How many monkeys does it take to run a government office?

Have you ever had the wonderful opportunity to deal with any government office? It may be the DMV, DHS, or a child support office. I've been in all three, and I have to wonder WHERE do they find the people who work in these offices? And WHY do these people not communicate with each other, let alone YOU and YOUR problem? In a perfect world, government workers can answer your questions fully and completely when you ask them. In reality, they hardly know how to operate their computers! Think I'm joking? I actually had to SHOW one person in the child support office how to move from one screen to the next, so she could enter a payment! Come on!

What gives anyway? Are these people trained to be elusive, uncommunicative, and rude? Or do the qualifications for the job require these attributes? I have watched, from the sidelines, these people deal with customers/clients. Rudeness and superiority seem to be the order of any day. I realize many people defraud government plans with false information, but others are there because they actually NEED the help! I watched, with growing rage, the treatment of an elderly lady who simply wanted information regarding Medicare and the forms necessary to update her status. The reception lady huffed and puffed as if she was being asked to empty a dirty washtub, spoke to this woman as if the lady were three years old, then proceeded to tell her the information she wanted was available online. The elderly lady tried to tell her (the receptionist) that she didn't have a computer but was cut short when the receptionist actually closed the glass window in the lady's face! I was raised in a time period when politeness and consideration for the elderly was a given, and children who did not exercise these manners were disciplined severely. The lady looked as if someone had just kicked her in the head! I promptly stepped up to the window, opened it somewhat forcefully, and demanded to see her supervisor! When the supervisor came forward, I informed him of what I had witnessed! (It's a wonder I wasn't arrested! I wasn't exactly courteous in my diatribe!) The supervisor quickly found the forms for the elderly lady AND sat with her helping to fill them out. I learned later the receptionist received a slap on the wrist for her behavior! Not even a write-up! If you or I acted that way on the job, we would be fired instantly!

This episode prompted me to learn what was necessary to acquire a government job. First step: Apply online! Now what if you don't have access to a computer? Too bad, too sad! Onward! Next step: take the required test for the position. I traveled to the state capital offices for this step. I went through so many security checkpoints I felt like a criminal! When I finally sat down to the test, I found it to be on the level of a high school equivalency test...simple with easy to follow directions. I completed the test in about 2 hours, surprising the proctor with my speed. Step three: WAIT! Some three weeks later, I learned my score on the test was 92 (I probably lost the 8 points in the math section...have always hated math), which placed me in the upper levels of the "registry" from which government offices searched for new employees. SIX weeks later, I received a call, an email, and a letter (all in the same day!) inviting me for an interview. When I called the number given, suddenly I was a queen! I was smart, energetic, bright, compassionate, and courteous! I had my pick of government jobs!

Do I work for the government? Nope! Had I waited for the government people to do their jobs in a timely fashion, I would have been out on the street and starving! Like any sensible person, I got a job! When I told this to the lady on the phone, she quickly assured me my application would remain right where it was until I was ready to work for the government...on the top of the registry with choice of jobs! Nice to know!

Will I ever work for the government? Honestly, I really cannot say. On the one hand, I would love to walk into one of those offices, work my way up to supervisor, and FIRE every rude person working there. On the other hand, given what I have witnessed in these offices, I would probably be fired within a week for refusing to be rude, uncommunicative, and elusive. But, if we, the people, are going to avail ourselves of these services, shouldn't we have the right...indeed, the obligation!...to ensure the workers serving the public know their jobs, are communicative and efficient, and, most of all, COURTEOUS?

Open for comments! Let the discusion begin!