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And then those empty counters and slow service are used as evidence that the government is incompetent and should have its budget reduced further. It's a viciou

And then those empty counters and slow service are used as evidence that the government is incompetent and should have its budget reduced further. It's a vicious cycle and I am confident the reduced service is a deliberate attempt to undermine confidence in government. See also: bans on common-sense measures like including sales tax in price tags, making it easier to pay income taxes.

chongli 4y ago
a deliberate attempt to undermine confidence in government Yes. The strategy is known as "starve the beast" [1] and it is pursued with ferocious determination by its proponents. The goal is to create some kind of minimal government libertarian paradise. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starve_the_beast https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starve_the_beast
- notch656a 4y ago
  I thought starve the beast was where non-wartime federal spending as a percent of GDP increased multiple times over the past 100 year period. The beast to be starved being the individual citizen and businesses. Yes you can see, the beast has been horribly starved. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/FYONGDA188S https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/FYONGDA188S
  - piva00 4y ago
    Looking at general spending doesn't tell you absolutely anything where the spending is going to and doesn't enable any kind of cost-benefit analysis. It's a meaningless metric to derive any argument from. Spending on services that are multipliers of productivity is very different than spending on the military, for example. Spending on public services that improves citizens' life like healthcare, parks, schools, culture, easiness of bureaucracy (e.g.: permits for construction, licencing of activities, etc.) is a completely different beast than spending on politicians benefits, military drills, and so on.
    - notch656a 4y ago
      - piva00 4y ago
        Starve the beast is about starving specific services with the goal of dismantling them by causing a negative sentiment in the public. Like what the Tories are doing to the NHS, you start dismantling it by underfunding the service, which forces cost-cutting (usually meaning diminished staff or changes to regulations on benefits, working hours, etc.). Don't really understand your deflection and tone, it was completely uncalled for and doesn't at all address the point of my comment. Please, don't do that here on HN, I come here to foster intelligent and interesting discussions, not to read mindless hot takes and deflections.
        deleted 4y ago
        [deleted]
        piva00 4y ago

chongli 4y ago

a deliberate attempt to undermine confidence in government Yes. The strategy is known as "starve the beast" [1] and it is pursued with ferocious determination by its proponents. The goal is to create some kind of minimal government libertarian paradise. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starve_the_beast https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starve_the_beast

notch656a 4y ago
I thought starve the beast was where non-wartime federal spending as a percent of GDP increased multiple times over the past 100 year period. The beast to be starved being the individual citizen and businesses. Yes you can see, the beast has been horribly starved. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/FYONGDA188S https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/FYONGDA188S
- piva00 4y ago
  Looking at general spending doesn't tell you absolutely anything where the spending is going to and doesn't enable any kind of cost-benefit analysis. It's a meaningless metric to derive any argument from. Spending on services that are multipliers of productivity is very different than spending on the military, for example. Spending on public services that improves citizens' life like healthcare, parks, schools, culture, easiness of bureaucracy (e.g.: permits for construction, licencing of activities, etc.) is a completely different beast than spending on politicians benefits, military drills, and so on.
  - notch656a 4y ago
    - piva00 4y ago
      Starve the beast is about starving specific services with the goal of dismantling them by causing a negative sentiment in the public. Like what the Tories are doing to the NHS, you start dismantling it by underfunding the service, which forces cost-cutting (usually meaning diminished staff or changes to regulations on benefits, working hours, etc.). Don't really understand your deflection and tone, it was completely uncalled for and doesn't at all address the point of my comment. Please, don't do that here on HN, I come here to foster intelligent and interesting discussions, not to read mindless hot takes and deflections.
      - deleted 4y ago
        [deleted]
        piva00 4y ago