The Ten Commandments of Red Tape

By the Decreed and Unyielding Committee on Red Tape Bureaucracy

Commandment the First: Thou Shalt Not Create a New Policy Without a 500-page Document Unless it's a really, really good idea, then make it 2000 pages.

Commandment the Second: Thou Shalt Never Answer Any Question Directly Refer the questioner to another department, or better yet, another country.

Commandment the Third: Thou Shalt Always Use 4-Color Form 27A/27B/27C Unless it's a holiday, then use 27D.

Commandment the Fourth: Thou Shalt Never, Ever, Use Plain English Unless it's a memo, then use Comic Sans.

Commandment the Fifth: Thou Shalt Always Keep a 3-inch Binder Full of Red Ink For signing and stamping and generally being bureaucratic.

Commandment the Sixth: Thou Shalt Never, Ever, Answer the Phone Directly Unless it's a collect call from your Aunt Mildred.

Commandment the Seventh: Thou Shalt Always Use the Correct Acronym Unless it's a Friday, then use the one that sounds like it.

Commandment the Eighth: Thou Shalt Create a New Form for Every Little Thing Unless it's a holiday, then use the old one.

Commandment the Ninth: Thou Shalt Never, Ever, Use a Fax Machine Unless it's a really, really, really good idea, then use a Pony Express.

Commandment the Tenth: Thou Shalt Always, Always, Always, Always, Use 2-inch Binders For storing your 500-page documents and other really important things.

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