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Politics : View from the Center and Left -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: wonk who wrote (155368)	1/30/2011 2:39:54 AM
From: Wharf Rat	Respond to of 541933

That was really good.

To: wonk who wrote (155368)	1/30/2011 7:03:17 AM
From: Elroy	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 541933

Since WWII expenditures have been around 19-21% of GDP. This brings up a different point. If government is efficient, shouldn't it be able to grow more slowly than GDP? Economic growth (GDP growth) is a good thing, but why does government need to grow at the same rate as the private sector?

To: wonk who wrote (155368)	1/30/2011 10:15:34 AM
From: epicure	Respond to of 541933

Thank you for that post. It was quite clear, and very interesting.

To: wonk who wrote (155368)	1/30/2011 10:27:31 AM
From: Steve Lokness	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 541933

My father taught me when I was very young, … You can’t cut your way to profitability. Tell that to WalMart perhaps the most successful retail outlet of all time. Cost cutting IS their paradigm.

To: wonk who wrote (155368)	1/30/2011 10:40:42 AM
From: Steve Lokness	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 541933

The Post office also has a revenue problem. I like the post office, but how can they have a revenue problem when they are a monopoly - or near monopoly? Can the Post Office cut cost? Well sure, why not do a 5 day mail delivery for instance? Politics imposes the universal service obligation. Politics imposes the 6 day a week delivery schedule which increases fixed costs. In a moment of brilliance you have identified the argument that many make that the problem is not about revenue - but cost. That the cost are wrong because of politics - doesn't mean that we shouldn't try to fix the cost side of the equation. Delivery on Saturday is not a big thing - but three political wars and the war machine cost that Eisenhower warned us about is.