Both. Yes.
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Exactly.
Every time I hear that a gov’t provided service is too expensive, that a private company could do it and turn a profit, I wonder if they have any idea where ‘profits’ come from.
And, we should run government like a business! As if we could pivot to pizza delivery if trash collection isn’t profitable.
And yet, we hear these things over and over and over.
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All good and true, but I’ve been in the privatization argument (though thankfully the deal didn’t go through for other reasons). The responses to those points would go something like this:
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The profit imperative pushes me towards greater efficiency! Coupled with union busting and deregulation, you’ll have your road faster, cheaper, and of higher quality than ever before! (Until I take advantage of my lucrative government contract to raise all the prices midway through. Profit motive helps there too!)
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You know who has to pay back all that borrowed money? Taxpayers. Through taxes. Giving me all your infrastructure along with a contract to maintain it, is a tax break for the middle class.
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Exactly. Which is why MyCorp offers a full suite of government services across your region. Small local governments are also inefficient. Do you realize how many different jurisdictions there are for schools, fire and police? (Conversely, competition brings prices down. The more companies bidding on services the better it will be for the consumer/citizen.)
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Ha ha ha. We’ve all heard about the $400 hammers that the government buys. I can go to any store and get one for $12. Think (but not too deeply, please) about the savings when you multiply that across all aspects of privatized government.
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Sure, heavy users of a road have to pay more, and people who don’t use the road don’t pay at all. That’s fair. Also, this gives people control of their own budget, rather than having the government tell them that they have to pay for this and that. They can say, hmm, I need to save a little money, maybe I won’t drive on that road this week. Personal responsibility. As it is now, they are paying for that road, day and night, every day of the year whether they use it or not. They can’t just choose to lower their taxes because they don’t need the services.
And then, ultimately, Government is not the solution/why are you anti-business/think of the jobs this would create/etc etc etc.
These arguments all sound ridiculous, but an awful lot of people buy 'em every time.
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Sorry, but no, not even close.
In order:
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Bullpuckey. You simply don’t get 12-18%+ more efficiency. You will NOT be able to support this assertion with any hard numbers.
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Giving you my infrastructure, then PAYING TO USE IT is still a tax, silly, just somewhat more granular than those charged by municipalities. Instant fail. And you’re asking to be given the road(s) in question, as well; I’ll pass. Build your own, if it’s so much more efficient for you to do so!
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None of those local governments go away; you’re just adding another layer of expense, while STILL not being able to buy as efficiently as the government. Corollary: No, we are NOT willing to go to full coporatocracy, thanks just the same, no matter how warm and fuzzy it makes you(r wallet) feel.
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Ha ha ha. Those “$400 hammers” also had extremely rigid specs, and for a good reason at that. I can also point to the fact that no one but the government can build highways as cheaply (or print documents, it turns out). Once again, literally EVERY instance of privatization so far in the US government has been an abject failure for the people (although a boon for specific businesses). Every. Single. One. Go ahead, try to argue otherwise, I freaking dare you. Hint: Those $400 hammers were built by private corporations, NOT the government.
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Poorer people on that same road are simply f*cked. NOT convinced.
Businesses are doing just fine in this country. Furthermore, you still have not and will not be able to point out a country in the world that has benefited, overall, from privatization of the Commons, including our own. Nary a one in history! And thus, anyone presenting the points you have posted is full of feces, that simple.
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Sadly, being full of feces doesn’t stop them from winning.
And yet, it keeps happening, justified with the same tired reasoning.
Exactly. They might not convince you, but they have the resources that can be convincing to mayors and city councils, and departments of education, and on and on and on. And that is just the ones who aren’t explicitly profiting from it themselves.
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