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I think it would be far more effective for the gov't to give people/companies some walking around money to help it get its act together.
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I came upon a barroom full of bad Salon pictures in which men with hats on the backs of their heads were wolfing food from a counter. It was the institution of the "free lunch" I had struck. You paid for a drink and got as much as you wanted to eat. For something less than a rupee a day a man can feed himself sumptuously in San Francisco, even though he be a bankrupt. Remember this if ever you are stranded in these parts. ~ Rudyard Kipling, 1891 -
There are other cases where privitization doesn't work and is not in the public's best interest, such as the case where people were calling the New Jersey welfare office and ended up being redirected to a call center in INDIA of all places!We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution. - Abraham LincolnComment
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The people of New Jersey got a bargain for their call center services. The people of India got high paying jobs.
Edit: In my view, we should see what we can do to be able to trade services such as you mention. Right now, it's limited, as we were discussing before.I came upon a barroom full of bad Salon pictures in which men with hats on the backs of their heads were wolfing food from a counter. It was the institution of the "free lunch" I had struck. You paid for a drink and got as much as you wanted to eat. For something less than a rupee a day a man can feed himself sumptuously in San Francisco, even though he be a bankrupt. Remember this if ever you are stranded in these parts. ~ Rudyard Kipling, 1891Comment
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Bargain smargain.
We are talking about people in poverty here. I sure as hell wouldn't want somebody in India, who knows absolutley nothing about New Jersey culture, evaluating my situation.
I'd rathar eat at that hole in the wall restaurant that can't manage it's supply costs, but where the manager knows my name, than the impersonal chain restaurants.
Everything doesn't have to equal getting the most efficient product for the least amount of price you know.We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution. - Abraham LincolnComment
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"Everything doesn't have to equal getting the most efficient product for the least amount of price you know."
Right. Price isn't the only factor in the equation. This should comfort you, since Americans have a lot of built-in advantages. We can distinguish ourselves in other things, like location. Apparently location was not important for this service.I came upon a barroom full of bad Salon pictures in which men with hats on the backs of their heads were wolfing food from a counter. It was the institution of the "free lunch" I had struck. You paid for a drink and got as much as you wanted to eat. For something less than a rupee a day a man can feed himself sumptuously in San Francisco, even though he be a bankrupt. Remember this if ever you are stranded in these parts. ~ Rudyard Kipling, 1891Comment
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The only industries that should be in the public sector are some natural monopolies, and industries that exhibit large externality effects.
On a slightly different tack there are 'public goods' like defence, and 'merit goods' like education.Comment
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Spike: I would be interested in your take on trading of services, or some references that might talk about it. Think it's good idea? If so, how good is it? How would a gov't push trading of services?
I got to thinking about this a lot, since my recent mortgage has been worked mostly over the phone and internet. You would think somebody in India could do this just as well (or in the case of my loan officer, much better).I came upon a barroom full of bad Salon pictures in which men with hats on the backs of their heads were wolfing food from a counter. It was the institution of the "free lunch" I had struck. You paid for a drink and got as much as you wanted to eat. For something less than a rupee a day a man can feed himself sumptuously in San Francisco, even though he be a bankrupt. Remember this if ever you are stranded in these parts. ~ Rudyard Kipling, 1891Comment
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Not sure I get what angle you want, but trade in anything is good........because of the comparative advantage arguments first laid out by the chap on the left.
Many services have been outsourced in recent years.....things like manipulation/building of databases and other assorted number crunching.
Of course this is something that happens in a market economy seeking to allocate resources efficiently.......there is no need for govt to 'arrange' trade.Comment
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Originally posted by DanS
All that would do is reward inefficiency. I think the unemployed should find refuge in healthy industries. The ability and tendency to shed jobs so quickly is an advantage for US industry, since the contraposit (hiring so quickly) is also true.
This is true. But very hard for the stakeholder weenies to embrace. watch Roland get all spun up about this. he wants a Euro-style economy full of sinceures and office politics and similar silliness. I know. I've consulted to German companies. They are so frigging ppolitical it is crazy. Americans aren't much better. But Germans? Crap.Comment
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:grrr:Originally posted by DanS
I DanSed you some.Comment
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What is a DanS?We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution. - Abraham LincolnComment
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Tell me what a DanS is damn you!
We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution. - Abraham LincolnComment
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It's when he edits it stuff after you have responded, or whilst you are responding.
He's going to claim I'm exaggerating.
Last edited by DrSpike; January 12, 2003, 19:20.Comment
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Oh okay.
Thanks Spike.
We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution. - Abraham LincolnComment
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Totally exaggerated!
I came upon a barroom full of bad Salon pictures in which men with hats on the backs of their heads were wolfing food from a counter. It was the institution of the "free lunch" I had struck. You paid for a drink and got as much as you wanted to eat. For something less than a rupee a day a man can feed himself sumptuously in San Francisco, even though he be a bankrupt. Remember this if ever you are stranded in these parts. ~ Rudyard Kipling, 1891Comment
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