Cape cod Quote by John Micklethwait
““there is some evidence that governments are getting even more sluggish. It took America four years to build the Golden Gate Bridge, starting in 1933, and fifteen years to build the bulk of the Interstate Highway System, starting in 1956. As Philip Howard points out, a project to build a wind farm near Cape Cod has already been under scrutiny for a decade while seventeen agencies studied it, and it could well be under scrutiny for another decade, while eighteen lawsuits wind their way through the courts.12 Governments are devoting ever more resources to fulfilling inherited obligations rather than investing in the future.””
About This Quote
Source Article: Financial Times column, date unknown
Government projects become increasingly slow and costly, diverting resources from future investments.
In simple terms: Bureaucracy slows progress and wastes resources.
Key Takeaway
Demand efficiency and future‑focused spending.
Themes
bureaucracy
inefficiency
public policy
resource allocation
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
policy
commentary
When to use this quote
- government agencies
- large‑scale construction
- energy projects
Key Concepts
infrastructure planning
regulatory reform
budget prioritization
Questions to Reflect On
- What reforms could streamline approvals?
- How to balance oversight with agility?
A Different Perspective
Complex problems often need more than speed alone.
