We, as Americans, are not only the consumer of Government, we are the shareholders. Unlike a corporation, each of us holds an equal share of the stock and has an equal vote in electing the board of directors. It is about damned time we demand that government perform in the way we would expect any other of our investments. Currently, our government is underperforming. It is has substantial short term and long term debt; It has a negative profit margin; and, worse of all, it does not have a good quarter in sight. If this was a publicly traded company, investors would leave, its price would plummet and its funding would dry up. Lucky for it, it is not a corporation and Treasury notes have not yet reached "junk" status. This does not change the fact that, just maybe, we should treat them as one. Demand profits and, when they are achieved, expect dividends.
Look out below...
Expect our government to give us what we look for in a company; Healthcare insurance and retirement plans. Fund it by property taxing business and closing loopholes. Despite what the "pro-business" community might say, this will not hurt business. Taking over healthcare will make up some of the "cost" through no premiums and reduced administration. Again, expect profits (budget surpluses) so that we can use it for capital investments, like energy independence, science, technology, and education. Companies invest in its employees' training, why can't America invest in more for its citizens? Unfortunately, investment requires capital, but investment is necessary for future success. We must tighten ship, increase sales, raise capital, and make the tough choices to keep this baby afloat. It is a good time to kill those "pet projects" (Star Wars comes to mind), eliminate failed programs, and focus on what we can do to achieve fiscal success.
America is our company; we hold all of the shares. There are many in the financial community who, if this was a company, would expect the CEO to resign. Why does our government get a pass? On Wall Street, you would be dead if you could not foresee a quarter without a loss for 5-10 years. Demand the same accountability! With sales (GDP) as large as ours, there is no excuse for deficits. We must turn this around before we are delisted.
Hopefully, if this resonates with any of you, we can use this metaphor to further frame the debate. Remember, the Democratic Party has always been the party of Fiscal responsibility, despite what the right says. No republican has had a balanced budget in the last 40 years.