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This reminds me of a story (supposedly a "joke") a Politician once told me about Government appropriations and bidding, when we were having a conversation about corruption.
A Politician is tasked with replacing a broken fence outside a Government building. A company from Ohio quotes the Politician $9,000. A company from Kentucky quotes the Politician $7,000. Finally, the Politician sits down in a meeting with a company from Chicago, who quotes the Politician $30,000.
Incredulous, the Politician asks the company from Chicago why their price is so outrageous - the company from Kentucky only quoted $7,000! The salesman from the Chicago company responds, "$10,000 for me. $13,000 for you. $7,000 to hire the company from Kentucky to replace the fence".
Sadly, I think this is one of those jokes where the joke's on the American Citizen, and the activity is normal business practice for Government.
Also worth noting that the $10,000 would be considered "Economic Development", because the taxpayer-funded project is creating additional movement and jobs in the economy.
One of the key things Government must accomplish is movement in the economy, and it's far easier to steal from the taxpayer and over-pay for simple things (due to zero accountability) to create artificial growth and movement in the economy.
This concept is called the "broken window fallacy." There are many variations of it and the one thing they have in common is corruption. They all rely on lies to benefit the person who pays to break windows.
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veteran88 ago
A lot of these scams are set up for the private company doing the red light cameras to keep the fines for themselves.
The politicians get personal donations from the company in return.
OpakapakaCaca ago
And sometimes stake in the company. Or the company is owned by someone's brother, dad, cousin, godparent, insert relation here_____.
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FreeDial_Indicator ago
This reminds me of a story (supposedly a "joke") a Politician once told me about Government appropriations and bidding, when we were having a conversation about corruption.
Sadly, I think this is one of those jokes where the joke's on the American Citizen, and the activity is normal business practice for Government.
OpakapakaCaca ago
People don't go into gubment out of the goodness of their hearts....
fishmantis ago
Some do, but it chews them up and spits them out sooner or later.
OpakapakaCaca ago
I should reword to "People don't get far in gubment"...
OpakapakaCaca ago
Precisely.
randomfuckingidiot ago
Defrauding the taxpayer needs to be a capital offense.
FreeDial_Indicator ago
I see two problems:
randomfuckingidiot ago
Then capital offense for everyone
FreeDial_Indicator ago
Then we agree completely.
Nosfewratsjews ago
Also worth noting that the $10,000 would be considered "Economic Development", because the taxpayer-funded project is creating additional movement and jobs in the economy.
One of the key things Government must accomplish is movement in the economy, and it's far easier to steal from the taxpayer and over-pay for simple things (due to zero accountability) to create artificial growth and movement in the economy.
vastrightwing ago
This concept is called the "broken window fallacy." There are many variations of it and the one thing they have in common is corruption. They all rely on lies to benefit the person who pays to break windows.