Quote Originally Posted by Detroitnerd View Post
Government and business couldn't be more different in purpose and practice.

Businesses, especially corporations, since they represent the apotheosis of business, are there to make a PROFIT. They can be shady pyramid schemes; sell harmful, ineffective products; saddle people with things they don't want or need; produce lengthy contracts that trick people into giving up their legal rights -- none of that matters as long as they turn a PROFIT. Even with that they're not very good at long-term projects. They tend to engage in short-term thinking, sacrificing a trickle of profits over many years for a quick yield in the quarter. Nobody in his right mind should want government run like a business.

Why? Because government is [[allegedly, though I can see anti-democratic, anti-republican trends clear as day in some of these remarks) the instrument through which a people build a stronger nation. Government does UNPROFITABLE things so that we may all live better lives knit together under common goals. It is not profitable to educate students, reform criminals, clean up pollution, inspect and grade food, protect the public safety, put out fires, protect political minorities, feed the poor, and regulate the rich.

If you try to build a government in the image of business, you will find that what you have is not a democratic government at all, but a political machine that sucks money and resources out of its people, delivers it to the powerful, and devastates the environment. You'll end up with a world where food makes you sick, education makes you stupid, entertainment makes you bored, health care kills you, prison makes you more prone to crime, police don't protect you, and you'll find yourself impoverished and enslaved.

Why? Because those profits have to come from somewhere.
Bring that beat back! Best thing I've read on here in a while. When people can't argue against your point and have to result to just insulting you, you've gotta be on the right track.