'Splain Me, Please.

[Summerwind]

So I notice Republicans keep wishing that the government was run more like a business, but at the same time if a business had higher expenses it would raise it's prices to cover it. We see Republicans all the time commenting about MW can't be raised because it'll raise the price of goods and services, right? But somehow the government is only allowed, according to Republicans, to behave as a business by half, only allowed to cut expenses, but not to raise "prices," which in the government means raising taxes.

Why do we allow Republicans put such a half-assed idea like "run the government like a business", quite literally because only half of the usual business management equation is allow, without demanding that they allow ALL aspects of business management to be utilized by the government?

 

[mak2]

I know one thing, I don't want to live in a business.

So I notice Republicans keep wishing that the government was run more like a business, but at the same time if a business had higher expenses it would raise it's prices to cover it. We see Republicans all the time commenting about MW can't be raised because it'll raise the price of goods and services, right? But somehow the government is only allowed, according to Republicans, to behave as a business by half, only allowed to cut expenses, but not to raise "prices," which in the government means raising taxes.

Why do we allow Republicans put such a half-assed idea like "run the government like a business", quite literally because only half of the usual business management equation is allow, without demanding that they allow ALL aspects of business management to be utilized by the government?

 

[CRUE CAB]

Government is not a business and cannot be ran like one.

 

[Summerwind]

Government is not a business and cannot be ran like one.

I agree but we're always hearing from Republicans that it should be like a business. Except as I point out, only half.

With Romney and even in lower or state office, I'm think Fiorina and others that claim because they can run a business, they can run a country.

 

[Glen Contrarian]

So I notice Republicans keep wishing that the government was run more like a business, but at the same time if a business had higher expenses it would raise it's prices to cover it. We see Republicans all the time commenting about MW can't be raised because it'll raise the price of goods and services, right? But somehow the government is only allowed, according to Republicans, to behave as a business by half, only allowed to cut expenses, but not to raise "prices," which in the government means raising taxes.

Why do we allow Republicans put such a half-assed idea like "run the government like a business", quite literally because only half of the usual business management equation is allow, without demanding that they allow ALL aspects of business management to be utilized by the government?

Because...well...it's magic, don't you know? It's the magic of the marketplace! If only there were no regulations, then the market would regulate itself! And if only there were no government programs to increase opportunities for the poor, then the poor would do better all by themselves! And if only we'd slash school funding, students would perform better! And if only we'd slash taxes, we'd take in more tax revenue!

The stupidity...it burns....it burns!!!!!

 

[CRUE CAB]

I agree but we're always hearing from Republicans that it should be like a business. Except as I point out, only half.

Actually I havent heard that from any of the candidates yet. Link to one?

 

[Summerwind]

Because...well...it's magic, don't you know? It's the magic of the marketplace! If only there were no regulations, then the market would regulate itself! And if only there were no government programs to increase opportunities for the poor, then the poor would do better all by themselves! And if only we'd slash school funding, students would perform better! And if only we'd slash taxes, we'd take in more tax revenue!

The stupidity...it burns....it burns!!!!!

But none of those same people would tell a business to not raise prices and to instead drop the price of all goods when expenses go up.

 

[Summerwind]

Actually I havent heard that from any of the candidates yet. Link to one?

Romney, Fiorina, the 999 guy, and more all claim that since they can run a business they can run the financial aspect of the country, the only thing Republicans care about, better than a politician.

 

[CanadaJohn]

When conservatives or Republicans speak about government running like a business, they have two basic things in mind:

1. Stick to your core business - in the case of government, stop wasting/spending money and sticking your nose into things that have nothing to do with why you are/were elected. In other words, stick to the basics of good governance and leave the social engineering to individuals and their families.

2. Manage your budget and resources so you're not $18 trillion in debt and paying scads of income on servicing debt. Don't plan to expand while you're losing money simply operating. Look at what's working and what isn't and don't keep doing **** that no longer works or never did. Most businesses wouldn't be in business if they managed money the way government and politicians do.

 

[Summerwind]

When conservatives or Republicans speak about government running like a business, they have two basic things in mind:

1. Stick to your core business - in the case of government, stop wasting/spending money and sticking your nose into things that have nothing to do with why you are/were elected. In other words, stick to the basics of good governance and leave the social engineering to individuals and their families.

