5 ms·

I see a lot of figures in the "millions" Pfft! That's like me buying an ice cream at McDonalds with the change I find in the little cup holder of my car. Wait

I see a lot of figures in the "millions" Pfft! That's like me buying an ice cream at McDonalds with the change I find in the little cup holder of my car. Wait! It also says 4b to replace all the "flawed" stuff. Hmmm, let me think: that like a small family dinner. In the overall scheme of things, this is nothing.

deleted 12y ago
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acheron 12y ago
Few billion here, few billion there, pretty soon you're talking real money.
- hyperliner 12y ago
  With government, the problem is that "here" is very different from "there." Which is why we really want the federal government to be really small or things like these happen.
  - kristopolous 12y ago
    "really small" won't fix "really corrupt" - how things are now, the first to go would be things such as laws keeping businesses honest.
    - seanflyon 12y ago
      "really small" means limiting power which reduces the effects of corruption.
      - kristopolous 12y ago
        no. because with "really small" governments you still get "really big" companies. The term "deregulation" really epitomizes this - the idea that there should be fewer laws restricting companies from harming others and that the magical free hand of the market will miraculously prevent malfeasance and malevolent profiteering in some ayn rand utopia. what a lovely fantasy. The process I've seen called "decivilizing" - the willful dismantling of the post-industrial societal state back to some goal that is effectively an 18th century corporate oligarchy. The problem is that then you get companies which effect as governments - it's no mistake that the US flag is a spinoff of the maritime flag of the East India Trading corporation - it was effectively a de facto governing body - above the state. The corporate becomes the state when the state is weak. They are poised to fill such a power vacuum and it happens immediately. It's so clear.
pbreit 12y ago
I'm not sure exactly the point you're making but sorta of agree that the design costs are marginal. Each branch is certainly large enough to be doing their own unis to meet their own needs, one of them being distinction.

deleted 12y ago

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acheron 12y ago

Few billion here, few billion there, pretty soon you're talking real money.

hyperliner 12y ago
With government, the problem is that "here" is very different from "there." Which is why we really want the federal government to be really small or things like these happen.
- kristopolous 12y ago
  "really small" won't fix "really corrupt" - how things are now, the first to go would be things such as laws keeping businesses honest.
  - seanflyon 12y ago
    "really small" means limiting power which reduces the effects of corruption.
    - kristopolous 12y ago
      no. because with "really small" governments you still get "really big" companies. The term "deregulation" really epitomizes this - the idea that there should be fewer laws restricting companies from harming others and that the magical free hand of the market will miraculously prevent malfeasance and malevolent profiteering in some ayn rand utopia. what a lovely fantasy. The process I've seen called "decivilizing" - the willful dismantling of the post-industrial societal state back to some goal that is effectively an 18th century corporate oligarchy. The problem is that then you get companies which effect as governments - it's no mistake that the US flag is a spinoff of the maritime flag of the East India Trading corporation - it was effectively a de facto governing body - above the state. The corporate becomes the state when the state is weak. They are poised to fill such a power vacuum and it happens immediately. It's so clear.

pbreit 12y ago

I'm not sure exactly the point you're making but sorta of agree that the design costs are marginal. Each branch is certainly large enough to be doing their own unis to meet their own needs, one of them being distinction.