It is, but the normal assumption I've always seen made of governments is that they are a collection of those who were too dumb to make it "in the real world". At least, until that assumption becomes inconvenient for whatever point the person was trying to make.
I don't think mpyne considers people in government to be brain dead, but it's a popular stereotype here on HN - whenever people disapprove of some government policy they complain that government bureaucrats are too stupid to understand technology. See, for example, the Bitcoin foundation thread on the front page, or any court case whose outcome disappoints people.
I am well aware of the naive sentiment that can be found on *any forum/list" (not just HN) regarding the "guberment." mpyne is on the mental list of usernames that triggers my "read this comment don't merely skim" reaction. If it was a comment by a username I did not recognize I probably would not have responded.
I'm on board with the assessment that government and government agencies have some truly brilliant, dedicated people working in them.
However, some - maybe most - of those people work all day long to impede the effectiveness of others. And that's in the best governments.
I agree that we shouldn't assume that government workers are hacks.
But I think you can fairly label almost any government "stupid," when you consider how it behaves as an entity, regardless of the mixture of the people that act as its cells.
