The argument against healthcare and now cap and trade is our government can do nothing right. I would venture to say Philadelphia City Hall employees are lazy, but federal employees, other city hall employees I've dealt with, state employees all seem to have something in common - an understanding they are in the customer service industry.
I do not work for the government and have had enough dealings that I'd say I can make a comparative judgement based on reality , not Fox scare tactics . You may disagree, and please share if you do.
Hopefully, your intrigued .
I would like to compare private and public organizations as they best meet. I understand when republicans rule government is a shining example of failure . Like Ronald Reagan ripping out the solar panels Jimmy Carter had installed on the roof of the White House, or ending Jimmy's push for a solar grid (he thought we could have 30% of our electricity supplied by solar power by 2000). Yes, republicans are failures at government and all the changes they have made in my lifetime have hurt this country. I was born in '69 , so don't consider any republican before Nixon , and I could argue using a WORLD model that Abe Lincoln is no where near as great as they make him out to be.
Here we go.
Identification . Our government provides several services for identification-Passports, Driver's licenses , identification for non drivers, Passport Cards ,Green Cards, Social Security numbers and other things I am not thinking of. Of the ID's I've mentioned, the most expensive is a Green Card. From the North East, using the Vermont Service Center, it takes all of 8 weeks to get a visa, approval and a green card from start to finish — and that is if there is a delay. Now I have heard the horror stories, but in my personal experience they are greatly over exaggerated . The forms are minimal, the fees (including a doctors examination) are about $475. That is a visa, criminal back round check fee, finger print fee, green card fee, filing fees and overnight mail plus the fees for expedited service. I have helped about 43 families get green cards and my wife. The process is simple, straightforward and quick considering all that is involved . USUALLY, it is the other countries government that takes time to reply that causes the process to take 8 weeks, IF IN FACT IT EVER TAKES THAT LONG.
I just renewed my passport, in 3 1/2 weeks I got it. $101 for an ID that lasts 10 years. My Drivers license costs $28 to renew this year (I think the price dropped) and so on.
Dubbya , to compare, started a T.W.I.C. program operated by Lockheed Martin. It is called a Terminal Workers Identification Card ; all men and women who work on import docks, refineries, ships, barges, and/or truck drivers MUST HAVE ONE . Side note-truck drivers only need them if they must enter a 'terminal' with access to refined crude products or a dock. The ID costs $134.50 and takes a minimum of 8 weeks to process. Anyone who works in a shipping terminal or refinery or storage facility MUST HAVE ONE TO HAVE A JOB. The card is less detailed than a Driver's License and no more secure AND needing it for work holds people hostage. The card is good for 5 years. This is private industry, doing nothing as good as any ID program our government has. Even your Z card or A/B license for merchant marines isn't that hard to get for such a simple process (picture and fingerprinting) .
Private industry is doing an inefficient job that our government does much faster and much cheaper. A Green Card may cost more and take the same amount of time-BUT IN OUR GOVERNMENTS DEFENSE, they must rely on other countries governments for information. Embassy and BCIS employees work their ass off to help people who want to come here, the TWIC card is no more than a driver's license that you must have to work. OUR GOVENRMENT IS BROKEN ?
Services . Well, we all need water. I have no links to provide, but Atlanta is a shining example of city services compared to private . Atlanta sold their water services to a French Corporation and a few things followed — prices increased, repairs went down, services were interrupted (this is WATER mind you) and the maintenance the city did for 100 years was ignored and the infrastructure was ready to collapse . The city bought the system back and prices were lowered immediately and the repairs started . I shortened the story , corporations put up a fight to keep their money. I wish I had a link you could follow to see the story, but I don't.
Our government provides services much cheaper and considers the long term , not instant profit, and works far more efficiently than the private sector.
The IRS. Sure, everyone says they hate them. I had a problem when I got out of the Marines, I was drunk for a few years and didn't file. I owed, I actually owed a lot. The employees were very nice when I turned myself in, they even dropped the amount I owed to a more reasonable amount. We could argue they aren't that nice to people who 'cheat' them more intently , but that isn't my experience . Ever owe a bank or corporation money ? Do they even attempt to seem human ? Do they care if you were suffering from whatever ? Do they care if nightmares kept you awake and the only way to sleep was to get shit yourself drunk ? No, no they don't. My PERSONAL experience with the IRS was painful, but the government employees showed me mercy and were actually pretty nice .
The post office. Now, I've argued this before, but the USPS is 100% AWESOME. OK, maybe 98% awesome — some of the higher ups get away with moving expenses that rival some CEO's , but someone always has to be corrupt . Compare the rates of Fed Ex , UPS or the other delivery companies and the USPS comes out on top in price and delivery time. International Mail , in particular. A letter under a pound costs $28 from UPS, $32 for Fed Ex and both guarantee delivery within 14 BUSINESS days while the USPS is $4.39 and usually gets the letter there in 5 days, but never more than 8 - priority mail is 5 days or less (forget the USPS promises 10 business days, they ALWAYS get it there faster). The USPS beats the private competition in every way. I am tired as a loyal customer as them being used as a whipping boy for what is wrong - THE USPS IS WHAT IS RIGHT WITTH OUR GOVERNMENT !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fire men . I know of no private company that polices public areas to help in the event of a fire. Professional fire men are government employees .
The Military . OK, The Marines are the best and the others are pussies in comparison , but all of them beat their private counterparts Black Water or whatever they changed their name to. IMAGINE THAT, if someone from the Army or Navy did something so horrible that they changed the services name . I am not saying the military doesn't have problems , especially when their done with us, but come on, even the Air Force is better than Black Water. All kidding aside, private contractors have shown that private corporations are what is wrong with this country when competing with the government. And yes, even the Army, Navy , Air Force and Coast Guard are branches of the military who aspire to grow up and be Marines - which makes them light years more advanced than any private military contractor.
Think about trash removal . How much does the price increase when your city contracts the service out ? Yeah, when the city employees do it it is much cheaper.
I am missing thousands of things our government does , like the FBI, Cops, Cleaning, marriage licenses , but I will end on the DMV.
Every 5 years you pay between $28 and $35 for the privilege to drive on the roads our government maintains. You wait 10 minutes (if you set an appointment) get your picture taken and in less than an hour you don't have to see them again for 5 years. In a busy city it doesn't take more than an hour and a half. Sure it feels like forever , but it is only 1 and a half hours.
Our government services have shown they should be shining examples of what is service. Are there horror stories, sure , but the vast amount of us just deal with the government and have no complaints.
Think about that when republicans scream about how cap and trade will end energy, or healthcare can't be managed by anyone other than a billion dollar MONSTER.
I'd like to thank government employees everywhere for doing a decent job. If you work for the government and would like to thank me by moving me to the front of the line, I am the big dumb looking white guy with the hot wife.
Now, go hunt for an egg or something