Pournelle's Iron Law of Bureaucracy

I know I've quoted Jerry Pournelle before, but I have to do it again, because if you've ever dealt with, been frustrated by, or just care about our government agencies, this is important information to know:

"Pournelle's Iron Law of Bureaucracy states that in any bureaucratic organization there will be two kinds of people: those who work to further the actual goals of the organization, and those who work for the organization itself. Examples in education would be teachers who work and sacrifice to teach children, vs. union representative who work to protect any teacher including the most incompetent. The Iron Law states that in all cases, the second type of person will always gain control of the organization, and will always write the rules under which the organization functions."

Jerry says when growing up in the South, he was considered a radical liberal. Living in CA, he's considered a radical conservative. This without ever changing his views. ;-)