Who's Serving You?

[XLFD]

The following is a recently posted, very on-point article written by Drew Martin who blogs at his own website The Recovering Statist.  Read it through and consider what he says:

 

While it’s often argued by many that the State must help to provide for the needs of the people; what is not discussed is what the people actually want. While visiting family in Atlanta recently, it occurred to me that most Americans simply do not recognize the differences between the nature of the State and the nature of the market.

When it came time to eat lunch we stopped in a small restaurant in Atlantic Station. As we found our seats, the server cordially gave us menus, asked what we’d like to drink and said to simply let him know if we had any questions. Though the cuisine and atmosphere was very impressive, after a brief look at the menu we decided the prices were too expensive.

As the waiter returned to the table, we thanked him for his service but told him we weren’t looking to spend that much money and had decided to find lunch elsewhere. With a smile he politely thanked us for coming in and wished us a nice rest of the day. There were no guns, no threats of arrest, and no men with badges forcing us to give up our money.

While most encounter this at least once a day, rarely do Americans take the time to appreciate what’s actually taking place. How often do we go into a department store or restaurant with the understanding that these businesses have spent hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars in advance to provide a good or service without any guarantees of a return on their investment? There are no demands or obligations to purchase any product; indeed the demand comes from us that these products be available. Should a business fail to produce what is demanded by consumers, it will soon file bankruptcy and cease to exist.

This is the nature of the market. Every entrepreneur must take massive risks and invest large sums of money to create production, innovation, distribution and let’s not forget paying the wages of the servers who welcome you when you enter and thank you as you leave; all to give you what you want.

The functions of government are diametrically opposed to the nature of the market. How many times have you been given the option to pay or not to pay taxes? Were you ever given an opportunity to not pay for the welfare state, endless wars or bailouts to corporations? Though many view the State as our protector, what happens if you refuse? Can you picture an IRS agent simply thanking you for your time and wishing you a nice day if you withhold your income? People do not pay taxes out of consent or compassion, but out of fear and submission.

As author and editorial Vice President of the Mises Institute, Jeffrey Tucker has pointed out before: even government institutions invoke a sense of submission upon your entering. As Tucker explained, imagine walking into a department or grocery store. How many people are waiting to assist you? If you purchase a product but decide you no longer desire it or it’s defective, you simply take the item to the exchange desk and are either reimbursed or given the opportunity to choose another item. No questions asked.

Tucker then asks you to imagine entering the DMV. How many people are there to welcome you? Do any of the employees, (who are paid with your tax dollars) seem to have any urgency in helping you? Do these institutions ever seem to be efficient? If you have a complaint how eager do they appear to be to resolve the issue?

The difference is even more stark at the airport. If you’ve purchased tickets in advance online, you expect them to be available and to save some time before the flight. Should the airline fail to provide efficient services, you have the ability to seek out a competitor. It is not the owners of companies who hold the power in the market, but the consumer. Whether you’re wrong or right the business must cater to your interests or suffer a loss in sales.

But once you go through security, your demeanor changes entirely. There is no sense of control on your part. You walk with intimidation, hoping you’re not selected for the extensive security measures. No TSA agent seeks to make you feel safe or welcome. There is no greeting or sense of service, but a look of suspicion, of accusation and an implicit threat of force.

Behind the very notion of every government program is the assertion that the State is doing what’s best for the country; that our wise leaders are simply acting on behalf of the interests of their constituents. But at what point did politicians ask the people what they wanted? Was there not an overwhelming rejection of ObamaCare throughout the country? How many Americans asked to be subjected to the TSA’s strip searches? Were you ever asked how your money should be spent, or if it should be taken from you at all?

Politicians and bureaucrats have long fashioned themselves as benevolent leaders acting upon the will of the people, but broken promises and the increasingly violent disposition of the State has revealed them to be the direct opposite and has proven the State to be an abysmal failure. The voluntary sector of society, the peaceful cooperative nature of individuals within their communities and throughout the world that provide for society have demonstrated it is not government that produces the greatest “public-servants”, but the market.

[Marty Redman]

You did a good service by passing this along.  Its revolutionary thinking in a time when many look to the oppressive governmments to do things for them from health care to security.

[Willy]

I agree with some of his observations but how would he change the current practices. I don't like all the taxes I have to pay but the reality is we have to pay something so how does the Government collect those tax dollars. I'm sure the honor system isn't going to work. And if there is no airport security what would be the reaction to another 911 attack. It's true that Government and the free market are different but that's because they are 2 different types of entities. Neither one could operate like the other. The problem is the extreme nature of both. Either system carried to extremes is going to be a problem for the ordinary citizen.

[XLFD]

Well, this article was more focused on public and private 'service' and not on solutions for the same, but I will try to field your concern Willy, mostly with generalities and historical reference.  Many things that are run by governments nowadays as a public service were offered as a private service in America's past. 

The first government-run fire departments didn't begin until about the Civil War.  Before this they had organized, privatized, volunteer fire brigades that would be paid by insurance companies to save buildings and property.  Similarly, it took until 1838 in Boston for police services to be organized into a semblance of a public service.  Could fire and police services be offered today in a privatized form?  I wouldn't say it was impossible, and it may actually be practical as shown here.

I could see advantages here in Ludington in privatizing the DPW's jobs, the water and sewage utilities jobs, the City Marina jobs, recreation jobs, etc. that are currently ran by the municipal government.  It would be difficult to do so when the nation seems to be going the other way for the most part, but it would be healthy.