The Need for Approval

I'm continually baffled in US Government Land why *sooooooo* many people insist that they have to have "approval authority" on just about everything, yet they won't lift a finger to do anything that actually constitutes an approval.  We make it easy for them...go to this web page, click this button, voila, you're done.  But no!  That's too hard!  They'd rather just pretend they are in The Music Man (that's a musical / movie, for you young 'uns) using the "think method" of approvals.  You know, maybe they're walking to the bathroom, and mid-belch (or worse) they think idly to themselves, "I approve", and magically that thought should float through the universe and psychically into the minds of the people waiting for the approvals.

But you know guys, it doesn't work that way.

Here's a thought.  How about we let you play the evil Archbishop in Pillars of the Earth? Take a couple of minutes, put on a nice looking robe thing and a skullcap or whatever you prefer, wave your arms in the air, and do the equivalent of his te absolvo - you know, just do a blanket approval of all transgressions, er, I mean work requests, past and future.   Do it in front of *me*, and I'll duly note it in the Department of Rubber Stamps that you always approve, and you won't ever be bothered again.  Really.

I think this could work.

And before you're done playing Archbishop, please go back to your room and flagellate yourself with some nasty looking cat o'nine tails thing, just for me.