BestOfBid.com - Does the Federal Government manage anything better than the Private Sector?

Does the Federal Government manage anything better than the Private Sector?

Before you start.. government policies and politicians were a Major contributor to our current financial mess and the U.S. Military is [somewhat] immune. Here's the latest example of a power grab. It's estimated that this will 'create' 1,000 New Government Jobs. (we all know how accurate gov. estimates are). How many 'private sector jobs' will be destroyed by Fedzilla in the process? To me this is just one of a multitude of deceptions lately. Much like the president's statement "There are No Earmarks in this stimulus package" ( that depends on what the meaning of the word is..is) 3/7/2009, 5:45 p.m. EST By STEPHEN OHLEMACHER The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — So much for privatizing the federal government. The Internal Revenue Service's decision this week to quit using debt collectors to dun delinquent taxpayers was celebrated by public employee unions as a pendulum shift after watching the Bush administration often opt for private contractors over federal workers to deliver government services. The IRS program was a small one, bringing in a little more than $80 million since its inception in 2006. But it represented an ideological toehold for conservatives who believe that private companies are more efficient than government agencies. It was an ideology embraced by former President George W. Bush, who famously — and unsuccessfully — toyed with the idea of partially privatizing Social Security. Privatization won't disappear. It's too widespread in a federal government that relies on private contractors for work as diverse as computer programming and providing security in Iraq. But with a new Democratic administration in charge, experts don't expect to hear much about privatizing government functions from President Barack Obama. "I think we're going to see a reversal of privatization," said Harvey B. Feigenbaum, a political science professor at George Washington University. "When contracts come up for renewal, they will see if it would be better for the public sector to do the work." IRS contracts with private debt collection agencies to go after delinquent taxpayers expired Friday. In deciding not to renew them, IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman said he concluded after a monthlong review that tax collection could best be done by government workers. ********************************************************** Here's some investment advice..buy stock in the company that makes Vaseline! http://www.syracuse.com/newsflash/business/index.ssf?/base/business-0/1236466450221210.xml&storylist=business deacon: I understand but the military more or less runs itself..seperate issue. aquario: is that Marx? "The government needs to own everything." If I'm the 'enemy' of this then I'm a proud enemy! Wise One: I saw Geert on The Factor the other night. He's right! Flavor Ade: " being shaken down for the common good." Buy that Vaseline Bro! Tom T: The problem is that our world has ben turned upside-down by corruption from all sides. It's taken us many years to get here. There are no 'quick fixes'. Not if we do it the Right way by the gov. and the citizens living within their means. Ol' F: Did you see Huckabee?..He's pushing for term limits! I like it! Canam: "Will this require more gov. workers?" Damn right it will! Non-productive union workers to boot! Dr M...... Today may my prayers help me realize I cannot control everything. To put the world in order, We must first put the nation in order; To put the nation in order, We must first put the family in order; To put the family in order, We must first set our hearts right. -- Confucius Jersey: "Think a little deeper! Who hired "Black water" and "KBR"? Yep Politicians who got rich from it!" Ate: " inexperienced, incompetent, and have no idea what they are doing." People..especially his supporters..need to think about that statement. Edg1: "That's why we Conservatives always want smaller government." That's exactly why We Have Got To Stop Electing RINOs!!!!!!! Flying: "Sure it can. Healthcare is cheaper" LOL! Much like the Chinese products at Wall Mart! Gypsy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0Lsa3-KFdE Andrea: "Why the he// didn't we elect Mitt Romney!!!! The man knows his sh** when it comes to business and the stock market !!!!!!" (you'll have to ask many of the people in the church about that one.) I'm a Christian myself but this attitude many have about Romney is disturbing and confusing to me! Sarah: " I finally quit and went to work in the Private sector where people actually work for their pay." Amen..if people actually knew how much of their hard earned $ was Wasted there might be a real Tax Revolt! Fishn: " they manage to make more money" Most of it out of 'thin air' or off of a printing press here lately! Kat: " "The elephant is a mouse built to government specifications." sad but true Palin- My blood pressure goes thru the roof when I see that idiotic stuff going on. How bout a resolution to follow the constitution you fools! Sasha: "No, the Government can't run nothing without messing it up. I would be surprised if they knew how to wipe their butts." LOL! You crack me up! Sounds like Dolly Parton in a movie I saw years ago. Drop: " So bring out the guillotine and we will have a Bastille day." Stick around Bro. That may not be as far fetched as it sounds!

Public Comments

You want to compare Blackwater against the US Army? You want to compare the cost of KBR food in Iraq--and the quality--of the chow that was available for those of us in Vietnam? Far better food from Army cooks at 1/4 the cost. Anytime a private company has a shot, expect filth, corruption, and greed.
You do not make sense.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FD7BDP3XMG0&playnext_from=PL&feature=PlayList&p=0FA5C3DBC6EA525D&playnext=1&index=8
Along with the industrial revolution came a whole new breed of aristocracy. The government is meant to represent the interest of the people to regulate the power and greed of the private sector. But today, the private sector has become the government by means of filtering out elected representative through social stratification which is a biased, close-ended loop resulting in disassociation between classes and and an unbalanced planet which takes away a piece of every living things soul.
