An Interview with Joe Carson

What makes a person believe they understand a non-fiction problem to such a degree they decide to spend four years writing a book about it? First, there has to be a need for the story—to make people want to read it. I believe the first complete story of red tape: a condition that has existed in the administration of government at all levels and in all democracies for literally centuries, a very real problem that threatens democracy as a form of governance and a problem that impacts all people meets the need of a story to be told.

Diagnosis Red Tape – A Fading Trust in the Administration of Government is the culmination of a lifetime of experience that started during my education which resulted in me becoming a Chartered Professional Accountant with a master’s degree in business administration. It was during this time I became exposed to the gratitude shown by other people when course material in taxation and audit was explained to them. It led to my second career lecturing post-secondary courses for twenty-five years. There are few things better than seeing the light bulb go on when a student comprehends something new.

It is said when a person chooses the path of least resistance, they will live a life of mediocrity, frustration, and regret. I believe there is some truth to the statement unless the person has the ability and the conviction to take what they have learned and try to use it for the betterment of all people. Then, their efforts are not lost.

My forty-year career with all levels of government administration started by following a path of least resistance when I accepted my first job with the Canada Revenue Agency (Canada’s version of the IRS) without ever having to apply for it. I learned there were far too many tax rules for anyone to understand. I also learned there were times when people would place ill-advised trust in “professionals” to handle tax matters. I decided I didn’t want to be one of the 50,000 employees of the CRA explaining and applying tax compliance to people who had no hope of understanding or, for the most part, objecting to what was being done to them.

Again, the path of least resistance showed up when I accepted an offer to be the assistant administrator of a town because the administrator believed I answered his tax questions in a straightforward and understandable fashion. Municipal administration opened my eyes to mandatory compliance with rules not just related to revenue generation but also to the siloed approach of government spending. Even at the local level, there were far too many rules for people to understand. I was also introduced to the politics of government where 51% gets to “lead” all of the people and it led me back home.

Hearing of my return, the path of least resistance again intervened and I accepted an offer with the Revenue Division of Saskatchewan Finance. While sales tax replaced income tax, I believed it to be a fairer system because it was taxation based on consumption. That said, again there were far too many tax rules for anyone to understand. I also witnessed the politics of government having an impact on mandatory compliance at the provincial level of governance.

After thirty years in government administration, I was thinking about life outside of government when yes, the path of least resistance intervened one last time. I was offered the opportunity to oversee the provincial government’s efforts to reduce red tape.

With renewed energy and the knowledge of the existence of far too many rules, a strategic approach was taken to address the issue. Education and the development of tools to assist government in understanding best practices in regulatory governance led to over $400 million in savings in four years.

Once again though, the 51% of government leadership intervened, as is its choice.

It led to several epiphanies. The path of least resistance does lead to mediocrity and frustration. I felt my career choice was like a continuous loop to nowhere. But then I realized my career had given me a unique insight into the operation of government at all levels. The administration of government, by not changing, was also following the path of least resistance and the resulting mediocrity had created the monster that is red tape.

With the support of my wife and family, writing the book is not an ending; it is the beginning. With the time I have left, I want to educate the public in Canada, the USA, and all other democracies. I want to let them know their very public at times lack of trust in the administration of government is well founded.

I also want them to know there is an understandable and workable solution that will benefit all people now and for future generations. Finally, I have determined my own path.

Tell us the story of your book’s title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

“Red tape” is essentially a malady, a disease in the administration of government caused by inertia; the wanting to do nothing strategically and long-term about red tape. Once the problem of red tape is framed in that fashion, the title created itself.

How did it feel when you first saw your book cover? Or when you first held your book in your hands?

I had four messages I wanted the book cover to tell. I wanted the turbulence of the red sky to represent the turbulence red tape creates in people’s lives while at the same time paying homage to where I live, “the Land of Living Skies.” I wanted an old, unkept-looking government building to represent the unchanging ways of government. Finally, I wanted flags from several democracies to represent the fact that red tape is a problem with all democracies.

When I saw the final cover, I thought Atmosphere Press had hit it out of the park. When I showed it to others, the words “bold,” “eerie,” and “mystery” were spoken often. I knew the cover did its job. It made people want to know more.

Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?

Government’s inertia made me want/need to write, to tell the complete story of red tape. Time and again, the administration of democratic government has shown they will not voluntarily strategically address red tape. Government will only change when the people they represent make change mandatory, the same way government places mandatory compliance on people all the time.

That said, being an accountant, writing the book was absolutely the hardest thing I have ever accomplished. While there are literally thousands of articles on red tape and on how to implement change when change is hard, tying the two messages together was hard.

I have to give kudos to Atmosphere Press’s structural editor, who helped me identify shortcomings in the manuscript and construct the complete story.

