Quick Next Question by Life Story Magic follow-up. I buried the “sneak preview” for next week’s question deep in the email yesterday, and quite a few people said they looked for it but didn’t spot it.
Anyway, if you’re interested, here’s the link to check it out ahead of next week—and possibly share your answer.
An ode to bureaucracy
I’ve had a lot of jobs. Like, a lot of jobs.
One of them—which seems in retrospect like a not-very-good fit, but it’s funny where life takes you—was “government tax lawyer.”
Yes, I spent years at this, first as a trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice, Tax Division in Washington, and then for the IRS Counsel’s office in several cities.
In hindsight, I was a very good lawyer, but the bureaucracy really got me. It just doesn’t fit my personality and values.
But, on Extension Tax Day 2026 (that’s today, for those of us who seem to be on extension every year)—and frankly in the midst of an era in which people seem to go out of their way to hate on government workers—it seems like a chance to acknowledge and reflect that there is value in bureaucracy, even if I’d like to minimize my personal involvement going forward.
I’ve probably known hundreds of government workers. Many were inspiring people dedicated to a lifetime of public service. Others were talented men and women who wanted to get some credibility in their fields before heading to the private sector.
(Of course, some were clock-watching, unmotivated lifers who sucked the life out of everything and dragged everyone else down with them. I try not to think about them too much, but they deserve a mention.)
Anyway, I can think of at least five lessons that the system in which they toil can teach the rest of us.
1. Take the long view.
On my first day of orientation at a federal government job many years ago, a group of workers leading the program went around the room, reciting how many years they’d worked there (and how long they had to go until retirement).
Granted, counting down years isn’t exactly the most motivating way to welcome a bunch of new employees. But if I can look at it positively, it drove home an important point: Careers are long.
And, to quote H.G. Wells, “The crisis of today is the joke of tomorrow.”
2. Work to live.
Sure, some government workers seem as if their jobs are the culmination of a lifelong dream. But more prevalent in my experience were those people who wanted to do a good job, but then go home to be with their families and enjoy other parts of life.
It’s 10 p.m. on a Wednesday evening as I write this, and I admit I could probably learn a little something about work-life balance.
Heck, according to Walter Isaacson’s book, even Steve Jobs didn’t wish at the end that he’d spent more time at the office. So, lesson learned (again).
3. Put process over results (at least sometimes).
One of the hardest things for me personally working for the government was the sense that process mattered more than results.
But, I grew to appreciate this (if not to enjoy it). Suppose you’re applying for a government benefit, or you’re on the receiving end of a government investigation.
The best you can likely hope for is that the government employee assigned will apply a fair process, remove all bias, and work without any preferred outcome in mind.
4. Put fairness first.
Government decisions can sometimes seem capricious. But in terms of how it treats its employees, the government often bends over backward to be more than fair.
In fact, I think that’s why a lot of government workers choose to continue working for the government in the first place.
That’s not a bad lesson to take into any business : Treat employees fairly, and they’ll generally respond better, appreciate work more, and stick around.
5. Sometimes, good enough is, well, good enough.
Maybe you’ve heard the phrase, “good enough for government.“ My Constitutional Law professor at the University of Connecticut (a state school) used to say it when he felt like he’d run out of steam trying to lead us in a discussion.
But, I think it’s a good reminder. And, it reminds me of a quote from one government worker in particular, the late General George S. Patton: “A good plan executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week.”
Anyway, this October 15, kiss a government worker. (If you dare; it’s better than cursing them). And let me know what you think in the comments.
Other things worth knowing …
NYT: Nearly five years into its fight for national survival, Ukraine has entered a moment of intense vulnerability, under growing pressure from both Russia and the United States. A double blow came Wednesday, as Ukraine said that its military, without warning, lost access to a U.S. military version of Starlink that it relies on for battlefield communications. At the same time, Russia unleashed dozens of ballistic missiles in a broad attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, cutting power to 600,000 people in the capital, Kyiv.
AFP via Yahoo Finance: US consumer inflation was hotter than anticipated in September, government data showed Wednesday, as Washington’s war with Tehran pushed energy costs higher, deepening strains on American households ahead of next month’s midterm elections. The consumer price index rose 3.7 percent year-on-year in September.
Pew Research: Roughly 60% of Americans say they do not currently have enough income to lead the kind of life they want; 53% say they do not have emergency funds that would cover their expenses for three months; 27% cannot pay some of their monthly bills or can only make partial payments; and 32% say they worry every day or almost every day about the cost of healthcare and the amount of debt they have, according to a new study.
WaPo via Yahoo | Forbes: An ethics watchdog filed a complaint with the California State Bar Association seeking an investigation into new White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia’s claims that she is an attorney, following reports that she is not licensed to practice law in any state. Zacharia allegedly said in at least 18 TV appearances from February 2025 through October 2026 that she is a lawyer. “The repetition and breadth of these statements weigh heavily in favor of investigation,” the complaint says.
WSJ: Many of the ingredients needed to cause a fall in U.S. home prices are in place, except for the one that really matters: owners who are desperate to sell. Buyers have gained bargaining power lately, but many owners are delisting their homes in record numbers if they don’t get the prices they want. In September, 6.1% of sellers pulled their property off the market after failing to get an acceptable offer.
Yahoo News: Social Security and SSI benefits will increase by 3.6% in 2027 for more than 72 million people, the Social Security Administration announced today. The cost-of-living adjustment is the biggest since 2023 and means, on average, retirement benefits will rise by $75 a month.
NBC News: Joni Mitchell can see both sides of the U.S.-Canada border freely now. The famed Canadian singer-songwriter shared a major milestone with fans on Tuesday, posing with an American flag to reveal she is officially a U.S. citizen. She also shared a clip of her citizenship ceremony in the Instagram post. “A journey that began 62 years ago,” Mitchell’s caption said.
Thanks for reading. Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash. Today’s edition was Lower Power Mode, and if you knew that already, I love you. See you in the comments!
In retirement we volunteer weekly at our local national wildlife refuge. The rangers in the state refuges here work chronically understaffed, and absent the many great volunteers I've met, visitor experience and routine trail maintenance would quickly begin to degrade. The work ethic, dedication and depth of knowledge of the rangers as they motivate and organize us and everything else in the refuges are exemplary. No detail escapes their oversight.
In my former career managing hundreds of people, I would have been fortunate to hire any of our rangers. My granddaughters are in awe of our local ranger. She inspires in them a love for beautiful wild places and helps us learn the complexity and mystery of interconnected nature. We are lucky to know her.