Comments on: Resources http://thecriticaledition.net/chapter-297/resources With extra-wide margins Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:06:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: G. Scott http://thecriticaledition.net/chapter-297/resources/comment-page-1#comment-189 G. Scott Sun, 17 Aug 2008 12:59:47 +0000 http://thecriticaledition.net/?p=297#comment-189 It's not just the lack of competition -- there's the question of unwarranted influence. I'm working on a series of posts about just that topic... It’s not just the lack of competition — there’s the question of unwarranted influence. I’m working on a series of posts about just that topic…

]]> By: Thud http://thecriticaledition.net/chapter-297/resources/comment-page-1#comment-187 Thud Sat, 16 Aug 2008 11:52:27 +0000 http://thecriticaledition.net/?p=297#comment-187 This is why our economic system resembles mercantilism more than they do Adam Smith's free enterprise and open competition. Once the government has an "exclusive contract" with a provider, there's no more competition. Get that first contract and all you have to do is minimally meet the contract standards and tax money gets funneled into your pocket. This is one of the reasons I oppose government "outsourcing" to contractors. A lot of our federal agencies have outsourced core functions (like feeding and supporting troops in the field, which is handled by KBR or Haliburton or some such) for a higher price and lower quality than government workers could have provided. The excuse is "competition." But there's no competition with a contract and -- if there's no bid -- no competition before it either. This is why our economic system resembles mercantilism more than they do Adam Smith’s free enterprise and open competition. Once the government has an “exclusive contract” with a provider, there’s no more competition. Get that first contract and all you have to do is minimally meet the contract standards and tax money gets funneled into your pocket.

This is one of the reasons I oppose government “outsourcing” to contractors. A lot of our federal agencies have outsourced core functions (like feeding and supporting troops in the field, which is handled by KBR or Haliburton or some such) for a higher price and lower quality than government workers could have provided. The excuse is “competition.” But there’s no competition with a contract and — if there’s no bid — no competition before it either.

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