It's not small government when you pay private companies to work for the public. They submit dishonest low bids and then expect more money to finish the job.

The old fashioned government run utilities worked. When you privatize and industry you get less service because they slash employment costs and repair nothing. When they can't ignore capital investments any longer they hold their hand out for more money.

Stockholders don't spend money in your local economy, employees do.

Is it a myth?

By anon on Sun, 10/16/2016 - 12:14pm.

It's not small government when you pay private companies to work for the public. They submit dishonest low bids and then expect more money to finish the job.

My understanding is that even accounting for the above, the taxpayer still comes out ahead.

Not With Keolis. Not with

By cinnamngrl on Sun, 10/16/2016 - 2:57pm.

Not With Keolis. Not with electricity.

What?

By bgl on Sun, 10/16/2016 - 8:53pm.

You do realize that:

1) The Commuter Rail has always been 'privatized' - the MBTA has never ran the CR operations.

2) Keolis isn't on the hook for maintenance - that is on the MBTA. They are responsible for running operations. Keolis isn't neglecting to use money for maintenance - that is 100% the T.

3) The MBTA is forgiving fines (tied to operational on time performance/etc) during the -worst- winter in the history of the City - the same time period that the MBTA abandoned the entire Braintree Branch and High Speed Line for a month, and had tons of other issues on every line.

I would agree that privatization of things in general shouldn't be done, and that public utilities are a good idea. But, it really sounds like you have no idea what you are talking about when it comes to the Commuter Rail, since, you know, its always been private.

Haha

By anon on Sun, 10/16/2016 - 12:31pm.

You joking right? Because government is so innovative and leads in every industry.

"The old fashioned government run utilities worked"

By Stevil on Sun, 10/16/2016 - 12:48pm.

You do realize that the reason things get privatized is because the government run utilities DIDN'T work in the first place?

You know what they say about doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result?

If that's true why doesn't

By cinnamngrl on Sun, 10/16/2016 - 2:55pm.

If that's true why doesn't your comment include examples?

Seriously?

By Stevil on Sun, 10/16/2016 - 5:49pm.

Look around. If we started giving examples we'd be here for years.

I'm not positive, but I think commuter rail was run by Amtrak (govt) who screwed it up. Then some old boy local network took it over and also screwed it up.

Keolis was dealt a horrible hand. Not saying they are perfect or even good, but the T has been run into the ground. Hard to run a modern transit system when almost all your equipment is effectively an antique. friend of mine is a retired engineer. He basically had to perform miracles to get his locomotive running in the morning. That was about 5 years ago and a lot of that crap is still on the tracks.

We have years

By cinnamngrl on Mon, 10/17/2016 - 7:16am.

Go ahead

Just move to cuba

By Stevil on Mon, 10/17/2016 - 8:56am.

Or north korea already.

Either support your supposition or concede you were wrong

By Jeff F on Mon, 10/17/2016 - 3:04pm.

If you're going to take the time to respond to her with insults, at least grow a pair and either provide the examples you claim are numerous, or man up and admit you were talking out of your nethers.

Those are examples

By Stevil on Mon, 10/17/2016 - 3:44pm.

A few more

Amtrak
Social security
Medicare
Obamacare
Most government pension
DMV
Anything you have to do at city hall

And don't even get me started on the number of stories i have about govt workers spending more time trying to get out of work rather than doing it.

Other than the military and maybe police I can't think of much that the govt can do better than the private sector (as long as u have reasonable conyrols and regulations)

Need the best example? Look what happened to china when they unleashed the private sector.

Amtrak -created out of the

By cinnamngrl on Tue, 10/18/2016 - 10:36am.

Amtrak -created out of the failed private sector passenger railroads. costs less then the federal highways and FAA. All are funded enough to keep going but republican controlled congress refuses to allow enough money to actually fix anything.
Social Security -What is your complaint? performs better than your 401k

Medicare? Works awesome.

Obamacare? Now everyone has to have health insurance. As opposed to what we had before which is everyone goes to the Emergency Room and then skips out on their bill.

Dept of Motor Vehicles? anything you have to do at city hall? Are you just listing places where you have to stand in line? Do you know that you can use the internet for more things than trolling?

All work

By Stevil on Wed, 10/19/2016 - 9:17pm.

Except for one thing. They are all going broke

a) I know how and why Amtrak was formed. You can't make money moving people on steel ribbons in all but the most densely populated areas. Most of Amtrak should be shut. And that's coming from someone that lives trains.

b) And by the way, I manage retirement money for a living. If social security is doing better than your 401k, you've royally screwed it up.

You are obviously completely uninformed about the finances of Medicare and Obamacare. Nothing to do with the sdvantages/disadvantages (many of which are good) Without massive reform both cease to exist in a few years.

Obviously you don't interact with the government. Some things can't be done online. And if you had to deal with the government websites I do, you'd be bald like me from tearing your hair out. If amazon did what the federal govt does, they'd be out of biz in a week. One example - signed up for a govt service recently, paid $100 and was told next available date for that was 9 months later.

You live in fantasyworld cinnamon.

woo woo that is $6296.40 that was recovered in lost fares. *eye roll* #wasteoftime #TimeToGoToPOP https://t.co/MJfvZzlH5j

— Kris H (@cybah) October 13, 2016

In 2016 Transit Police officers have issued 2862 fare evasion citations system wide on the #MBTA.

— MBTA Transit Police (@MBTATransitPD) October 13, 2016

still think fare jumpers are a problem? Still think this is a good use of Transit Police resources?

I may never know

By Stephen Bickerton Sr on Sun, 10/16/2016 - 3:26pm.

Since its the globe reporting.
I'm sure that the amount would cover a salary of somebody that may be laid off

Ssh: MBTA forgives half the fines against Keolis for performance during winter from hell

Comments

Wow.

More proof that Baker is a total fraud

Baker and transparency

The silent myth of privatization