[aklug] Re: OFFTOPIC: Re: Re: ACS Google Gateway

From: Arthur Corliss <acorliss@nevaeh-linux.org>
Date: Mon Oct 28 2013 - 19:29:01 AKDT

I apologize for falling off the map, real life intruded once more...

On Mon, 21 Oct 2013, Greg Schmitz wrote:
>
> Efficiency? Do you think a private entity, with profit as a motive, can be
> more efficient than a host of other models for accomplishing work and goals -
> including models that historically have been used by our governments? I
> think not, and I think history is on my side. While "for profit"
> organizations can leverage worker "efficiency," at a low level, primarily by
> leveraging power over workers, they in fact are very inefficient (monetarily
> at least) because they necessarily have to generate profits. Having been
> involved in a number of cooperative endeavours (all involving large sums of
> money) the downside of human nature you have described as, "inherent
> laziness," has, in my experience, been the exception not the rule - and in
> the end has not damaged or impacted the endeavours I'm familiar with, see for
> example: <http://www.foodcoop.com/>. As examples of failure in the world of
> profit, from private endeavours, one need only look at the cost and the many
> failed attempts by private enterprise (with regard to computing systems) at
> DOD, the FBI, the IRS, DOJ, FAA or perhaps the Municipality of Anchorage
> <http://www.adn.com/2013/04/12/2862627/software-to-automate-anchorage.html>.

History is decidedly not on your side. If the end results of governmental
"efficiency" actually existed you wouldn't have the eventual downfall of
every government and empire on the face of the planet. The USA, as dear as
it is to my heart, is no exception. If you can't see the rampant waste,
fraud, and abuse at the highest levels of government, you haven't been
paying attention. Chicago-style politics has nothing to do with technical
merits, and everything to do with corruption.

*My* experience, both as a direct federal worker in the military, and also
as a federal contractor afterwards, has show nothing of merit in the
process. If I knew my personal fortunes were tied to the quality of worked
produced by either a private or a public entity, I know who I'd bet on to
save my bacon.

The one handicap that both do share, however, is that the larger an entity
becomes the more inherently inefficient they become, partly due to the
greater burden of bureacracy, the overhead of coordinating large groups.
The difference, however, is that private organizations degrade over time as
they grow, while government organizations start degraded from the beginning.
You'll never be able to convince me that a group of people who's positions
are largely guaranteed as a necessary evil of society, spending other
people's money, is going to be as dilligent as they would be if it was,
indeed, their money.

Isolated individuals may be more conscientious, but how naive do you need to
be to think that the moronic collective can retain those positive
attributes?

> Are you referring to the collusion of Public officials with private
> entrepreneurs? I grew up in Wisconsin, which has, as far as I know, only 2
> stands of virgin timber remaining - everything else was clear cut (twice) by
> "lumber barons" and paper makers with help from government. Lots of jobs way
> back when - very few now.

Not at all. That kind of collusion is only a symptom of the disease, not
the primary root.

> I'll go with the government any day over commerce, or the even worse
> combination of commerce that controls government (call it what you will).

Commerce needs to be regulated to ensure that the less scrupulous private
individuals don't harm the free market, to be sure. But when governments
conspire to pick winners in the market in lieu of market forces they do as
much, if not more, harm. And that's what we have now.

Speaking from an academic perspective, your faith in the collective over the
free market, the desire for communal control over capitalism, makes you a
communist. I'm sorry you feel that way. When you find a single communist
country that didn't drain its people of all valuable resources, please let
me know. Only at that point will you have a single data point in history
that backs up those views.

         --Arthur Corliss
           Live Free or Die
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Received on Mon Oct 28 19:29:26 2013

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