Comments by "" (@SusCalvin) on "Why Is The Government So Wasteful?" video.

  1. The difference in private industry is that we have less public oversight any time we clown around. Sometimes outsiders confuse their lack of insight as simple end users with efficiency. You can create a job for your useless cousin, sneak in a consultant. A lot of stuff the public would see as corruption and waste elsewhere.
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  2. ​ @milesdp1990 The immediate use I can see for us and 3D printing is prototypes and some replacements. But some parts must be machined or cast.
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  3. I work in private industry and small, specialist parts are surprisingly expensive. But when they are losing millions by the hour because a part is missing, they pay to get it right away.
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  4.  @jaye9348  Specialist parts can be cheap in private industry but never as cheap as retail.
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  5. I thought parts of the military and intelligence budget was black. It is a budget post but there is no accounting for where it goes. It's a lump of cash where the lawmakers do not openly debate, or are not privy to, any details. The lack of oversight when something is classified is a whole other deal.
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  6. I partly think the US federal military has become the largest economic stimulus system. Any overpriced thing bought keeps the Lockheed plant in some corner running, and some congressman would need to explain sudden layoffs at it.
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  7. We have one of those. The Chamber of Commerce runs it. It has very few normal people in it.
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  8.  @ronblack7870  "Buy local" is one such thing. The public can both want the municipality to get the cheapest option and to buy locally. You can weigh these against eachother if you are a reasonable group. Maybe argue that local dairy is worth a slight cost markup. At my place, the civil service is told to look at cost after other standards are met. I think from a union side, you have to treat the state as any other employer. Sometimes as your only employer, if there is no free market competing fire station or water plant.
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  9. In private industry we do the same. We might need a special screw one place in the country has. And we can't keep all non-standard parts in inventory. Or we need to pay someone to machine that bit. If the mine nearby is loosing millions by the hour and need the dang part right now, they will pay through their nose to get it shipped by courier.
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  10. It depends if you are up for demanding that your congressman shuts down the local Lockheed plant.
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