Who Loves Ya, Baby?
Published February 05, 2007
What do four murdered homeless men in South Bend, Indiana, a Colorado Springs McDonald's franchisee, and the Bush administration all have in common?
No, I'm not suggesting that the victims were done in by the franchisee to benefit the Bushies - a conspiracy scenario commonly laid at the feet of the Clintons during Bill's tenure - but there really is a link. They are a study in contrast over how well our society cares for each other.
The four murdered men, whose battered bodies were found in South Bend's sewer system, were operating what South Bend Police Capt. Philip A. Trent described as "a profitable cottage industry" known as "scrapping". This means scavenging recyclable metals like copper and brass from the many closed factory buildings that speckle the Rust Belt of America's industrial past. As it is possible to collect hundreds of dollars worth of metal on one trip, these four men were able to fix up a burned-out building in which they lived well enough to live in it together: partners in business as well as domesticity.
The major problem is that the properties they roamed still belong to someone, which puts men such as these Hoosier homeless on the wrong side of the law. Thus, if they get into a tiff with other groups of scavengers, they are essentially on their own. Just one more item of concern for the self-sufficient.
Enter the McDonald's franchisee. I won't list all of the specifics of what Steven T. Bigari does for his employees and his community, but suffice it to say that he really deserves to be known as one of the Thousand Points of Light (he wasn't so honored). During the Bush tenure that Bigari learned an important lesson from a boss of his, the late Brent Cameron, who drove home the thought that "you take care of your people,” meaning the employees.
Bigari's mentor and friend provided a way to reduce employee turnover and increase profit by fostering employee loyalty, something that American business is very poor at doing now. As author Michael Fitzgerald puts it, "American business culture tends to focus on employees at the top, not at the bottom."
Helping the working poor
Millionaire Bigari should by all rights be just the same, but he had a better teacher than that. He sold his franchises to become a philanthropist, opening a nonprofit organization known as America’s Family to aid those whose incomes aren't sufficient to make it in today's world. He isn't into throwing money at society's ills, although he has done so. What he does is approach those who have to enlist their aid for those who don't, such as organizing the resale of impounded autos to the working poor after they have been inspected by local dealers, who also offer a service warranty to go with the cars.
Bigari sells his plan to these other businesses as a means by which they can all retain employees and foster loyalty, which cuts down on turnover and dissatisfaction. There are clearly tangible benefits to this approach, and the entire community benefits from it. America could use more enlightened businessmen like Steven Bigari, and less self-serving types like George W. Bush.
You were probably wondering when I was going to tie him in, weren't you?
- Who Loves Ya, Baby?
- Published: February 05, 2007
- Type: Opinion
- Section: Politics
- Filed Under: Politics: Government, Politics: Local and Regional, Politics: Policy, Politics: U.S.
- Writer: Realist
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Comments on this articleComments
Solid food for thought, thanks for posting this.
If you think the government sector is rife with these contractors, check out the info on private military contractors...it's even worse.
For many years now even totally private companies have been hiring these mad mad mad contractors, usually at very high rates, especially to goose sales or production. Let's see, I remember the term "visible hustle": even desk workers were expected to show this kind of hyperactivity.
Couldn't you also argue that by outsourcing some of these jobs, the Bush administration is providing private sector jobs at the same rate that they are destroying them at the federal level?
Just hoping to see the other side of the story
"There's something civil servants have that the private sector doesn't, and that is the duty of loyalty to the greater good -- the duty of loyalty to the collective best interest of all rather than the interest of a few. Companies have duties of loyalty to their shareholders, not to the country."
What claptrap, most officials look out for themselves. If this statement was true the Soviet Union should have been the most motivated, and thus productive, nation on earth. After all, they all worked for the collective, not for the few.
Oh yes, and waste, fraud, and cronyism does not exist in government bureaucracies. They are too pure and high minded for that.
On the waste and fraud issue: it was touched upon in the article that many of these contracts cost MORE than that of the federal workers, with the actual people doing the work making less.
Not always the case, and a good subject for study...efficiency, that is.
However, be aware of the inherent perils involved with replacing folks who work for the nation with those ONLY interested in maximizing profits.
It's a matter of proper oversight, and that is rare when it comes to these contractors...especially those involved in the defense sector.
Points made and taken. Even so I think the solution is probably not more bureaucrats, who's main interest is self, but a better system for overseeing an measuring contractor performance. It might be me, but enough experience with bureaucracies in the US and overseas has proven them, to me, to be fairly ineffective with a large amount of inertia, with certain small exceptions. I would therefore say what perils? One is self interested one is profit interested.
One of my classmates here was a State department contractor, and he described the whole process as hire and forget. State was not very interested in the results of their work, but rather they wanted someone on that job so they could check it off their list (this was in the Clinton years BTW). Government, if they reward contracts, should do the necessary due diligence. If they want to play the private sector game they should adapt to its conditions somewhat.
