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Different Drummer

(7,678 posts) Tue Jan 9, 2018, 10:13 PM Jan 2018

The ability to make money ≠ the ability to govern.

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The ability to make money ≠ the ability to govern. (Original Post) Different Drummer Jan 2018 OP

The goal of government is to provide services, while... Beartracks Jan 2018 #1

That's the essential problem. PoindexterOglethorpe Jan 2018 #4

Not sure who this is about Pope George Ringo II Jan 2018 #2

Oprah. shenmue Jan 2018 #3

She can't run anyway, cuz she's rubbed elbows with Harvey Weinstein!!1!1 Beartracks Jan 2018 #5

Beartracks

(12,835 posts)

1. The goal of government is to provide services, while...

Reply to Different Drummer (Original post)

Tue Jan 9, 2018, 10:22 PM

Jan 2018

... the goal of business is to make a profit.

In government, the service IS the goal, frequently achieved with sound business principles; however, money is not the motive, and profit is not the concern.

In business, even one that provides a service, if the service doesn't earn a profit, the business drops the service or folds.

Capitalism is not the cradle of governance.

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PoindexterOglethorpe

(25,928 posts)

4. That's the essential problem.

Reply to Beartracks (Reply #1)

Wed Jan 10, 2018, 08:02 AM

Jan 2018

What government needs to do is NOTHING like what business needs to do. And every single person who says that government needs to be run like a business should be required to produce a balance sheet that shows how that can work.

Governments have a whole lot of things to do that will never produce money, such as building or repairing roads, underwriting scientific research and maintaining the several national laboratories, sending soldiers abroad and paying for all or the many military bases overseas.
No businesses do anything remotely like those things.

And businesses are supposed to make money. Governments are only supposed to break even.