Should government be run like a business?

So where would all the businesses that want corporate welfare and government bail outs go if government was run like a business. Not a good idea as some of the most profitable businesses are run by the government and the profits are returned to the nation. For example in NZ our government owned power companies return massive profits for the nation through good and bad times in the economy.

Yes. The main difference in seeking more revenue -- private business has to do that by providing a product, or service, that people will pay for and doing it better than the competition. The government seeks more revenue simply by raising taxes. Big difference, my friend.

When said that government should be run like business it means:

Not keeping unproductive workers on the payroll.

No going into debt while increasing spending.

Having to operate within a budget.

Things like that.

Our government can make revenue, and not by borrowing from China or taxing people, either. All we have to do is sell more food, pharmaceuticals, and industrial hardware to other countries, tax importation from ultra-cheap labor nations like China, and levy a 50+% year's income tax on businesses trying to leave the United States.

I think that all government is a waste of taxpayer money. My dream is to have the park system privatized and run entirely for profit by corporations, like Chuck E. Cheese. They have an impeccable business model. I would rather work for Chuck E. Cheese. ~Ron Swanson

government is a Business and it does not produce a product. services in Business can easily turn a profit if they were privatized. like public transport governments involvements in these matters makes it impossible to be effective.

No. The purpose of a business is to concentrate its own wealth, and to keep that wealth.

The purpose of government is to serve its citizens (of, by and for the people). Who would want a government that concentrates wealth in its own coffers without ever circulating that back to the citizens? That would effectively make us slaves.

There are several major differences between business and government. The short answer in no.

For government to be run like a business, all taxes would have to be voluntary.

The tea party wants to run government like a business.

Like Enron.

Republicans ran it like a business... straight into the ground.