So, I need to get a vehicle titled. I have the title, signed, a title application, signed. I knew I needed proof of insurance or I couldn’t get a title, so I did. Last week, I drove to the county clerk’s office, parked, walked inside, and was told that no title applications were being processed because the system was down. So I left.

Today I drove back to the county clerk’s office, got a number in the queue, waited (not long), got called to an agent, sat down and was told that because the seller didn’t sign in the right place, I’d have to have them do so and come back. So I left.

So here’s the deal. I’ve now made 2 round trips to the county clerk’s office (burnt fuel), which I have zero need or desire to do unless required. I’m not a professional buyer or seller so I don’t deal with this paperwork often so I don’t reflexively know what needs to be signed or where. Now I have to put this title application in the mail send it to the seller (used paper and fuel), have them sign and return it (used paper and fuel), then make a 3rd trip to the county clerk’s office (burnt fuel), all because a 70 year old man (the seller) didn’t sign a document in the right place and I (the buyer), not being well versed in the ways of government documentation, didn’t catch it.

So let’s multiply this by the hundreds, thousands, or even millions of transactions per day. People making unnecessary trips, using unnecessary fuel, unnecessary paper, unnecessary ink, unnecessary stamps, unnecessary electricity, all because a T isn’t crossed or an I isn’t dotted. And most big government advocates claim to be concerned about the environment?!