Bureaucracy is an example of an English word that is understood and used much more by its accepted usage than its dictionary definition, and the Asian languages aren't able to catch the more nuanced, generally used term. Most people in America would not be able to give the standard definition, "a system of government in which most of the important decisions are made by state officials rather than by elected representatives." Basically, the government system with all its layers and structures. Immediately what comes to mind, though, and I'm sure to many, is "inefficiency," "failure of government to provide a good system for the citizens to function around." Like, "The elected official promised social change and various noble ideals during the election process, but after assuming the office all those promises were drowned through government bureaucracy." I also think of red tape, jumping through hoops, and getting drowned in paperwork.
One firsthand example of government bureaucracy is the Driver's License office, which is an office run by officials not elected by the people but just put in their space, so they don't have to answer to public need and can't get voted out. And they can charge exorbitant rates on car registrations and license fees, apparently. Owning a car is expensive enough as it is with constant oil changes and gas fill-ups and unexpected repairs (I just recently bled hundreds of dollars for changing the starter because the car wouldn't start up) but then the government needs to take its cut too when registering a car (every year! for annual registration fees) depending on the state they charge for highway tax, certificate of title, and force you to go get your car inspected for smog inspections, etc. One of those costs that I wonder if I really need to incur if I had already registered my car in another state....why not just keep the other state's registration?
Another government bureaucracy is the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, which is currently processing MJ's application for permanent green card. It's been a lengthy process with lots of long pauses and ghosting by USCIS only to give sudden deadlines when we've been lulled into inaction. Kind of like trying to get a date with a supermodel or get an appointment with the President. The whole process is still done through snail mail, which is the first sure sign of government bureaucracy, not being allowed to send anything through email despite their request for numerous photos, lease agreements, financial paperwork, affidavits from friends and family, everything that is found on my computer and would be much easier to be sent with a click (or several clicks) of a button instead of having to harm the environment, waste toner, waste sheets of paper, envelopes and mailing fees (all shouldered by yours truly by the way). There are no phone numbers, no emails, no communication other than an address to send all the necessary paperwork, as if it's some top-secret organization with high level security clearance that they can't be seen talking to you or even heard talking to you on the phone. It's a frustrating process, but we finally sent off our information to prove that our marriage is valid this week. Also frustrating because it's hard to prove through pieces of paper and pictures and stories from friends that we are in a bona fide marriage, but anyone who knows us and also we ourselves know it's true and legitimate. On that part of it, I get that there are many fraudulent marriages and people trying to go the "green card marriage" route, so I'll accept those negative externalities of being grouped with those people, but the bureaucratic process of it just reminds me how much dealing with a government organization that has no incentive to be nice to its customers (we're not paying them, or are we through taxes?) is a pain.
I wonder if rich people have to deal with all this bureaucracy even though they collectively through their corporations own America and its political leaders (both the Republican and Democratic parties accept tons of money on them and provide them every benefit they can like skimming all the money from the PPP loans due to the pandemic). I feel like it's just the little guys like me who get taken advantage of by the system but then have to play by the rules of its bureaucratic process. And then when we go to the polls (in just a month!) we only get 2 viable choices, a.) a party that represents corporate interests, and b.) another party that represents corporate interests. Can I just vote to make the DMV less paintful and screw everyday citizens less?
Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
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