On a serious note, I do worry it could turn into bribery and backfire. I've had friends from Burundi hwho told me stories like hwhenever they went in to a government office to get a passport, document, license, etc., they'd say: "Come back in five days" hwhich was code for "Give me 5000 Francs and I'll do it right away!"
You could see public servants purposely going SLOWER unless you tip them!
Also, hwhen I was a minor, I would generously tip licensed restaurant workers hwho didn't ID me hwhen I ordered alcohol. You might see DMV workers racking in big tips for issuing people licenses hwhilst ignoring their record of multiple DUIs!
Doesn't change anything. People like Boeing will tip their government contract officers the day after the mandatory ten year waiting period. The when you will get a tip is irrelevant as long as you know it's coming.
Great idea. As with all such ideas, I need to think through unintended consequences and haven't done so yet. If I have anything of value to offer, I will come back and state it.
One of my many ideas for reforming government, before I simplified everything into my Chartertopia fantasy, was that every election would include a review of every incumbent. Rate how much their last term or two years should count towards their pension, from 0 (nothing) to 5 (normal) to 10 (double). But it only rated Congress Critters.
Another was more of a department rating. Congress passes their budgets like should be normal, but they are budget caps, not mandates. The IRS tax owed is the same as always. But the taxpayer allocates that IRS tax to departments of their own choosing. If a department receives more tax than their Congressional budget, the excess is distributed to voters (which encourages voting). If a department doesn't receive as much tax as as their Congressional limit, too bad; sell assets, fire employees, cut back. And if Congress has not set a budget cap for a department, it vanishes; zero budget, zero employees, sell all its assets and distribute the revenue to voters.
I don't know how many taxpayers would allocate all their taxes to the national parks to force most of it to be distributed to voters. I suspect most taxpayers would be more "honorable" than that, simply for taking seriously their part on setting budgets.
Distribution to voters, how? Lottery, who knows. Doesn't matter.
I already tip in cash to garage men and Public Works personnel. Haven't had much to do with City Hall personnel, most of whom provide a service that could be either eliminated or replaced by the private sector
Honestly brilliant framing to compare this to tipping. The key insight is that its not about merit tracking but making unpleasantness personally costly. I dealt with a zoning office lastmonth where the clerk seemed to actively enjoy my frustration, and theres zero recourse in that scenario. The floor and ceiling caps are smart too since they prevent it from becoming punitive while still creating skin in the game.
I work for the government - if this existed it would in practice just be my extended family 'tipping' me for being related.
I am sympathetic to the idea, but this is almost certainly something you would need controls for and I am unconvinced by how effective they would be - fundamentally, unlike with tips, these are free to give and so the incentives are different in important ways.
On a serious note, I do worry it could turn into bribery and backfire. I've had friends from Burundi hwho told me stories like hwhenever they went in to a government office to get a passport, document, license, etc., they'd say: "Come back in five days" hwhich was code for "Give me 5000 Francs and I'll do it right away!"
You could see public servants purposely going SLOWER unless you tip them!
Also, hwhen I was a minor, I would generously tip licensed restaurant workers hwho didn't ID me hwhen I ordered alcohol. You might see DMV workers racking in big tips for issuing people licenses hwhilst ignoring their record of multiple DUIs!
Solution: Can't tip until 2 weeks AFTER interacting with them.
Doesn't change anything. People like Boeing will tip their government contract officers the day after the mandatory ten year waiting period. The when you will get a tip is irrelevant as long as you know it's coming.
"Any government employee would be eligible, from the TSA worker who was extra helpful to the TSA worker who was extra handsy"
Some people like their TSA workers being extra handsy! 😉
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x92ccvZCzlg
🤣🤣🤣
How about an Amazon rating system of one through five stars? That would be much cleaner and easier and probably attract many more comments.
Great idea. As with all such ideas, I need to think through unintended consequences and haven't done so yet. If I have anything of value to offer, I will come back and state it.
One of my many ideas for reforming government, before I simplified everything into my Chartertopia fantasy, was that every election would include a review of every incumbent. Rate how much their last term or two years should count towards their pension, from 0 (nothing) to 5 (normal) to 10 (double). But it only rated Congress Critters.
Another was more of a department rating. Congress passes their budgets like should be normal, but they are budget caps, not mandates. The IRS tax owed is the same as always. But the taxpayer allocates that IRS tax to departments of their own choosing. If a department receives more tax than their Congressional budget, the excess is distributed to voters (which encourages voting). If a department doesn't receive as much tax as as their Congressional limit, too bad; sell assets, fire employees, cut back. And if Congress has not set a budget cap for a department, it vanishes; zero budget, zero employees, sell all its assets and distribute the revenue to voters.
I don't know how many taxpayers would allocate all their taxes to the national parks to force most of it to be distributed to voters. I suspect most taxpayers would be more "honorable" than that, simply for taking seriously their part on setting budgets.
Distribution to voters, how? Lottery, who knows. Doesn't matter.
I already tip in cash to garage men and Public Works personnel. Haven't had much to do with City Hall personnel, most of whom provide a service that could be either eliminated or replaced by the private sector
Honestly brilliant framing to compare this to tipping. The key insight is that its not about merit tracking but making unpleasantness personally costly. I dealt with a zoning office lastmonth where the clerk seemed to actively enjoy my frustration, and theres zero recourse in that scenario. The floor and ceiling caps are smart too since they prevent it from becoming punitive while still creating skin in the game.
I work for the government - if this existed it would in practice just be my extended family 'tipping' me for being related.
I am sympathetic to the idea, but this is almost certainly something you would need controls for and I am unconvinced by how effective they would be - fundamentally, unlike with tips, these are free to give and so the incentives are different in important ways.