Bureaucratic duplicity.

• Author: Peters, Charles
• Position: Tilting at Windmills

One reform proposed by the Department of Homeland Security may make sense: combining the jobs of the customs, immigration, and agriculture inspectors. I don't know enough to know about the merits of the agriculture-inspector part, but when you come into this country you have to wonder why you always have to deal with two different sets of people in Customs and Immigration, when one person could look at your passport and luggage and ask the questions that need to be asked.

When I worked for the Peace Corps, I was asked to conduct a study to see if there were some headquarters jobs that could be eliminated. What I...