It’s an idea we take for granted, but do people truly understand the issues conservatives have with government.

1. Government workers are not accountable.

We think of government workers as the politicians we elect, but that’s a small fraction of government workers. Most government workers are bureaucrats that work behind desks creating or enforcing rules with no accountability.

In the private sector, business thrive or fail based on how well they serve their customers. A business can deliver a great product, but if they fail on customer service, it could put them under. One unforeseen twist of fate can put someone out of business.

And it’s not just businesses but employees. If you don’t do your job well, you can easily lose your job, which means a stoppage in flow of income, but also potentially lost health insurance, as well.

When government employees don’t do the job well, there is no consequence. Generally speaking, government workers simply don’t lose their job. Which brings me to number two.

2. Government unions protect poor workers.

In the private sector, people negotiate their employment deals with their employers. They agree on things like salary, benefits, stock options, work hours, etc.

But government workers belong to totally unnecessary public unions. Think of it: Unions were formed to protect workers from unfair labor practices. The government stepped in and created laws to prevent employers from exploiting employees. Since then, the number of private industry unions has dwindled to almost nothing. But there are still government unions.

Why would there need to be a union for government employees when the very government they work for created and passed laws protecting them?

3. Government workers salaries are guaranteed.

This goes along with accountability, but there is no incentive for a government employee to go above and beyond, creatively problem solve, or go the extra mile to serve his or her customers.

No matter what a government worker does, their salary will be there. As long as we collect taxes and/or print money, the government worker never has to worry about their next check. Meanwhile, private employees can be laid off if the business doesn’t do well, or individual employees can lose jobs if their department is under-performing.

Even when the government shuts down, government workers get paid (or inevitably get paid).

4. Government workers avoid the exceptional.

Not all problems are common, and not all rules fit neatly into every situation. Government workers are notoriously poor at dealing with unique or unusual problems. In fact, one could argue they work hardest at refusing to do something exceptional.

When private citizens bring unusual and complex problems that don’t follow the normal playbook, nearly all government bureaucrats will recite the rules, make a point of saying they can’t do anything exceptional to help you, and move you along without a solution. Which brings me to point five.

5. Government workers forget who their bosses are.

By definition, government workers work for us: private citizens. If it weren’t for the involuntary and arbitrary tax amounts we all pay to the government, government workers wouldn’t have jobs. That’s what makes the aforementioned so aggravating and frustrating for, well, nearly everyone.

Government workers answer to us, and we’d like to see some care, some pride in the work, and some results. Too often, bureaucrat at city halls and other government services treat us like we’re the problem, and we’re bothering them by showing up.

From now on, I’d like to see my government offices treat me like they’re deathly afraid of losing my business. God knows, I pay more for their services than I do any other single entity in my daily life. It’s time I got my money’s worth.

By their nature, conservatives like taking risks, demand accountability, and love creativity. It’s why they love entrepreneurs and people who take chances. Conservatives love interesting problems because they love creative problem solving. And they love the free market. They love people earning what they make and getting what they deserve.

All of this is antithetical to the entire structure of the government.