2. Manage your budget and resources so you're not $18 trillion in debt and paying scads of income on servicing debt. Don't plan to expand while you're losing money simply operating. Look at what's working and what isn't and don't keep doing **** that no longer works or never did. Most businesses wouldn't be in business if they managed money the way government and politicians do.

It also forbids half the equation, raising income. Please address that. A business wouldn't be told to cut all it's prices and at the same time clear it's debt. Nor would it be required to "stick to it's core business".

 

[CRUE CAB]

Romney, Fiorina, the 999 guy, and more all claim that since they can run a business they can run the financial aspect of the country, the only thing Republicans care about, better than a politician.

That doesnt mean they think it should be ran as a business. Just their business experience is an asset.

 

[CanadaJohn]

It also forbids half the equation, raising income. Please address that. A business wouldn't be told to cut all it's prices and at the same time clear it's debt.

No business raises prices beyond what the market will bear. No business stocks products that are too expensive to attract customers. No business feels entitled to customer business simply because they exist. No business feels they can sell you a $10 product for $20 simply because they have a ****ty business plan and need the extra money.

Your analogy is about as sane as the way many governments are managed now - with wildly crazy expectations and assumptions.

 

[Summerwind]

No business raises prices beyond what the market will bear. No business stocks products that are too expensive to attract customers. No business feels entitled to customer business simply because they exist. No business feels they can sell you a $10 product for $20 simply because they have a ****ty business plan and need the extra money.

Your analogy is about as sane as the way many governments are managed now - with wildly crazy expectations and assumptions.

Which is my point, trying to demand that a government run in anyway like a business without allowing it to raise income is...insane. Thank you for understanding the point.

 

[Risky Thicket]

Romney, Fiorina, the 999 guy, and more all claim that since they can run a business they can run the financial aspect of the country, the only thing Republicans care about, better than a politician.

Gov. Ducey of Arizona says it almost daily. I'm pretty sure Scott Walker says it or did until his economic plan began to suck hind tit.

Government isn't business. It may be controlled by business at the present but it isn't business.

 

[CanadaJohn]

Which is my point, trying to demand that a government run in anyway like a business without allowing it to raise income is...insane. Thank you for understanding the point.

Don't double down on stupid on my account. You're not sucking me into your insanity.

No conservative or Republican I know suggests that government should be run like a failing business. That's your suggestion - not mine. I'd suggest running like a successful business is what conservatives and Republicans want. Successful businesses give their customers what they want at a price they can afford and treats them like the most important thing and not a pain in the ass. Government does the exact opposite.

 

[Summerwind]

Don't double down on stupid on my account. You're not sucking me into your insanity.

No conservative or Republican I know suggests that government should be run like a failing business. That's your suggestion - not mine. I'd suggest running like a successful business is what conservatives and Republicans want. Successful businesses give their customers what they want at a price they can afford and treats them like the most important thing and not a pain in the ass. Government does the exact opposite.

Which successful businesses then are you thinking about? The ones that cater to the rich and charge ridiculously high prices just because they can, name recognition etc, or the ones that are big box stores and take all the money that used to go to smaller stores (ie take from states and cities to pay the feds), ...? Businesses have to be able to raise prices, y'all restrict that aspect on the government.

 

[ttwtt78640]

So I notice Republicans keep wishing that the government was run more like a business, but at the same time if a business had higher expenses it would raise it's prices to cover it. We see Republicans all the time commenting about MW can't be raised because it'll raise the price of goods and services, right? But somehow the government is only allowed, according to Republicans, to behave as a business by half, only allowed to cut expenses, but not to raise "prices," which in the government means raising taxes.

Why do we allow Republicans put such a half-assed idea like "run the government like a business", quite literally because only half of the usual business management equation is allow, without demanding that they allow ALL aspects of business management to be utilized by the government?

Staying within a budget is not exactly the same thing as running a business but it is important to managing anything. The idea that one can spend 25% more than they dare ask for in revenue is not sustainable. The idea that since things are not so good now therefore we must borrow and spend more and only when (if?) things get better will we then address repaying the (ever growing) debt is insane. Now that we have tried that for about five decades it should become apparent that it did not generate the promised (anticipated?) good time to raise taxes enough to even cover current spending - much less to repay the past borrowing.

