You cannot run government like a business

[LilOlLady]

You cannot run government like a business
By LLEWELLYN KING — Hearst Newspapers

Long before Mitt Romney was a presidential candidate, and even before his father was one, people said what we needed in a president was a businessman. We needed someone who could kick a posterior or two and run the government as a corporation.
This assumes that the country is just a very large corporation; money in, money out, goods and services provided, waste abhorred, efficiency rewarded, the taxpayer getting a great bang for the buck.
It is compelling -- and it is nonsense.

Read more here: LLEWELLYN KING: You cannot run government like a business | More Opinions | The Sun Herald
(Like a used car salesman?)

"Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” Luke 16;10

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Government is the only business that gets rewarded for taking longer and being more expensive than its free enterprise counterpart

 

[editec]

The reason we have two different words, one business and the other government, is because they are two entirely diffferent human activities.

We know this confuses a lot of you.

There's not much we can do about that.

There is no cure for stupid.

 

[Mac1958]

.

This is one of the many simplistic, binary political squabbles that gives me gas. It doesn't have to be an either/or proposition, gang.

No, government should not be run like a business in that:

• The primary goal of a business is to maximize profit for shareholders, not so with government
• Large business initiatives and divisions can be cut and re-established based on profits and losses
• Business target markets can be entirely changed at any time, not a consideration of government
• "Well being" or "common good" are not considerations of a for-profit business

Yes, it's helpful to run government like a business in that:

• Maximizing both effectiveness and efficiency is always an ideal and goal
• Running at a constant deficit is ultimately and inevitably a death knell
• Proper and prudent deployment of assets is key to long term success and survival
• Business competition (other countries) must always be on the radar screen and a consideration

As with most things, it is some of both. Jeez, does everything have to be so simplistic, so black & white?

.

 

[Claudette]

Good post there Mac and spot the hell on.

 

[Stephanie]

Well I guess you voters should tell your Dear Leader that..

Obama thinks he can take take Taxpayers monies and buy car companies, green energy, etc etc

But it's a little late now, he's done robbed us good

 

[editec]

Hey lets' run America like a business.

First thing we need to do is get rid of the military since no business is in the business of protecting the nation.


Morons.

 

[chikenwing]

Well seeing as the present method of operation has failed miserable,we are in debt past our eyelids.

Your argument seems really weak and well stupid.

Lets just keep doing what we are doing??!!!

 

[chikenwing]

Hey lets' run America like a business.

First thing we need to do is get rid of the military since no business is in the business of protecting the nation.


Morons.

LOL take a shrill pill today??

Kinda hard to have a rational conversation with juvenile BS like this.

 

[LoneLaugher]

Well seeing as the present method of operation has failed miserable,we are in debt past our eyelids.

Your argument seems really weak and well stupid.

Lets just keep doing what we are doing??!!!

Very well said. You are a master of our language.

 

[bripat9643]

Hey lets' run America like a business.

First thing we need to do is get rid of the military since no business is in the business of protecting the nation.


Morons.

Next let's take away all the guns from government. Businesses aren't allowed to use guns, so why should the government be allowed to use them?

 

[there4eyeM]

There is one business approach to government that voters could do, should do and should have done.

Congress works for you; i.e., all members are your employees.
All money spent bu the Federal Government must come from approval in the House of Representative.
The entire House comes up for election every two years (a very democratic part of the Constitution!).
They can be fired!
Voters have absolute control over these (mis)managers with great frequency compared to most other countries. Yet, we have deficits and illegal wars and lack of humanity.
So, how is it that things are as they are? Want better 'business' from your government? Fire the employees who can't/won't do the job and try someone else.
Don't you like to fire people?

 

[there4eyeM]

Hey lets' run America like a business.

First thing we need to do is get rid of the military since no business is in the business of protecting the nation.


Morons.

Next let's take away all the guns from government. Businesses aren't allowed to use guns, so why should the government be allowed to use them?

You have never seen or heard of businesses with armed security services?

 

[blastoff]

I would generally favor any candidate with a good business background over someone who's primarily been involved in politics/government instead. We've had plenty of the latter, from both parties, and where we find ourselves today it the result.

 

[LordBrownTrout]

You cant run a country the way O is doing it.

 

[bripat9643]

Hey lets' run America like a business.

First thing we need to do is get rid of the military since no business is in the business of protecting the nation.


Morons.

Next let's take away all the guns from government. Businesses aren't allowed to use guns, so why should the government be allowed to use them?

You have never seen or heard of businesses with armed security services?

Businesses use guns purely for purposes of self-defense, just like any American can. What they can't do is use guns to force you to pay for their products and services. Why shouldn't government have to follow the same rules?

 

[Jarhead]

you may not be able to run government like a business....but you sure as hell cant run government by reading the "how to" book.

Running Government is closer to running a business than it is to running a community organization.

Much closer.

 

[whitehall]

Neither can you run business like a government. Fannie Mae was a government run business and the politician who was responsible for it's oversight told us it was doing fine when it was on the verge of collapse. The point is that business people are smarter than politicians. They have to be because they are dealing with their own money and not an endless supply of confiscated or printed money that they don't have to account for.