How Government Really Works

Two articles in today's Post show how government really works:

• one covers the implementation of the rules of 28 states on health insurance covering contraception.  Turns out the states have loopholes and vague provisions, and provisions which aren't really enforced, which means the Catholic organizations who were/are yelling about the Obama administration's requirements were able to live with what really happened at the local level.
• the other covers the implementation of the law requiring reservists to get their job back when they return from active duty.  Turns out some reservists don't get their job back, and sometimes it's the federal government which fails to follow the law.

Some points:

•  the way our government is designed, the multiple layers (local, state, federal) mean "liberty" is protected. (I put "liberty" in quotes because I could as easily write "disorder".)
• some laws are more signal than reality.  That was a lesson from my sociology prof who cited the case of laws against prostitution. There's still prostitutes.  Or speeding, there's still speeding.  
• no one doubts President Obama wants veterans looked after, but it's a big government so gaps between executive intent and actual execution can be great.