When rightwingers say we should "run government like a business"

[SHRED]

Just point them to the Flint, Michigan water crisis.
I think that is a perfect example.



https://theintercept.com/2016/02/17/flint-residents-may-have-been-drinking-pfcs-in-addition-to-lead/

[ghostsinthemachine]

1. i call them idiots and walk away

anyone that stupid will never change their mind.

[Igel]

2. Is *that* what they mean?

They usually mean it to mean something like "efficiently and achieving objective goals."

As opposed to inefficiently or aiming at vague goals.

[randome]

3. Except the government has no final objective. Its purpose is to keep things humming along.

Not outdo Wall Street expectations. In addition, the government has nothing on bureaucracy when it comes to corporations and inefficiency. As witness CEO compensations.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]Stop looking for heroes. BE one.[/center][/font][hr]

[SHRED]

9. They have no clue

Truth is that business and government have to opposite different objectives (or so it's suppose to be).

Government - To care for the people's welfare and security.
Business - To maximize profit levels.

[freebrew]

4. Most saying that have never worked for one...

corporations are the worst for wasting $$$, for hiring the wrong people, for sexism, ageism, cronyism...on and on.

Inept managers and HR people have turned most businesses into reasons to outsource.

Most would not believe the lengths management goes to making workers look inefficient.

[B Calm]

5. Every highway in America would be a toll road.

Last edited Wed Feb 17, 2016, 07:05 PM - Edit history (1)

[ProfessorGAC]

6. I've Got Another One For You

Almost all large business operate on leverage, at the very least for revolving cash flow used in day to day, week to week operations.

MANY (most by far) large firms carry debt to equity ratios of 0.2 to 2, meaning the money they owe is some proportion, or in excess, of the total asset equity.

Hence, the national debt should be immaterial until the NATIONAL debt is considerably in excess of the NATIONAL asset base. Today is until 6%. This would be a D/E of 0.06.

So, why are they so scared of the national debt when businesses run this way all the time?

I could ask the question, but i wouldn't get a cogent answer.

[SHRED]

8. Good point

[HughBeaumont]

7. Here's a great thread regarding that very subject.

Run gubmint like a private sector, get private sector consequences. And it's never the upper echelon that pays the price.

[FiveGoodMen]

10. Businesses are not democracies

That's why they want to run the government like a business.

They want dictatorial rule and no pesky human rights issues getting in their way.

[SHRED]

12. Another great point!

[HughBeaumont]

13. Businesses would actually run better if they WERE more Democratic.

Instead of the "rank-em and yank-em" piles of morale-void ineffectiveness most of them are now . . .

[kairos12]

11. I always reference Enron.