Governments not knowing who the customer is.
If I were to ask you to identify the customer in a local school district, I would guess that over 90% of the population would answer "students".
But actually, the customer is the taxpayer. You know, the people actually picking up the tab.
The taxpayer is the customer is for every governmental service provided. Unfortunately, government employees use the term "clients" when discussing welfare recipients or the people who they are engaged with as a result of their particular field of service.
As a result, the taxpayer, specifically very rich taxpayers, (you know the ones picking up the tab) get ignored at best and in some cases are actually persecuted by these governments.
You may remember when David Paterson, governor of New York, derided Rush Limbaugh and basically said Rush wasn't welcome in New York.
Well that's the feeling that all rich people feel when it comes to governmental services. And if you're not feeling the love despite footing the bill you'll ultimately do what most of the rich and famous do.
Leave.
Little was made of Dwight Howard leaving the Los Angeles Lakers for the Houston Rockets this summer. But by simply playing in Houston over LA, he'll be putting over a million dollars in his pocket by simply signing the same contract in Texas.
And if you don't think that goes into the thinking of where capitalists put their businesses, you're probably contributing to your inevitable Detropia of a society.
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Friday, July 26, 2013
How nice red areas turn into Detroit style dumps #1
Governments forget that government is, in fact, a consumable item.
Most government leaders fail to understand that people consume government just like they would groceries.
Intrinsically, when we all choose to live in a certain area, we all do a cost/benefit analysis. It's no different than buying a gallon of milk in a Walmart versus your local convenience store. We may be willing to pay more for some extra convenience, but there ultimately becomes a point when the costs way out way any benefits.
Governments need to understand that they are selling a consumable good and that consumers ultimately are not willing to pay for things they do not want.
Think of it like going into a grocery store picking up a loaf of bread that costs $1.29 but in order to purchase the bread you also need to pay for a dozen eggs.
That store won't be around long.
The same is true for a government that charges you for roads, police and fire protection but forces you to pay for stuff you have no interest in like a "Department of Culture" or a "Sister Cities" department.
Take my nice Red village of Maineville, Ohio. We have six departments, Fire, Police, Finance, Streets, Zoning and Mayor's Court.
Compare that to the city of Detroit, where there are well over 50 departments.
But hey, maybe Maineville needs a department for "Special Events and Films".
And the day Maineville finds a need for a "Resource Recovery Authority" and "Angel Night" Departments, the current residents will be long gone.
Most government leaders fail to understand that people consume government just like they would groceries.
Intrinsically, when we all choose to live in a certain area, we all do a cost/benefit analysis. It's no different than buying a gallon of milk in a Walmart versus your local convenience store. We may be willing to pay more for some extra convenience, but there ultimately becomes a point when the costs way out way any benefits.
Governments need to understand that they are selling a consumable good and that consumers ultimately are not willing to pay for things they do not want.
Think of it like going into a grocery store picking up a loaf of bread that costs $1.29 but in order to purchase the bread you also need to pay for a dozen eggs.
That store won't be around long.
The same is true for a government that charges you for roads, police and fire protection but forces you to pay for stuff you have no interest in like a "Department of Culture" or a "Sister Cities" department.
Take my nice Red village of Maineville, Ohio. We have six departments, Fire, Police, Finance, Streets, Zoning and Mayor's Court.
Compare that to the city of Detroit, where there are well over 50 departments.
But hey, maybe Maineville needs a department for "Special Events and Films".
And the day Maineville finds a need for a "Resource Recovery Authority" and "Angel Night" Departments, the current residents will be long gone.
Who did she vote for? #19811
Meet unnamed Apple customer.
During the last election did she vote for Obama or Romney?
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Krauthammer's Take: Detroit Shows the Effects of 'the Absence of Austerity'
As I watched this last night, I almost spit my pizza out all over the TV. Seriously, to blame conservatives and/or conservative policies for Detroit's failure is like blaming ducks for hot weather.
Monday, July 22, 2013
Immigration - common sense ignored
About three years ago, I was in the office of one of my clients, a modeling agency. I was taking to the owner, when one of his models walked in.
She started telling us about how her boyfriend was being deported back to Russia. The owner started to offer some condolences when she offered; "It's not a huge deal, he thinks he can be back in the country in a month or so".
A couple of months later, I saw her at my client's office and I asked her if her boyfriend was back in town. Her response? "Yeah, he's been back for a couple of weeks."
And that forms the basis of most conservatives beliefs on immigration.
See the federal government is chartered to provide for the defense of our country from the US Constitution.
In the preamble it states..........
So when our federal government is so lame that it can't keep one Russian guy from entering the US illegally time and time again, what the hell good is it?
When you can't even execute the basics of national security by maintaining control of it's borders, extra laws just seems like political masturbation. Why do we even have a border to begin with?
Look, not one person I know objects to immigrants coming into this country. I've gone through my client list and here's a partial list of the countries of origin for my clients......
Canada
Mexico
Guatemala
Costo Rica
Jamaica
Panama
Venezuela
Columbia
England
Germany
Russia
Chechoslovakia
Greece
Israel
Jordan
Kuwait
Pakistan
China
Japan
Australia
And those are just the ones I know for sure.
I couldn't care less if the US allows for an unlimited supply of immigrants provided they meet the following criteria.
1) They've been checked for criminal backgrounds.
2) They've been checked for communicable diseases.
3) They are not eligible to vote.
4) They are not eligible for public assistance of any kind.
If the state department wants to provide temporary work permits to all who want one, go wild.
But the current immigration bills being bantered around seem to be akin to the feds saying "we can't do our job so we're going to make it legal".
Expecting the government to plug to hole in the boat before we come up with a plan to bail out the water just seems like the reasonable thing to do.
But maybe someone out their can explain how that makes me racist or some sort of xenophobe?
She started telling us about how her boyfriend was being deported back to Russia. The owner started to offer some condolences when she offered; "It's not a huge deal, he thinks he can be back in the country in a month or so".
A couple of months later, I saw her at my client's office and I asked her if her boyfriend was back in town. Her response? "Yeah, he's been back for a couple of weeks."
And that forms the basis of most conservatives beliefs on immigration.
See the federal government is chartered to provide for the defense of our country from the US Constitution.
In the preamble it states..........
We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
So when our federal government is so lame that it can't keep one Russian guy from entering the US illegally time and time again, what the hell good is it?
When you can't even execute the basics of national security by maintaining control of it's borders, extra laws just seems like political masturbation. Why do we even have a border to begin with?
Look, not one person I know objects to immigrants coming into this country. I've gone through my client list and here's a partial list of the countries of origin for my clients......
Canada
Mexico
Guatemala
Costo Rica
Jamaica
Panama
Venezuela
Columbia
England
Germany
Russia
Chechoslovakia
Greece
Israel
Jordan
Kuwait
Pakistan
China
Japan
Australia
And those are just the ones I know for sure.
I couldn't care less if the US allows for an unlimited supply of immigrants provided they meet the following criteria.
1) They've been checked for criminal backgrounds.
2) They've been checked for communicable diseases.
3) They are not eligible to vote.
4) They are not eligible for public assistance of any kind.
If the state department wants to provide temporary work permits to all who want one, go wild.
But the current immigration bills being bantered around seem to be akin to the feds saying "we can't do our job so we're going to make it legal".
Expecting the government to plug to hole in the boat before we come up with a plan to bail out the water just seems like the reasonable thing to do.
But maybe someone out their can explain how that makes me racist or some sort of xenophobe?
Sunday, July 21, 2013
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