 

[clownboy]

Which successful businesses then are you thinking about? The ones that cater to the rich and charge ridiculously high prices just because they can, name recognition etc, or the ones that are big box stores and take all the money that used to go to smaller stores (ie take from states and cities to pay the feds), ...? Businesses have to be able to raise prices, y'all restrict that aspect on the government.

The whole question is silly. When someone says they want the government run like a business, they mean in the way CanadaJohn describes, and you knew that before he told you. But it's one of those analogies that only work if you cherrypick the good, or in your case bad, attributes to analogize.

Government should be a non profit entity existing only to serve the people according to their grant of power (by the people).

 

[CanadaJohn]

Which successful businesses then are you thinking about? The ones that cater to the rich and charge ridiculously high prices just because they can, name recognition etc, or the ones that are big box stores and take all the money that used to go to smaller stores (ie take from states and cities to pay the feds), ...? Businesses have to be able to raise prices, y'all restrict that aspect on the government.

If government has something to sell that people want, they'll pay for it. Right now, people are paying government a heap of money to buy bread and butter and they're getting a whole bag full of crap they never asked for and can't use as part of the price. Government doesn't need to "raise prices" - they need to stop forcing us to buy their junk and stick with what sells.

 

[Summerwind]

Staying within a budget is not exactly the same thing as running a business but it is important to managing anything. The idea that one can spend 25% more than they dare ask for in revenue is not sustainable. The idea that since things are not so good now therefore we must borrow and spend more and only when (if?) things get better will we then address repaying the (ever growing) debt is insane. Now that we have tried that for about five decades it should become apparent that it did not generate the promised (anticipated?) good time to raise taxes enough to even cover current spending - much less to repay the past borrowing.

"Dare ask for," that's ridiculous. If that were true, then why since the crash have so many high end, stupidly expensive product'd companies done so well? Apparently daring to ask for more isn't actually a problem.

 

[Kobie]

So I notice Republicans keep wishing that the government was run more like a business, but at the same time if a business had higher expenses it would raise it's prices to cover it. We see Republicans all the time commenting about MW can't be raised because it'll raise the price of goods and services, right? But somehow the government is only allowed, according to Republicans, to behave as a business by half, only allowed to cut expenses, but not to raise "prices," which in the government means raising taxes.

Why do we allow Republicans put such a half-assed idea like "run the government like a business", quite literally because only half of the usual business management equation is allow, without demanding that they allow ALL aspects of business management to be utilized by the government?

Businesses can also liquidate assets to create cash flow. I'd rather the government not start selling off states to cover budget shortfalls.

 

[Summerwind]

If government has something to sell that people want, they'll pay for it. Right now, people are paying government a heap of money to buy bread and butter and they're getting a whole bag full of crap they never asked for and can't use as part of the price. Government doesn't need to "raise prices" - they need to stop forcing us to buy their junk and stick with what sells.

Not at all, it's just that, like a business, bread and butter prices are raised to a higher profit margin to make up for the fact that few people buy the other things they sell. Perhaps you need to better understand how businesses price things. Those that sell most have the highest profit margin to make up for things that sit on the shelf for a long time, well unless that product is subsidized by the government in order to keep prices down.

 

[cpwill]

So I notice Republicans keep wishing that the government was run more like a business, but at the same time if a business had higher expenses it would raise it's prices to cover it.

If it had no other option. That's usually a quick way to lose, in business, where the point is to find efficiency in your production / provision chains in order to lower prices and beat out the competition.


It is that constant search for greater efficiency in the provision of goods and services is what Republicans / Conservatives are usually talking about when they refer to running the government like a business.

 

[Summerwind]

Businesses can also liquidate assets to create cash flow. I'd rather the government not start selling off states to cover budget shortfalls.

No we sell arms instead. Please we do sell assets, well we often give 'em away, and that's stupid too. And some would say that NAFTA and the new trade agreement are giving away our assets in a way as well.

 

[polgara]

Staying within a budget is not exactly the same thing as running a business but it is important to managing anything. The idea that one can spend 25% more than they dare ask for in revenue is not sustainable. The idea that since things are not so good now therefore we must borrow and spend more and only when (if?) things get better will we then address repaying the (ever growing) debt is insane. Now that we have tried that for about five decades it should become apparent that it did not generate the promised (anticipated?) good time to raise taxes enough to even cover current spending - much less to repay the past borrowing.

Greetings, ttwtt78640. :2wave:

Very well said! :thumbs: