Bureaucracy

:“Bernard: “I’ll just say, ‘The Minister has asked me to thank you for your letter’ and something like ‘The matter is under consideration’, or even ‘under active consideration’.”
:Hacker: “What’s the difference?”
:Bernard: “Well, ‘under consideration’ means we’ve lost the file, ‘under active consideration’ means we’re trying to find it.” ”—Yes, Minister
By dealing with social programs and public servants, you can spin red tape, bypass rules and regulations or twist bureaucratic regimentation to your advantage. Bureaucracy is useful in operating or shutting down businesses, faking or acquiring permits and identification papers and manipulating public utilities and facilities. Government clerks at the city and county level, utility workers, road crews, surveyors and other civil servants are potential contacts or allies.
Typical German efficiency has united all of your bureaucracy needs under one roof. This office is called the Burgeramt (Citizen’s Office), responsible for all personal and commercial documents, permits, and licensing. A universal service provider (Grundversorger) supplies electricity and gas, which is automatically connected for every household. Consumers are free to choose alternatives to the Grundversorger if they so wish. Immigration services are operated by the Foreigner’s Registration Office. Germany has mandatory statutory and private health insurance. Social security is available for pensioners, child care, invalidity and unemployment.
==Status==
••••• Chief Secretary
•••• Undersecretary, Head of Department or Division
••• Supervisor, Head of the Civil Servant’s Union, Policy Consultant, Secretary of powerful Commission or Regulatory Committee
•• Senior Administrative Officer, Tenured Civil Servant, Secretary of obscure Commission or Regulatory Committee
• Clerical Staff, Bureaucratic drone
==Tasks==
===Level 1===
:Trace utility bills
:Expedite bureaucratic enquiries (cutting Downtime by number of dots in Influence)
===Level 2===
:Fake a West German birth certificate, identity card, or driver’s license.
:Disconnect a single small residence’s utilities
:Close a small road or park
:Get public aid (Resource 2)
===Level 3===
:Fake a West German death certificate, passport or visa.
:Close a public school for a single day
:Shut down a minor business on a violation
:Persuade the department to overlook a minor violation.
===Level 4===
:Initiate a phone tap
:Fake land deeds
:Initiate a department-wide investigation
:Persuade the department to overlook a major violation.
:Redirect department budget (Resource 4).
===Level 5===
:Start, stop or alter a city-wide program or policy
:Shut down a big business on a violation
:Rezone areas
:Obliterate records of a person on a city or county level
Category:Influence