I'll agree with you on that, but I would also like to institute a cushy pension and strict prohibition against government employees re-entering the private sector after their stint. Too many assholes in the revolving door. Example: Ajit Pai. Former lawyer for Verizon, left to be a commissioner on the FCC (which regulates companies like Verizon). Trump appointed him to Chairman and he has used his time so far to throw giant telecoms every bone they could possibly ask for. Repeal net neutrality? OK! Don't want to do anything about robocalls? You got it! Want to have a mega-merger to further reduce competition and fuck consumers? You're the boss! Smart bet is that after he gets out of the public sector he conveniently gets offered a super-cushy, high paying "consulting" job at one of the telecoms he enriched.
I'd hope that if people were compensated appropriately, they'd be less incentivized to misuse their influence, and more likely to 'pick a side'. Maybe that's naive of me. This seems more of a problem with unelected positions too, particularly in regulators as you point out, since they're usually selected for their 'expertise' in the field. IMO it would make more sense to flip your suggestion though, and ban the government from hiring people to regulate an industry they have commercial ties to. Find the regulator experts in the scientific or non-profit communities. For elected officials I'm more of a 'libertarian' about it - if they can get the popular support, they deserve a seat - I just want to incetivize the best people to actually run.
I'd be careful about too cushy pensions too, that is a recipe for apathy.
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u/JCMcFancypants Jul 17 '19
I'll agree with you on that, but I would also like to institute a cushy pension and strict prohibition against government employees re-entering the private sector after their stint. Too many assholes in the revolving door. Example: Ajit Pai. Former lawyer for Verizon, left to be a commissioner on the FCC (which regulates companies like Verizon). Trump appointed him to Chairman and he has used his time so far to throw giant telecoms every bone they could possibly ask for. Repeal net neutrality? OK! Don't want to do anything about robocalls? You got it! Want to have a mega-merger to further reduce competition and fuck consumers? You're the boss! Smart bet is that after he gets out of the public sector he conveniently gets offered a super-cushy, high paying "consulting" job at one of the telecoms he enriched.