[jasonwocky]

> Rules & regulations (often in law) have built up over time to protect against corruption & failure

Having worked for NYC and become familiar with their vendor selection processes, I often wonder if the costs of corruption prevention (both direct and opportunity costs) often outweigh their benefits.

For one thing, the vendor certification process costs quite a bit of time and effort on the part of their potential vendors, which rules out a lot of smaller (perhaps more efficient) entities in favor of bigger corporations who have the resources to jump through the hoops.

The Tweed Courthouse may be one of the most corrupt structures ever built, but at least it's beautiful and it got done.