Liberal bureaucracy and the free market

I've been Regional Secretary for two years now, and was beginning to assume that it was a job that nobody else wanted. On Wednesday, my assumption was somewhat unexpectedly shaken when, in seeking nominations, I found that I am opposed for the post this year. Havard Hughes, our now former Chair of the Regional Policy Committee, indicated that he wanted the job and my initial response was to let him have it. I'm not particularly desperate to prevent someone else from doing something they want to do, and it would potentially free up my time... However, I was talked out of withdrawing my nomination and we have a contest.

Bureaucracy and competition are not the most obvious words to associate, but if you're a free market liberal as I am, then it seems only fair that even bureaucrats should face the chill wind of competition. I'm allowed 100 words for my manifesto and, I freely admit, it hasn't come easily. Do I defend my record, or should I make promises? If the latter, why didn't I do such things in my previous terms? Is my record that good?

Oh well, I suppose that I ought to get on with it. In the meantime, here is an alternative manifesto, courtesy of Joni Mitchell...

"The way I see it," he said,

"You just can't win it

Everybody's in it for their own gain

You can't please 'em all

There's always somebody calling you down"

I do my best

And I do good business

There's a lot of people asking

for my time

They're trying to get ahead

They're trying to be a good

friend of mine

I was a free man in Paris

I felt unfettered and alive

There was nobody calling me

up fo favours

And no one's future to decide

You know I'd go back there tomorrow

But for the work I've taken on

Stoking the star maker machinery

Behind the popular song

Unfortunately, it exceeds my hundred-word limit...