The Myth of "Running It Like a Business"

The Myth of "Running It Like a Business"

Summary:
The phrase run it like a business is too often used to describe the way some people think the US government should be run. The fact is that there are vast differences between running a business and running a government. the phrase makes a great soundbite but is a woefully inadequate way to promote governmental fiscal responsibility.

We Hear it all the time and more from the right side of the aisle than the left; "the government needs to be run like a business", "I can't run my business like the government", "Why can't we run the government like a business?". In my younger days I would agree fully with the notion that business is a good model for fiscal responsibility in the government. After the eye opening spotlight that has been shed on the role of government in our economy recently, I have come to the conclusion that it is impossible to "run the Government like a business".

Let us start with the purpose of a Government and a Business. Our (US) government exists to enable its citizens to pursue their rights. Rights such as Life, Liberty and Happiness. Our founding fathers were very careful about this distinction. The Declaration of Independence is an amazing document. It is focused on the citizenry and defines the reason for a government to exist. That reason is not to make money. the US government from its infancy was created to protect the rights of the citizenry.

In opposition to this the sole purpose of a businesses is to make money. Some would argue this point as not being fulfilling or lacking depth of reason. Unfortunately, the one thing necessary to operate a business is income. You may like the work that comes with that chosen business but the fact remains that without income you have no business. Without income it is only work. If you are doing that work for someone else then it isn't business it is charity.

My point here is that while it is possible to practice fiscal responsibility when running a government that same fiscal responsibility cannot be a driving factor for the government. When that rationale or ideology takes over a government what we see is the erosion of what we in the US call our civil liberties. Or "unalienable rights" to quote the Declaration of Independence.

That is not to say that Fiscal Responsibility should be left out of government. It is necessary to the to achieve the goals of a government. If you can't run your government within the limits of available tax income then something needs to give. In the US this is a key debate being waged daily but based in two ideologies that are neither adequate to the goals of the state nor balanced by each other. Those ideologies being Liberalism and Conservative-ism.

This is also the reason why a two party system is so frustrating to many Americans. Many of us fall in the middle leaning to one side or another but hardly ever straddling both inexorably. As of late, I find that I am more apt to fall on the conservative side but with definite left leaning views on some subjects. For me making value based decisions is more justified than sticking to an ideology. Don't throw out conventional wisdom but put it in it's valued place in your decision making process. Our governmental decision making process is to debate. This at time exacerbates the ideological wars raging throughout the country but it's what makes us who we are.

So then, stating that the government should be run like a business is fully inadequate to the informed discourse needed to come to the best method for enabling the citizenry. The argument must contain both the methods for insuring fiscal responsibility and the limits to which the government should intrude upon the lives of it's citizens, in the form of taxes in this case.

One of the most valuable lessons I have learned from my father was the importance of truth. Not absolute truth but the strength to tell the truth even when it doesn't fit your impetus. I tend to call this transparency or the need for transparency in government. transparency insures that your decision making is held up before a higher, more populated audience. when decisons are made in back rooms it is necessary that those decisions be based not as much in ideology as in known fact. When they are made off the cuff they need to be defendable which most times they are not.

While not every decision the government makes needs to be scrutinized to the enth degree there are those that do. If a comittee makes a decision those hearing need to include as much informed discourse as is needed to reatain an arguable defense of the decision. I am afraid that most of the US citezenry does not believe or trust their elected officials enough to believe they are making their decisions based in informed discourse. The media portrays every argument given as a left or right argument instead of just an argument exacerbating the already dubious feelings the citizenry has towards their elected officials.

So then how do we handle this quandry of fact versus fantasy, of touchy feely versus hardlined minimalism, of guidance versus entitlement, and of conservative versus liberal. We tlak it out. We argue until the facts and best method of operation are found out. We Perry Mason it like old "Iron Sides" would have done. We make value based decison given the temperament of the public which we serve. I say we because everyone who votes serves the public interest and direct the conversation. That may be a bit optomistic but that doesn't bother me. Without hope and the willingness to disagree we wouldn't have a country that cotinually sets the standard for the way other operate. (yes, I'm a proud US citizen)

So please, the next time a politician says we need to run it like a business ask them which part of that business. Because frankly, if the government is a business it is the only one that CANNOT fail without the destruction of a country. So senator, congressman, or representative, do you feel we should let the governement fail if your "running it like a business" fails? I think not. Let's just use a combination of those best know management methods and transparency to create a lean and enableing government that will be the example for the rest of the world instead of just another failed business.