Sure it can. Healthcare is cheaper and government run in every of the richest top 21 countries in the world except the US. These countries often have much lower costs averaging 50 percent of what a US payer pays and the citizens of these countries have a longer life expectancy. Also, the federal government is just and institution it doesn't drive it itself, largely the success of a country or company depends on their leadership. So in theory, they are equal, it really depends on the driver not the car (since both the government and company cars are the same).
Any big bureaucracy does a horrible job of running things and the government is the biggest one of all. That's why we Conservatives always want smaller government. To answer the question directly-NO, nothing!
NONE
Never has, Never will! Deacon: Think a little deeper! Who hired "Black water" and "KBR"? Yep Politicians who got rich from it! When the Military itself runs Wars, we win! When politicians run it we lose! Vietnam Case in point! Edit/clarification: In Vietnam there were far more contractors than in Iraq! They were not of the "Security" type but rather the Construction type and Electronic supplier type! Most had close ties to LBJ and his wifes family businesses but there were many other Politically connected Democrats that were getting rich fast and it was no secret! Why else do you Think LBJ declined to run for reelection? I did not see but talked to those (US military men) that seen truck convoys of goods crossing the border to Laos with the name of the LBF/Lady Bird companies still stencilled on the crates! I seen UN agencies people (1000s of them) riding around in chaufurered private vehicles and living in the finest living space in Saigon! That is how the aid money was spent. Then have you ever heard of "Air America"? The list goes on! I was a civilian and had access to many areas in the Nam, I had no travel restrictions at all! It was far worse than Iraq! As for security, it was provided by the special forces and Marines! In 18 months, 68-69, I never carried a weapon as I moved about the country and City of Saigon freely. I endured many rocket attacks and such but no attacks directed at me in particular even though I had an apartment in the City in the general areas where the Vietnamese lived not protected by security forces. I payed rent to my Vienmanese landlord and was the only american in the large appartment building. Edit----for:**** Broken Veteran 7****----- There are many of us who Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your service and the heavy price you have paid for our freedom! Yes Vets and Non Vets alike. It is a terrible shame what our Government run Veterans Adminstration has done or rather not done for our Disabled Vets. I know others, friends of mine that have similar plights to yours and it leaves them bitter as it should! I am Bitter about it as well and I am just a plain old Vet, No Military combat. Please keep the heat on the VA, they can do better and if you holler loud enough they will! Should not be that way but it is. One friend, A Vietnam vet finally got just compensation about a year ago. He got back benifits and in his words is now set for life. This is little to late as he has endured over 30 years of demons and the living hell of PTSD. I know another who is still fighting for his for the effects of agent orange! The VA under all administrations has only insulted our fine brave Men! God Bless you and your fellow Vets. Proud Vet
I cannot explain it to you. You are on the enemy team. Privatization screws everything up. It makes some poophead a lot of money and the rest are slaves. The government needs to own everything. They can then hire people and give them benefits, security, hope. Private companies screw the employees so some stupid bastard can profit. They hire stupid inbred relatives, and they profit. Profit should be abolished.
In the case of your question the simple answer meets with the honest answer. No. Our government rightfully dismantles monopolies in the interest of fair competition in a free market because monopolies are not forced the be the best they can be when they have eliminated their competition for it is through that competition that big business is coerced into being efficient. Our government has no competition and could not survive in a business environment because of its massive inefficiency through bumbling bureaucratic incompetents and the elected leaders who make policy for them. The private sector, because of competition, is forced to do it better.
Projects/issues that have long term implications and costs. The private sector doesn't seem to do as well in this regard/it's not rewarded by the market Peace
The Federal Give er mont. Under Obammy feels that they and they alone are the answer, Problem being, they are inexperienced, incompetent, and have no idea what they are doing. So in there eyes YES THEY CAN.
These things won't stand - America is waking up - it is affecting them and we are saying, "Wait a minute, this isn't who we are" - our president says "Look for opportunity!" right as he takes it and destroys it - here's the good news, these guys OWN this, they can't blame it on anyone but themselves, people are beginning to see them for what they are. Religiously speaking, I put my faith in God, not in politicians because they disappoint all too often, I live my life personally and control what I can. If we all do this, rather than waiting for them to "save" us, these guys cannot succeed. It won't last....it CANT last.....the human yearning for freedom is too strong, and there are too many of us who are experts in our own fields in the private sector who KNOW what we can do.....this is the blessing of America - America may have been duped this one time, but there is much in place that we can keep this from happening on a permanent basis...... God Bless Americans!
Let's see. giving away our money, running the government with a deficit, spending thousands of dollars for a screw driver, $100 bolts and nuts, giving our gold reserves to a private bank, screwing the population, defrauding the voters, Ignoring the Constitution, and implementing scandal. These are all things the government does better than any private company could do, because they have refined it down to a fine art. The problem is we need new blood in D.C. so maybe they can create new ways to scam the tax payer. The news is becoming stale and we need a new crisis that has never been done before. Maybe like Pelousy getting together and backing Hannity or getting Harry Reid drunk on her wine!
