Sadly, government "management" of entitlement funds costs us a large percentage. Some costs are unavoidable, but the government's cut is too large. Government does poorly at job creation and training programs, too. A CETA program operated near my place of employment was only able to employ 5% of the trainees they produced. Of the 5%, only 10% were employed a year later. The trainees were welfare recipients who were required to undergo job training or face reduction/loss of benefits. They were paid extra to attend the training. Since they could return to the welfare system without penalty, most did. The recent "green jobs" program cost us, what $250,000 a job? And those jobs have largely disappeared. I would feel a lot better about paying taxes if they were used more efficiently.
A lot of those green jobs are still going.The windopower industry is making GREAT jobs in a town I used to live in. Enough jobs that if it disappeared it could be very bad for the local economy.
But, the companies go broke often,, and then sell to another who think they can do better.. Repeat, repeat, repeat...
This city is producing more wind power turbines than anyone in the US.. I still have friends working for them though... Engineers as well as people in manufacturing. They both make very good money, the companies are slowly continuing to hire.
. Manufacturing is a cozy job and you can stay in one place... The engineering jobs in this industry pay VERY well. But forget about settling down somewhere. You have to move around a bit if you want to increase your income. My friend is doing very well in Denver now. He was in Wyoming just a few years ago.
I think the government spending on the green energy industry is just a smart investment. My guess..... No private industry wants a piece of that because they will not make the money that they will make just exhausting our currently usable non sustainable resources. Is it exon that was investing in the algea energy....? that is an exception i guess.
I do agree that most of the time a private company can fulfill a need in a more cost effective way than the government can... However, there are some things that are just not meant to turn a profit...
The best example for that is prisons... Private prisons are TERRIBLE... Look at what Gary Johnson did in NM as Governor. That is terrible... Contract with the state were signed to assure that prisons are always kept at least 90% capacity... Whether that will be naturally filled or not, the idea that the state is in contract to imprison a set number of its population is a fucking horrible thing.There are a number of lawsuits from inmates with mental health issues. Some thrown in to solitary, no trial, fed sedatives. One guy was in solitary for 2 years for a DWI charge, no trial, never saw a mental health pro, fed sedatives.... He sued the state for 22 million just a few years ago.
While USPS could definitely be ran more efficiently by the govt contracting it out to be privately ran... the number of employees who could be layed off makes it a dangerous move.