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Good point, it is rarely talked about how we increase efficiency. I wish there was a better way to inject free market competition into the government. Governme

Good point, it is rarely talked about how we increase efficiency. I wish there was a better way to inject free market competition into the government. Government contracts seem to also favor inefficiency and poor implementation. Something I’ve been thinking on lately, if anyone has resources on this I would love to read them.

ren_engineer 5y ago
>I wish there was a better way to inject free market competition into the government it's called immigration, people move to states/nations with the best functioning governments if they are allowed free movement. Historically voting with your feet has been the best way to change government. See Illinois and it's massive budget shortfall due to people leaving the state also look at the Soviet Union which needed border security to keep people IN. The exact opposite situation that the US has, which is that millions of people want to live here through any means necessary
- waz0wski 5y ago
  In my cynical view within the US, it's often more like locusts destroying their environment and moving on e.g. the Californian exodus to other western states that is negatively regarded by most people born & raised in those states. People vote for crap politicians and policies that lead to issues noted in the OP, then go somewhere else and do it again - watching it first-hand in my state over the past decade.
- tiernano 5y ago
  > See Illinois and it's massive budget shortfall due to people leaving the state Does this really make them think of changing stuff, or will they just increase taxes and try get more money? I mean, most governments will do the latter before fixing the issue (they don't want to admit the issue is with them...) [NOTE] not a US citizen, so cant don't know much about US politics
  - OldHand2018 5y ago
    Illinois budget problems are due primarily to pension promises made decades ago. The current state government is reasonably well run, for the most part. If you look at the 2020 Census data, the Chicago metro area grew slightly while the rural areas and small towns lost population. The state saw a growth in high earners that pay lots of taxes, and a loss in lower income folks that pay relatively low taxes. Since you mention politics: Illinois will send 1 fewer person to the US Congress next year. Currently, there are 13 Democrats and 5 Republicans from Illinois. After the elections next year, there are almost certainly going to be 14 Democrats and 3 Republicans. Knowing that might help understand some of the criticism…
systemvoltage 5y ago
Journalists should be holding governments accountable. Just the way Carreyrou (WSJ) single handedly brought down Theranos, I want journalists to go after government corruption and high impact inefficiencies. Notice how NYTimes and the like are not interested in actual journalism of this sorts. Government is a de facto monopoly and we need 10x more eyes on it than anyone else. There needs to be mechanisms for firing bad actors from high up positions. Instead, the focus is always on increasing taxes. As a liberal, I want my taxes to go into exceptional and super high quality services that even the Scandinavians would envy. Otherwise, I will vote for lower taxes and that could mean vote for republicans. Our governments suck so much.
- 8note 5y ago
  The government has become pay to play for journalists. Piss the government off and your not allowed into press briefings anymore. Some dedicated investigative journalism group could do it, but any larger media company cannot. I could see folks on YouTube doing a good job of it?
- GDC7 5y ago
  You keep dreaming. A journalist is a regular citizen who can write. They are motivated by hatred, that's why Cuomo, Trump and Elizabeth Holmes a juicy targets, but the inefficiency of the beurocracy and the government waste are not something they are interested in. Journalists also throw tantrums when they analyze a high profile person and find nothing on them. Journalists , like cops, judges etc. are not proactive , unlike engineers, their enemy is not a problem, but it's always another person. Their dream is basically them publishing a hit piece which would bring somebody big down, that's how they picture themselves, that's what they visualize when they are asked to define success. From there they try to go backwards trying to see what they have to do to make it happen.

ren_engineer 5y ago

>I wish there was a better way to inject free market competition into the government it's called immigration, people move to states/nations with the best functioning governments if they are allowed free movement. Historically voting with your feet has been the best way to change government. See Illinois and it's massive budget shortfall due to people leaving the state also look at the Soviet Union which needed border security to keep people IN. The exact opposite situation that the US has, which is that millions of people want to live here through any means necessary

waz0wski 5y ago
In my cynical view within the US, it's often more like locusts destroying their environment and moving on e.g. the Californian exodus to other western states that is negatively regarded by most people born & raised in those states. People vote for crap politicians and policies that lead to issues noted in the OP, then go somewhere else and do it again - watching it first-hand in my state over the past decade.
tiernano 5y ago
> See Illinois and it's massive budget shortfall due to people leaving the state Does this really make them think of changing stuff, or will they just increase taxes and try get more money? I mean, most governments will do the latter before fixing the issue (they don't want to admit the issue is with them...) [NOTE] not a US citizen, so cant don't know much about US politics
- OldHand2018 5y ago
  Illinois budget problems are due primarily to pension promises made decades ago. The current state government is reasonably well run, for the most part. If you look at the 2020 Census data, the Chicago metro area grew slightly while the rural areas and small towns lost population. The state saw a growth in high earners that pay lots of taxes, and a loss in lower income folks that pay relatively low taxes. Since you mention politics: Illinois will send 1 fewer person to the US Congress next year. Currently, there are 13 Democrats and 5 Republicans from Illinois. After the elections next year, there are almost certainly going to be 14 Democrats and 3 Republicans. Knowing that might help understand some of the criticism…

systemvoltage 5y ago

Journalists should be holding governments accountable. Just the way Carreyrou (WSJ) single handedly brought down Theranos, I want journalists to go after government corruption and high impact inefficiencies. Notice how NYTimes and the like are not interested in actual journalism of this sorts. Government is a de facto monopoly and we need 10x more eyes on it than anyone else. There needs to be mechanisms for firing bad actors from high up positions. Instead, the focus is always on increasing taxes. As a liberal, I want my taxes to go into exceptional and super high quality services that even the Scandinavians would envy. Otherwise, I will vote for lower taxes and that could mean vote for republicans. Our governments suck so much.

8note 5y ago
The government has become pay to play for journalists. Piss the government off and your not allowed into press briefings anymore. Some dedicated investigative journalism group could do it, but any larger media company cannot. I could see folks on YouTube doing a good job of it?
GDC7 5y ago
You keep dreaming. A journalist is a regular citizen who can write. They are motivated by hatred, that's why Cuomo, Trump and Elizabeth Holmes a juicy targets, but the inefficiency of the beurocracy and the government waste are not something they are interested in. Journalists also throw tantrums when they analyze a high profile person and find nothing on them. Journalists , like cops, judges etc. are not proactive , unlike engineers, their enemy is not a problem, but it's always another person. Their dream is basically them publishing a hit piece which would bring somebody big down, that's how they picture themselves, that's what they visualize when they are asked to define success. From there they try to go backwards trying to see what they have to do to make it happen.