I'm still working the finer points of these arguments so if someone opposes this please let me know. Informed discourse is necessary to a democracy as well as a fulfilling intellectual life.

TL Owens

Everyone is watching

Think about it before you say it. Just take one extra second to go over it in your head and make sure you are OK with the message you are sending out. We all run into this and some more than most.
Case in point case #1: on the news tonight I saw a news story about a man who had been peeing on a and a police officer tried to cite him. Well little buddy wasn't the most sane person so he takes off running and the officer tackles him. It turns out that in the struggle his ribs had 26 fractures. Seem excessive? It's not when you have to tackle someone the way the police have to. He later died in police custody (I think. Don't quote me I may be mixing stories). But I digress, the story also noted that the Portland Police Chief (Rosie Sizer) had sent out a memo saying that officers should take into account the seriousness of the crime before engaging in a foot pursuit. Now we get to the kicker... the only comment mentioned was from the Police Labor union person who said basically our officers already take these factors into account every day multiple times a day and she shouldn't be asking blah blah blah. I stopped listening when he started bitching. Seriously! I know you need to chase people down and I know 99.9% of officers use their head when confronted with these situations every day. That said 26 frack'in fractures and death in custody is a bit excessive for peeing on a wall. Don't make an ass of yourself just say yes sir, take the new training class and do better next time.
Case 2: young woman get beaten by boyfriend and jumps into her car and gos to her mothers to call the police leaving the car in a tow away zone with the lights flashing. Police come and eventually arrest the boyfriend. Now the kicker but this is a double whammy.... As the officer is holding her keys during the investigation a Retriever tow truck is patrolling and picks up her car. She runs out to get explain and he won't drop it without getting $165 drop fee from her. Even when the officer comes over and explains the situation he won't drop it without getting paid. And kicker #2: when contacted by reporters the manager says the driver was within his rights and did nothing wrong. ??? Seriously? After which the company received 600 emails of complaint, the property managers called to set them straight and make them refund the cash and the property management company said it was reviewing whether or not to revoke any and all contracts with Retriever towing. AND AND then the owner (I think) still has the balls to say "I'm still not sure the driver did anything wrong." I don't know about you but after about 300 emails I might have an inkling that I need to look at the decision a bit more objectively.
Please folks, this is the reason Jerry Springer is actually not the hell spawn of TV. When these poor people get on that show and make total fools of themselves, they go home and watch the show. And that's when reality bitchslaps them out of that fantasy and back into the real world. Yes, that's you on TV. Listen to yourself and look at what you did. If you don't feel remorse at that point please seek professional mental help.
I'm an optimist. I believe that when people see how stupid they look they really can change. When someone is willing to stand up, tell them they are wrong and make them understand how they are effecting other people, I believe they will change. Even me. We've all had our moments so let's not judge them. Let's help them find a better way to live. As for the examples above.... I hope your watching and listening to yourselves. We are.

TL Owens

Thoughts on Transparency

Transparency: (Noun) The quality of being clear and transparent.

Yes, Dictionary.com is a wealth of information but can, at times, be quite unclear. There are many types of transparency to which I have been a witness. There are the classic transparencies which I will forever remember my fathers multitude of sermons being either typed or written upon. There are transparent films and glasses and foam and even aluminum but those are not what I am referring to here. My thoughts right now are on transparency of character.

Transparency of character is one of my goals in life. To be transparent in character simply means to be truthful. My father taught me to tell the truth but only in my middle years have a really come to realize the value of truth, especially as it applies to character.

To be true of character is to be without deceit when projecting ones character. My experience is that deceiving your self easily leads to deceiving others. If you are not truthful to yourself then how can you be truthful to others? Truth is at the core of my goal here and not the truth of ones opinion but the truth of ones objective decision.

So what am I saying about transparency of character? If you are lying to yourself then you cannot be truthful to others. The only way to insure you are not deceiving yourself is to objectively consider a given situation before making a decision. In doing so you open your mind to all possible outcomes and choose the path that most fits your truth. Your truth is what defines your character. Your character should be reflected in your actions as a result of those truthful decisions.

Simply put, I want people to see who I am and not just who I want them to see or who they want to see.

TL Owens