Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2019/04/23/public-service-commission.html
…
2 Likes
Fines? Ha. We have enough bought politicians, lawyers, and judges to weather this storm.
Municipal Broadband Roll-outs: WTF, get every lawyer on this ASAP, we got to get this potential competitor killed, like NOW!!!
2 Likes
I tend to think that where innovation and experimentation is needed, funding private organizations (non-profits are preferable) with public dollars to perform work can often be better. They are more nimble, have simpler procurement processes, and can work with less red tape.
However, when it comes to scaling proven infrastructure and laying pipe to every mailbox in town, just cut out the private middleman and fucking do it.
4 Likes
My experience is that public-private partnerships are just a mess. The private sector thinks the public sector is a bottomless trough of money and the public sector seems happy to prove that true. While private sector can avoid public sector procurement, they themselves are hired through public sector procurement, which usually means whoever gets hired has proven experience in manipulating government processes to put money in their pockets.
4 Likes
Yeah, I’ve drunk my boss’ kool-aide probably. We’re pretty spoiled being at a publicly funded university system, and are not even tax-levy employees. We raise a lot of grants off of our potential to rope in government funds for implementation, and conversely get bigger government grants for implementation based on the experiments prototype implementations we’ve run with private dollars. Our government funders are very strict with oversight and account for every penny, while our private funders give us more leeway. We’ve managed to just get done things that are very difficult for government who can’t hire people or restructure easily or quickly around new projects and challenges. And once our research-based experiments are proven and have enough momentum, we just hand them off to government offices, or they get folded into processes.
I only said the first part, though, to emphasize how when something is a popular, tested idea, and just needs scaling, it should be a direct municipal service. Our organization is all about experimenting with ways to improve government services, not actually provide them ourselves.
1 Like
Well, I’m oversimplifying by categorizing things as “public-private-partnership”. There are all kinds of ways the public and private sector work together and seeing them all through one lens is never going to give you a clear picture. I just see so many problems with governments making big deals with private organizations. From naming a hospital wing after someone who donated 5% of the money to build it (95% came from public finances) to awarding contracts for big projects (like buying new jets that never actually work), it always seems like the private sector is getting huge leverage out of a little money, or getting paid massive sums and not delivering.
3 Likes
No, you make an excellent point. Charter schools are a solid case in point for what you are saying (that came to mind as I was about to argue that our case was unique for being in education…)
3 Likes
Holy Guacamole…
1 Like
Time and time again, we are shown that being evil is profitable; now more than ever. Get it while you can! Everything must GO! Don’t miss out on this incredible offer!
Of course, the only way to get into that game in the first place is to have money and contacts. The rest of us? We are the stones they will find a way to bleed. By hook, or by crook.
2 Likes
I’m actually surprised that the Supply-Side Bible doesn’t have a hero that is a scrappy entrepreneur selling marked-up underwear outside of the Garden of Eden. Don’t day Downfall of Man, say Business Opportunity!
3 Likes
“Long John Galt has the best prices on long johns this side of the flaming sword, you bet your ass he does!”
3 Likes
This topic was automatically closed after 5 days. New replies are no longer allowed.
