What's so great about government programs?

[30ashopper]

So there's been a lot of harping on this board about private businesses, and a general defense of the idea that introducing government programs funded by taxpayers into private industry is a good idea.

It seems to me the private, anti-government program advocates have been doing most of the defending, with very little input as to why public systems are better.

So I'm curious, we all get involved with government from time to time, whether it's on April 15th or through government programs.. I'd like to hear about people's experiences in this area. What is your general sense of how government programs run? How do the programs you interact with function, how efficient are they, and are they simpler to work with or more humanitarian than the private businesses you deal with every day?

 

[Bob]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8E_zMLCRNg"]YouTube - Cricket Sound[/ame]

 

[Matt J]

Military - Seems to get the job done. Not like those nut jobs over at Black Water who are constantly embroiled in some sort of human rights abuse, sexual scandal, or ripping off the American taxpayer.

USPS - How much does UPS/FedEx want to charge me to deliver a letter cross country?

Direct Lending - Providing student loans without the cumbersome middle man adding his percentage to the loan.

Homeland Security - Recently broke up a terrorist cell and plot without torturing anyone.

NOAA - Reporting the weather without throwing you into a hysterical panic because ad sales are down.

Shall I go on?

 

[beachmouse]

Public Universities- the elites (Cal, Michigan, Virginia, North Carolina, UCLA etc.) are among the greatest higher educational institutions in the world.

 

[30ashopper]

Military - Seems to get the job done. Not like those nut jobs over at Black Water who are constantly embroiled in some sort of human rights abuse, sexual scandal, or ripping off the American taxpayer.

USPS - How much does UPS/FedEx want to charge me to deliver a letter cross country?

Direct Lending - Providing student loans without the cumbersome middle man adding his percentage to the loan.

Homeland Security - Recently broke up a terrorist cell and plot without torturing anyone.

NOAA - Reporting the weather without throwing you into a hysterical panic because ad sales are down.

Shall I go on?

Please do.

A few comments - first, as far as USPS goes, wouldn't you agree the quality of service compared to private firms is sorely lacking? Second, how much do you pay to support USPS through federal taxes beyond what you pay for a stamp? How much do we (as in, all of the U.S.) pay combined? How much do we pay for FedEx?

On direct lending, student loans are through private lenders with a guarantee from government which insures that if you default, the government picks up the tab. You are serviced through private businesses however. This has little to do with the performance of government programs.

On Homeland Security - no issues there, that one is even in the Constitution, and they do seem to do a relatively good job.

On NOAA - ditto, useful service. They also do a lot of basic research private firms would never pay for that is very valuable over the long term. (Maybe BeachSIO2 could comment on this further?)

 

[30ashopper]

Public Universities- the elites (Cal, Michigan, Virginia, North Carolina, UCLA etc.) are among the greatest higher educational institutions in the world.

Certainly true, some states do a great job of running their universities.

But these schools are not the best of the best - Princeton, Harvard, Yale, Stanford, MIT, Columbia, CalTech, Duke, Johns Hopkins, Cornell, Carnegie Mellon, Brown.. these are the best schools in the United States, and in most cases, the world, and they are all private. Which isn't to say that the state schools you list aren't good, they just aren't as good as institutions operated in the private sector.

The university system is a great example though of what might become of our healthcare system - a majority of Americans rely on public systems, while the financially or cognitively elite attend the top notch private institutions. Is that an acceptable outcome for healthcare? Would you mind being priced out of the best medical institutions in the country based on your income?

 

[LuciferSam]

Please do.

A few comments - first, as far as USPS goes, wouldn't you agree the quality of service compared to private firms is sorely lacking? Second, how much do you pay to support USPS through federal taxes beyond what you pay for a stamp? How much do we (as in, all of the U.S.) pay combined? How much do we pay for FedEx?

On direct lending, student loans are through private lenders with a guarantee from government which insures that if you default, the government picks up the tab. You are serviced through private businesses however. This has little to do with the performance of government programs.

On Homeland Security - no issues there, that one is even in the Constitution, and they do seem to do a relatively good job.

On NOAA - ditto, useful service. They also do a lot of basic research private firms would never pay for that is very valuable over the long term. (Maybe BeachSIO2 could comment on this further?)

I don't think the service of Fedex or UPS is any better than USPS. They all have their strengths and weaknesses. I've never had a problem with mail service. Lots of things I order online come by mail.

 

[Here4Good]

Certainly true, some states do a great job of running their universities.

But these schools are not the best of the best - Princeton, Harvard, Yale, Stanford, MIT, Columbia, CalTech, Duke, Johns Hopkins, Cornell, Carnegie Mellon, Brown.. these are the best schools in the United States, and in most cases, the world, and they are all private. Which isn't to say that the state schools you list aren't good, they just aren't as good as institutions operated in the private sector.

The university system is a great example though of what might become of our healthcare system - a majority of Americans rely on public systems, while the financially or cognitively elite attend the top notch private institutions. Is that an acceptable outcome for healthcare? Would you mind being priced out of the best medical institutions in the country based on your income?

Actually, that is what we have now for healthcare, in my opinion. Those of us that are just run-of-the-mill sick go to our local healthcare provider, oncologist, radiologist, etc, while the wealthy ( or those with unusual illnesses - call them "scholarship" students) go to Duke Medical, MD Anderson or the Mayo Clinic.

I seriously doubt that my HMO would pay for me to go to MD Anderson if I had cancer. I'd be treated right here, and I don't see anything wrong with that.

 

[poppy]

National Park Service

Rural Electrification Administration

Public Libraries

Public Health Service

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

National Transportation Safety Board

Department of Agriculture

USDA

Public Schools

Veterans Administration

FEMA (pre Bush)

We could go on with some research, but I believe a good point has been brought up. Conservatives constantly tell the American people that government doesn't work but we know better. It's not perfect but it can work for us and we will strive to make it better for everyone. A politician telling you this country can't do anything right should never be re-elected.

 

[sullygromo]

As far as public health care, what we are talking about is an OPTION. We all know what that word means, so why all the backlash? If you don't like or need it, don't take it. Am I forced to go to Ohio State when I really want to go to Harvard? I don't think so...I get the "its a slippery slope" bit, but come on..

As for the original question: What's so great about government programs? Fortunately for the majority of us, Id guess, we've never been in a situation (death of a bread winner spouse, denial by an insurance company, etc..) where it was "I am going to sink without a little assistance." Id ask some folks who HAVE been in a situation like that "whats so great about government programs....." It becomes a moral issue at some point, not a "whats so great about them" issue, IMHO...