she is too headstrong or moves too fast on issues or doesn't ask (beg) everyone involved for permission to do something. I suspect many of these are the same people who consistently insist that government should be run like a business.
And I suspect that they will be the same ones griping when the administration eventually changes back.
You simply can't please everyone.
