Privatization -- Government Style
So the federal government finally decides to turn to the private sector -- because even its employees are beginning to acknowledge that private companies can work more cheaply and efficiently than the government.
Of course, the government isn't that worried about providing services to its constituents more cheaply and effectively; it's worried about getting its "fair share" of taxpayer money. That's why it's IRS debt collection that's being outsourced.
Talk about hypocrisy. We're supposed to be content with government serving us -- but when government wants it done right, it goes private.
Note: Not surprisingly, it seems that The New York Times has uncritically accepted the assertions that the outsourcing will cost more money -- but that assertion is at odds with other information. What a shock: Government (unions) don't like having their "work" given instead to the private sector. There's always a reason, at least in their minds, why it's a "bad idea," isn't there?
Of course, the government isn't that worried about providing services to its constituents more cheaply and effectively; it's worried about getting its "fair share" of taxpayer money. That's why it's IRS debt collection that's being outsourced.
Talk about hypocrisy. We're supposed to be content with government serving us -- but when government wants it done right, it goes private.
Note: Not surprisingly, it seems that The New York Times has uncritically accepted the assertions that the outsourcing will cost more money -- but that assertion is at odds with other information. What a shock: Government (unions) don't like having their "work" given instead to the private sector. There's always a reason, at least in their minds, why it's a "bad idea," isn't there?
posted by LadybugUSA at 3:50 PM
2 Comments:
Had you bothered to read anything on the issue, you'd have seen that it's far more efficient for the government to do it itself ($.20/dollar more efficient). The problems is - surprise! - politics. The admin is claiming the Congress wouldn't authorize more agents.
I've heard horror stories about a program called "DEAS" which outsources administrative staffing. While you won't get stuck with an egregiously bad administrative staffer--the upside, I suppose--neither can you reward and hold onto a good staffer since they are just as likely to be rotated out to someone who had been complaining about their crappy admin.
As for politics: who wants to go out on a limb in an election year and say "I voted FOR the IRS?" I sure wouldn't. Of course someone might be able to make some hay by explaining why it is so complicated and takes so much manpower to enforce the tax code.
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