Outsourcing Government

There is some discussion these days about the concept of privatizing government services. Government at all levels has grown too large. While never recognized as efficient, the bloated public sector has taken ineffective inefficiency to new heights of incompetency. Added to the many failures to perform are the spiraling costs associated with the government’s involvement in so many aspects of our lives. Privatization, therefore, has emerged from the closets and cloakrooms of power and is now considered a potential option for governments and taxpayers under siege. Hold your horses! Privatization as envisioned by some governmental entities is not the perfect answer. As a disciple of free market capitalism, I tremble as I make this assertion.

Do you have cable television service? Are you generally pleased with it, or are there times when you would rather go back to the forty-foot antenna with limited channels? Your cable provider usually is a private company, but they have a monopoly to provide the service within the jurisdiction of the entity who issues the contract. In other words, cable may be available from a private enterprise, but its monopolistic nature causes it to resemble a government agency in many respects. Some localities have similar arrangements for a number of other services such as water and sewer. Some states and local governments have contracted with private sector companies for the operation of jails or prisons. While personally I find these arrangements are better for the taxpayer than totally-run government agencies, they do not provide the greater level of savings that a truly competitive situation might.

Your cable company may be more responsive to your concerns than a wholly-owned government enterprise because they may be fearful about losing the contract, but their responsiveness may be merely incrementally better. If there were a private competitor who could assure you that they would provide quicker service and more channels at a similar cost, then you might change providers immediately. You would not be forced to wait until city council became dramatically disgruntled or sought a more lucrative kick-back package. Your choices, your desires are limited by the governmental unit’s deciding what is best for you and your neighbors…or for the politicians who make the decisions. So, I would argue that a private government endorsed monopoly may be marginally better than a government-run service, but falls short of the cost savings and benefits of a fully competitive environment. In addition there is the added factor of the Nanny city, the Nanny township, the Nanny county, the Nanny state, or BIG NANNY arbitrarily limiting your choices. True competition is an economic issue, but it is more fundamentally an issue of freedom.

Every act that permits government intrusion into our lives generates a further erosion of our liberty. Yes, it is important that we encourage and enable the private sector in areas that have been monopolized by government, but the true issue is liberty. If we turn over services and functions merely to save money or enhance service, we have some short-term gain to celebrate. If, however, we recapture our ability to choose for ourselves the service provider to use, then we have solidified our quest for freedom. Tiny steps, I know, but little victories can pave the way for larger accomplishments. Freedom can be regained by working from the “bottom up.” It is much easier to marshal support at the local level than it is to generate a broad-based statewide or national movement.

When you began to read this column, you probably had no inkling that cable television services and liberty would be linked without using the term “net neutrality.” My purpose was to illustrate that our freedoms have been usurped at every level of government. We should remember, however, that our Constitution specifically limits federal involvement in our daily affairs, and state and local oversights are to be decided by the citizens. The federal overreach has far exceeded its constitutional mandate, and state and local interventions have limited our liberty dramatically. It is time to return government to its designated role. It is time for the people to stand up, stand tall and stand firm for freedom.

Comment: cearlwriting@hotmail.com or www.littlestuff-minoosha.blogspot.com

Face Book: www.facebook.com/pages/Earl-for-Ohio/

Tags: big, government, liberty, monopoly, savings

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Comment by Dawn Lussier on March 6, 2011 at 5:28am: I am in school to get my nursing degree. I am required to take history classes for my associates degree. We are now working on the declaration of independence and the Constitution. It amazes me how far out of bounds our government is compared to what was envisioned and signed into the law of the land. We must teach our children those God given documents of freedom and elect people who respect them and will uphold them. Our fiscal problems would disappear if we actually stayed withing the framework of the government envisions by our founding fathers. We need to take back the schools from the liberal elite, get our local politics in order, and hold our federal officials accountable to our founding documents.

