White Christian America versus Everybody Else

[james&olya 1,121]

Please cite one example where the gov't has ever turned a profit at anything.

The bailout program has actually returned more money to the govt from many of the entities involved than they received!

Social Security is still in the 'black' and may remain so permanently if the income cap on contributions is lifted!

[Teddy B 17,252]

The bailout program has actually returned more money to the govt from many of the entities involved than they received!

Social Security is still in the 'black' and may remain so permanently if the income cap on contributions is lifted!

I'm still waiting for you to cite one example where gov't has turned a profit on anything.

[Teddy B 17,252]

Government is not there to make profits - that's the wrong focus. But if you want to know where government does a more efficient job than private enterprise, just look at the health care sector. Nobody has managed to make it more of a clusterfcuk - an expensive and inefficient one at that - than private enterprise. There isn't a government run health care system in the world that is less efficient than the private enterprise dominated system here in the US.

Not so, the healthcare sector has been gov't controlled for decades, not gov't run, but gov't controlled. Open up a true free market health care system and watch the level of services rise and prices drop.

The bailout program has actually returned more money to the govt from many of the entities involved than they received!

Social Security is still in the 'black' and may remain so permanently if the income cap on contributions is lifted!

In regards to the bold lettering, what the hell are you talking about?

[james&olya 1,121]

In regards to the bold lettering, what the hell are you talking about?

There have been numerous news articles on this, the auto companies being one of the examples where the money has been repaid with interest. Some of the other assets that the government took over have been sold since at a PROFIT!! I don't have time right now to google the details for you but they shouldn't be hard to find.

Now I know you will still be able to come back and say that the government cannot technically make a 'profit' since it is not a for-profit enterprise and is overall deeply in debt. But then you would be playing games with this issue.

[Teddy B 17,252]

There have been numerous news articles on this, the auto companies being one of the examples where the money has been repaid with interest. Some of the other assets that the government took over have been sold since at a PROFIT!! I don't have time right now to google the details for you but they shouldn't be hard to find.

Now I know you will still be able to come back and say that the government cannot technically make a 'profit' since it is not a for-profit enterprise and is overall deeply in debt. But then you would be playing games with this issue.

So the bailout and stimulus plan is in the black? It has turned a profit?

[james&olya 1,121]

So the bailout and stimulus plan is in the black? It has turned a profit?

The final accounting is not in and will not be for awhile. If you factor in the financial catastrophe that was averted than without any question and by a huge amount we have come out ahead.

[Teddy B 17,252]

The final accounting is not in and will not be for awhile. If you factor in the financial catastrophe that was averted than without any question and by a huge amount we have come out ahead.

Right, the bailout and stimulus plan has not turned a profit, nor has any other gov't run program. You seem to have lost sight of my initial statement that the private sector is, and always will be better at running most of the current gov't run programs. Is that so hard to agree with? It's basic economics.

A lot of people would disagree with you that it was a good thing not to let the banks and auto companies fail.

Edited June 20, 2012 by Teddy B

[mawilson 2,133]

So the bailout and stimulus plan is in the black? It has turned a profit?

Bailout - yes (with the exception of AIG.)

Stimulus - no.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I'm still waiting for you to cite one example where gov't has turned a profit on anything.

The government is not in the business of making profits. Is that so hard to grasp?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Open up a true free market health care system and watch the level of services rise and prices drop.

A true free market? Where does that even exist? Nowhere outside of places like Somalia where there simply is no government.

Why is privately administered and managed Medicare more expensive than government administered and managed Medicare? Where is the efficiency that private enterprise was going to bring to the table? It never materialized. There is no evidence whatsoever that would even begin to back up your assumption. None.

[Teddy B 17,252]

The government is not in the business of making profits. Is that so hard to grasp?

Exactly what I've been saying all along! I believe I made this statement earlier.

The US gov't was never set up to run these programs, nor was it ever given the power to do so in the constitution by the founding fathers.

[Teddy B 17,252]

The government is not in the business of making profits. Is that so hard to grasp?

Then they shouldn't be running programs that continuously lose taxpayer money. A for profit company would be much more economical and effective.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

There have been numerous news articles on this, the auto companies being one of the examples where the money has been repaid with interest. Some of the other assets that the government took over have been sold since at a PROFIT!! I don't have time right now to google the details for you but they shouldn't be hard to find.

These returns don't even include the monies the treasury collects from the continued employment of these hundreds of thousands of workers, the broader effect their continued employment has on the overall economy, etc. Obviously, 100,000 people working, paying taxes and consuming does make for a better fiscal picture for the government than those same 100,000 people not working, not paying taxes and consuming at sharply reduced rates.

[Teddy B 17,252]

A true free market? Where does that even exist? Nowhere outside of places like Somalia where there simply is no government.

Why is privately administered and managed Medicare more expensive than government administered and managed Medicare? Where is the efficiency that private enterprise was going to bring to the table? It never materialized. There is no evidence whatsoever that would even begin to back up your assumption. None.

My use of the term "true free market" was in reference to removing gov't control as much as possible from the private sector. You're correct in that very few "true free markets" exist by definition.

Who says that privately administered and managed Medicare is more expensive than one that is gov't run? When has Medicare ever been turned over to the priate sector to be run as a for profit business?

[james&olya 1,121]

Then they shouldn't be running programs that continuously lose taxpayer money. A for profit company would be much more economical and effective.

Taxpayer money is not 'lost' in paying for health care for medicare recipients, the VA, military, etc.!! And the evidence is that for-profit companies are MORE expensive because they require.... A PROFIT!!!