Will this require more gov. workers? No doubt it will take twice as many as the private sector collection firms and they will probably collect much less. We have already seen how well the IRS has done on collecting taxes from elected officials who have been delinquent for years. The bigger the gov. the more the corruption and the less the productivity..
NO, they federal Govt is made up of 549 elected officials who couldn't make it in the private sector, so got jobs with the Govt. God help us all. Why the he// didn't we elect Mitt Romney!!!! The man knows his sh** when it comes to business and the stock market !!!!!!
The Federal Government waste more money than the Private sector. I once worked for the Federal Government and I saw so much waste and people that would come to the building but didn't nothing all day. I couldn't stand seeing that so many people were hired without them having any responsibility I mean absolutely zero work to do. That is a waste of the tax payers money. Once you have been hired and are there for three years you can't be fired. I finally quit and went to work in the Private sector where people actually work for their pay. I would have to say no to your question. The Federal government knows how to spend money but they don't know how to save money. They spend all they have and more. Therefore they do not know how to manage money or the Country. I agree with Mike Huckabee about term limits.
Yep, they manage to make more money for their own pockets than any of us combined together. nfd♥
No. Especially not themselves. Elsewise, it wouldn't take so many thousands to administer a government which was only intended to provide a unified armed force for defense of the nation, manage foreign policy and regulate interstate commerce. Heck, they can't--or more likely won't--even police their own bureaucracies. In short, let me quote a venerable axiom which says it all: "The elephant is a mouse built to government specifications."
I can think of two things the Federal Government is better at than the private sector: Wasting time and money! A few example of the above: Harry Reid and the hard leftists in the Senate and Congress attacking a private citizen over comments on his own radio show George Mitchell and the Baseball / Steroids hearings Arlen Specter and the Spygate / NFL hearings Resolutions to name post offices Resolutions to rename roads and bridges National Endowment for the (F)Arts... So on and so forth
No, the Government can't run nothing without messing it up. I would be surprised if they knew how to wipe their butts. The Constitution and our Amendments are being trashed. We need to step up. We are the ones that elected these monkey's in Office. I sure as hell didn't vote for the Man Child. I don't drink kool aid. We cannot let this S. O. B. get away with what he wants to do to our Country. But most of all to the People Of The United States. The Sleeping Giant is going to wake up and when she does, it won't be a pretty site. All the Christians, in the Bible it says Never Trust your Government! With what is going on now, this should be a warning.
Hell I hope so or they are a wast of time electing them into office. So bring out the guillotine and we will have a Bastille day.
Ok, this is the general rule. When you, as a private individual, go to spend money on something for yourself you care about price and quality and when they meet your standards you make the purchase. When you buy something for someone else your still paying for it so you care about price but your not going to personally consume it so you care less about the quality. Finally, if you go to purchase something with money that's not yours to buy something your not personally going to consume, you care neither for price nor quality. It's called a third party purchase, because you buying something with money that's not yours and your not going to consume it. ALL GOVERNMENT PURCHASES ARE THIRD PARTY PURCHASES. Government always does and always will waist more money than a private individual when buying something.
Outside a few great answers like Tom T's and Dr M's I am actually fearful for the way some people are thinking. The idea of the government owning everything is truly the enemy of the state. The government owning everything leads to slavery before any other modern concept. If the government owned everything, then what? First you every mom and pop business in America, every one gets the same wage. You destroy the larger corporations and the need to compete. If you go into any given field, your choices are to work for the government or...? So you can not compete for a wage. That's ridiculous, that's slavery. What happens if your boss is an @-hole and harasses you then fires you and you have no witnesses, well time for a new profession if you can get it. Where would you shop? With all lunch meat now the same, all milk now the same, all pricing now the same, there is only need for 1 or 2 super centers in your town. No more shopping around or coupons. Can you imagine if the government owned the housing industry top to bottom. Your housing would be a carbon copy from coast to coast, and if the plumbing is sub par, well you can not choose from anything else. Free will and ideas would be stagnant. Cars - same engine, except for different models, only about 10 of them if that. Churches, temples, etc - now in the hands of the government. Sporting equipment - from fishing to baseball you are now limited Fast food - Burgers made the same at every location. Pizza - Only one type left, but which kind? Papa John's or Jeno's? Utilities - if you are fortunate enough to live in an area where you can choose different phone carries or waste management service, kiss that good bye. And here is the sad fact, I have never seen liberals 100% honest about their liberal leadership. For instance, look at the "approval ratings game." Liberals will have consistently disapproved of Republicans because they are Republicans, even when the Republican acts moderate or liberal in some areas. Conservatives will disapprove when the Republican is liberal in some areas, etc. The liberals will NEVER approve of a Republican no matter what. On the other hand, even if a conservative never approves of a Democrat (though I know this not to be the case), liberals NEVER disapprove of their Democratic leadership, even when the act conservative on an issue, because they are a Democrat. Sure, I believe this existence on both sides, but it comes loudly from the left and more often. This is hypocrisy and sadly, more so that this closed-mindedness from the enlightened left being the enemy of the United States, it is truly the enemy to their own well being.