I often hear this argument, and while I (an american) often make this about my local government or even my local federal bureaucrats, the idea that the American government in particular is not effective and focused is just... completely wrong. No government in modern history has been so able to simply enforce its will via sheer force. The top brass of the American government is the epitome of effective and focussed. It really doesn't matter what the manager of your local DMV is like.