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The True Costs of Uncertainty: Psychologically and Economically

By Carole Owens and Patrick White

Psychological Costs

We prefer to have control over our lives. We anticipate outcomes, we calculate the odds, we choose wisely, cross our fingers, wait and see. But what if you can't? What if the available facts and figures, ideas and past performance are so limited, there is nothing on which to base an educated guess?

It can leave you feeling hopeless and depressed about the days ahead. It can exaggerate the scope of the problems you face. In the worst-case scenario, it can paralyze you.

We don't want that. Between 'flood the zone," "alternative facts," and "retribution," we are taking away the ability to anticipate accurately. The irrational bases for decision making wrest control from us. This is not only the problem with uncertainty, but when done strategically, it is the evil of uncertainty.

Economic Costs

There has been a great deal of discussion lately about fraud and waste. Most agree we don't want that in our government. Identifying fraud and waste, however, is distinctly different than the scale of government destruction we are now witnessing. You don't solve problems by tearing it all down. You just don't.

The dismantling of USAID has little to do with improving efficiency. It has everything to do a policy sea change of eliminating foreign aid and nearly a century of benefits associated with it. For generations, Congress funded aid with the support of the President. This President bypassed Congress and upended our tripartite form of government. The result will be famine and the spread of disease that will start overseas and make it back to our own shores.

The disruption in the National Park Service will cost our economy thousands of jobs, not just with government workers, but with the many small business owners and staff who rely on tourism at these destinations.

The disruption at the United States Postal Service will cost our economy thousands of jobs, not just with government workers, but within the ranks of the nearly 400,000 workers employed by the commercial printing industry.

The power of the purse lies with Congress. It is being misappropriated by the Executive.

Efficiency and disruption are two very different things. The United States economy, up until now the strongest in the world, is about to see first-hand the true cost of disruption.

Bamboozled

We join together in an honest appraisal of our problems believing we are doing so in order to solve them. Our good will is being used and abused. The true reason being used to define the problems has nothing to do with solving them. It has everything to do with tearing down our form of government and the institutions that support it. In real time we are transitioning from a government of, by, and for the people to a government for the precious few. We are about to pay for our own demise. Mark our words, the price will be steep.