What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?

I think being a civil servant for forty years and a teacher/lecturer for twenty-five years wouldn’t allow much time for another profession. However, I do continue to provide advice to people and businesses on tax and audit matters when asked.

Spending time in the army reserve as well as participation in several sports including football, hockey, fastball, golf, and bowling, whether as a player or coach, has taught me the importance of teamwork. The ideas of a tight-knit team far exceed those of any individual.

What was the most rewarding/meaningful part of publishing your book?

The book creates a written road map to address a horrendous problem facing democracy. It unravels the mystery of red tape, proves it can be strategically addressed and can result in a win for all people regardless of their political beliefs.

If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?

This is a difficult question because a person’s choice of music is so personal. Somehow following a path of least resistance led to this book. At times I believe there just might have been “an outside influence” on the outcome. Tracy Bird’s song “Keeper of the Stars” suggests it was no accident…it makes a person wonder.

My background music for the book would be the theme song from Back to the Future because the solution to the problem of red tape was created in 1961 and, if followed, will lead to success well into the future.

Each of the four parts of the book should have a unique song.

Part 1: Unconscious Incompetence explains the existing problem democracy faces because of red tape.

Released in 1981, “Under Pressure” by David Bowie and Queen is a pop-rock tune that describes the experience of feeling pressed, squeezed, and pushed by stress on all sides. “Under Pressure” talks about the stresses that life brings. Can you imagine studying something for many years but ending up having a menial office job? Sounds way too familiar.

Part 2: Conscious Incompetence lets the reader finally see in totality the impact red tape has on them.

Before people can understand what they are seeing, I think the song “Chain of Fools” by Aretha Franklin released in 1967 fits the bill for this part. The song is about a lady who discovers she’s one of her boyfriend’s many girlfriends, hence the name chain of fools. However, the co-writer, Don Covay, said that the song initially referred to the continuous chain of poverty in society. Change the word poverty to the effect of more rules creating more red tape and the song fits all too well.

Part 3: Conscious Competence identifies a solution to the problem of red tape.

“Eye of the Tiger,” from Survivor’s 1982 album of the same name. It rose to the #1 spot on the U.S. Singles Chart. Survivor wrote the lyrics around the theme of perseverance needed to succeed in any competitive setting. The song details how to turn a loss into a win despite the odds and setbacks. This song fits perfectly when trying to change when change is hard.

Part 4: Unconscious Competence creates a picture of serenity in the future that could exist once acceptance of change has been institutionalized in democracy. Governance will be based solely on treating all people equally under the law.

There are lyrics from Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World” including “I see friends shaking hands sayin’ how do you do” as well as “I hear babies cry, I watch them grow, They’ll learn much more than I’ll never know” speaks of that serenity and of the fact that the constant state of change will invariably result in the next generations taking this lesson and making it so much better.

As the book and its teaching fade into history, I can think of no better send-off than Acker Bilk’s instrumental “Stranger on the Shore.”

What is one thing you hope readers take away from reading your book? How do you envision your perfect reader?

Every person has the right to be treated equally by the administration of government. Every person can become part of the solution—to force government to change the way it operates—to become more effective and efficient.

My perfect reader is a person who understands that and—unlike me, who took forty years to realize it—refuses to follow the path of least resistance by shrugging their shoulders while saying “What can I do?”

Your family’s future rests with your decision.

What new writing projects are you currently working on? Or, other projects that are not writing?

As I mentioned earlier, the book is the beginning, not the end. With the help of Atmosphere Press, I have created everythingredtape.com, a website that, besides selling the book, in the future will advertise learning opportunities in academia, government, and business on red tape. Educating people on red tape has become my “raison d’etre”—my reason for being.

It took me four years to write this book. I now hold in very high regard those with the talent to write and edit. New writing projects will be limited to course/presentation delivery for the foreseeable future.

How was working with Atmosphere Press? What would you tell other writers who want to publish?

I was referred to Atmosphere Press by another author after two years of trying local assistance and not progressing very much. With that background, I was skeptical and did due diligence prior to signing a fixed-price contract for service. I liked the idea of no hidden costs.

Atmosphere Press had me sign a contract that set out specific goals for my project, would not let me progress until both I and they were satisfied I had achieved a goal, and let me work at my own speed. They provided the structure a first-time author needed.

Each goal (ex. cover design, structural edit, website development, etc.) was assigned to a person that had specific talent related to the area.

My only concern was the result of my being naive. Even Atmosphere Press can’t help a person who doesn’t understand they should have asked for more of an explanation. If you want to write a book but, like me, have no clue what is actually involved, get a publisher that works with you, not for you. Atmosphere Press did that for me. Trust me, you will notice the difference.

Are you a writer, too? Submit your manuscript to Atmosphere Press.