We could waste a lot of time speculating on what COULD have happened........go ahead.  I choose not to.  I'll focus on the facts.

I respect the fact that you ARE optimistic. So am I. I'm also realistic. I'm not all doom and gloom.  And as far as being counterproductive is concerned, most of the things that our government does is counterproductive. Would you agree?

If we used more common sense in our everyday dealings this would be a much better world.

OK. I will agree.  With one exception it is not only our government,  it is ALL governments, every last one of them, and as far as ALL govts. go; all govt. bureaucracies in general are not productivity oriented, they tend to be self perpetuating and in a status quo stasis that depends on a sonambulant populace to accept them.  All govts. are not necessarily counterproductive they are simply not very productive. 

That is why it is important like you say about common sense, if all us,  including the people which work for the govts. were held accountable to what they produced and did, everyone would be better off.  And from this we return to personal accountability, if people cared and thought more about what they did we all would be happier.