Conventional Wisdom: Government Sucks

The next bit that is accepted as matter of fact is government is inefficient and corrupt. Government run programs and agencies are seen as pariah in the eyes of most of the public. This is confirmed by the actions of people who are wrapped up in their own welfare rather than the public's: Blago that means you.


There is also another piece of conventional wisdom that goes hand in hand with the previous: business does things more efficiently and cheaper than governments. This is echoed in conversations about healthcare most of all but can be found elsewhere. When I was recently in Chicago I found out that they turned over their parking meters to private business.


Once again this conventional wisdom is bogus. Nowhere is more evident than our national security and armed forces. We have a glut of private contractors in Iraq tasked to protect convoys, rebuild and feed our troops.


Countless money is dropped on contractors over our enlisted. Billions are unaccounted for in no-bid and cost-plus contracts. There are far too many cases of troops hurt by faulty work: electrocutions, poisoned by non-potable water, Iraqi cities with limited or no running water and electricity. The worst part is that there is no accountability.


I am not a communist. I do not want the government making my kicks or my jeans. I do want the government supplying my healthcare. I do want a government bureaucrat appointed by an elected official to decide what options are available for my care. I do not want my healthcare decided in some boardroom that I have no access to petition and no vote on.


Government can do plenty of things better than industry. Sure there are corrupt officials but government does not have a monopoly on that. For every Blago you present I will supply you with a Maddoff. An informed populous with an intact fourth estate will keep officials in check.


Do you really want to think about whether you paid your fire dues when your smoke detector goes off?