Comment by Robert L. Voelsing Sr. on February 28, 2011 at 1:03am: I & many others operated busses for the city of NY for decades,from the days of 'Chauffeurs' license to the current 'CDL' license. We always had to keep check of our license status with the DMV ,,which meant trips to the Bronx DMV office, always on the worst possible days (bad weather,no parking available etc) The people that worked there would NEVER tell us as we stood on a line with O/head signs stating the length of time from that point to their window,,,that their Computer had broken down 1 to 1 1/2 hours ago,,so we could come back or go check our cars to see about parking tickets,,,,,nooooooo,,,not them. So,,,you can imagine our suprise when ,,by word of mouth only,no i/net yet,,that a new branch was opening down at the waters edge in South Yonkers. we went down & they said if your from the Bronx,,,NO PROBLEM. NO long lines. People there to assist us from line to line,,,,WOW,,,this is the DMV????? Are you kiddin'??? yes it was. & we were in & out in less than 15-20 minutes. One trip,,,it took me longer to fill out the paperwork than it did to wait on line. I reached over a counter WITHOUT barriers & shook the guys hand & then kissed the Lady asst. who helped me get out so quickly,,,,both of us laughing & blushing . That is why we passed it on by word of mouth as to the newest & most efficient DMV in the downstate area we have ever known.

NOW,,,,,if we could only privatize it & make it work so well,,,I'd gladly pay a little more every 2 years or so.

This is why the Teachers in PUBLIC Schools are on the Warpath right now. They FEAR the compitition from Private school,,Parochial school ,,Charter & Montessori schools as well where PARENTS can CHOOSE where their kids can go for the best education available. The ONLY place a parent can choose now is College & they are not much better ,,with their radical agendas. The Bozo from the NEA said "it is not about the

Comment by Charlie Earl on February 27, 2011 at 12:58pm: Excellent point, Robinbird. My view is if a cable system is willing to go through the nightmare of purchasing rights of ways and the cost of laying cable for a potential 10% of the market...let them. They shouldn't be stopped by local government..only by market forces and local residents unwillingness to sell right of way. Plus, wireless technology may make enough strides to challenge cable if the spectrum is expanded to include video. As it currently stands, even if the technology were available, cable franchises are limited. Love your love of freedom...that's the bottom line.

Comment by KYRobinbird on February 27, 2011 at 12:49pm: A perfect eg is the plethora of cellphone cos. which have emerged in a dozen yrs or so, bringing down the prices of Ma Bell...yet, I'm a little unsure how we can disentangle from govt-sponsored utilities given the fact that we have buried water, & sewer lines, & overhead phone & electric lines, which are mntnd by these utility cos. I'm for cutting, cutting, cutting, anywhere possible, & you better bet i'm for FREEDOM!

Comment by Ron Boyer on February 26, 2011 at 8:41am: I have been in business for 45 years and I am the boss. When the American people get enough cajones to be THE BOSS our problems will lessen. We have departments and people to do the work all we have to do is make them accountable and that is done through congress and the vote so get off your lazy ass and stop feeling sorry for the government employee. Maybe YOU are doing the same thing at work that these people are doing and YOu donot want to be discovered.

Comment by Henry L. Blake on February 25, 2011 at 10:12am: Outsourcing has provided no relief for the Army Corps of Engineers. The policy (red tape) that follows with the outsourcing makes the new leg of Government unproductive.

Comment by Phil on February 24, 2011 at 9:22pm: 10th amendment now!!

Comment by hunter60 on February 24, 2011 at 8:14pm: I would be in favor of outsourcing only if we could not reduce government to its proper functions. Fully 85% of what government does now has no Constitutional support, the federal government has simply usurped that power. Reduce government to its proper role of defending the rights of the individual, providing police and courts to do so and provide for the national defense, the rest belongs to the people and the states.

I would however like to oust this government, its an ugly fat bloated parasite sucking the life out of the country.

Comment by Boo Taylor on February 24, 2011 at 7:19pm: I have always wondered if outsourcing would work, it did wonders for Caterpillar, Inc., in Peoria,IL. Hmmmm...

Comment by william e grant on February 24, 2011 at 6:51pm: To vote you must have I.Q AND LEGAL.

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