Easily agreed, Aku.
The problem here is blatant corruption, as has been shown in Iraq for example.
Add to that problem back door deals between these contractors and the elected officials who are in charge of setting up the contracts as well as oversight...MUCH more problems in that area than in the federal workers themselves...who in vested self interest want to do their jobs so they can keep them and continue up the ladder.
Both have their advantages and drawbacks, and both have the requirements of needing more oversight. Something our elected reps should do is study this exact topic, and determine the most efficient way to provide the services required in a cost effective manner, and let the chips fall where they may.
Part of such a process would need to be ongoing review and adjustments, as well as the ability to throw away what doesn't work after it has been shown to be a failure...an ability in short supply in D.C.
I think one of the biggest advantages about having for-profit companies running certain programs is that they must do a good job to maintain the profits coming in. I know that this is not the case when there are back door deals going on (see Haliburton), but federal beaurocracy jobs are almost so secure that they could do nothing to fix the problem, and there would be no consequences.
Of course there are consequences for federal workers, when proper oversight is done with due diligence, and a case could be made that those federal workers require less direct oversight than the contractors since all job requirements are spelled out to the nth degree.
As I said, both options should be up for discussion, and carefully looked into.
Yet, be aware of pitfalls. Any kind of privatizing of law enforcement can be disasterous. Just look at the bullshit "war on drugs" and how much it has been hurt, and how many non-violent people are in jail and at what cost? This is primarily due to the fact that they get to keep the proceeds from confiscations and their budgets go up for numbers of busts and NOT quality.
So the profit motive skews things, huge numbers of busts fro small timers are considered more desirable than going after the big fish for the budget, and the U.S. winds up with a higher percentage of people in jail per capita than just abotu anyone else on earth.
Is that a good thing?
I don't think so, hence why I am wary.
The really good articles here do not get enough notice. Realist was good enough to provide a solution to the ills around us - without a fee...
Good job!
what a thrilling article!
I have to take issue with above statements that government employees are only self-interested. I have worked for federal, state, or local government most of my life. The preponderance of government employees are hard-working, honest, & dedicated; most of the rank & file have to work against stacked odds, mainly inadequate or antiquated office equipment, too much work for too few workers, & stupid or inept supervisors. Of all these problems, the last is the most critical. A poor supervisor is the biggest single destroyer of morale & employee performance. Unfortunately, in government people tend to get promoted out of their sphere of maximum performance into levels requiring competency they just don't have. I grant that there are special problems when considering Procurement; the temptations & pitfalls there are considerable, & if anywhere, that is where lie the biggest opportunities for bringing out the worst inclinations in any employee; but considering bureaucracy throughout the rest of the world, the US government workers at all levels & areas are remarkably good workers, especially those in the First Responder categories: the police, fire/rescue, & others. In my spare time I work with 70+ fire/rescue personnel; they may not be the best paper-pushers in the world, but they don't hesitate to rush into a burning building to save your butt, or go the extra mile to help when you're in trouble. Same goes for the folks in the military at all levels. Remember, they're gov't. employees, too, and compared with the rest of the world, again, they're damned good ones. I'm the first to blame lazy or corrupt workers - & urge their firing; but I also give credit where it's due.
Good article, but I must disagree with most of it. Outsourcing has and will continue to be at the forefront of the increases in productivity by corporations. This includes our government. The core-competencies of leadership have dissappeared from our current administration and therefore I think we need to find a partner that can leverage this expertise. Open up the bidding.
Ever watch highway workers or tree trimmers that are employed by the state or the city municipalities? 1 to dig a hole, 5 to watch the traffic and hold shovels....
Ever watch highway workers or tree trimmers that are employed by the state or the city municipalities? 1 to dig a hole, 5 to watch the traffic and hold shovels....
We agree again, Martin.
In college, I worked summers as a temporary letter carrier in the Post Office (the old one, that was an actual government agency, not the USPS of today, which is a government-owned corporation).
The very first day, I was chastised by a supervisor because I finished a "day's" work in 6 1/2 hours; returning to the post office, according to the supervisor, "Too soon." I was later shown a coffee shop with a parking lot not visible from the street where the carriers congregated to kill time (up to 2 hours in some cases) after finishing their routes, then going in at the end of the "day."
Scary Clavos.....
The only problem I see in the Government using contractors is just like in the defense industry the bureacrats have far too many rules, regulations and BS paperwork to complete to cover their ass and justify their jobs......therefore a screen door on a submarine costs 12 zillion dollars.
That would still be an issue.
"Ever watch highway workers or tree trimmers that are employed by the state or the city municipalities? 1 to dig a hole, 5 to watch the traffic and hold shovels...."
Ever spend any time in the executive suites of any corporation? All kinds of hangers-on who have more power with the execs than any engineer or salesman or whatever that has occasion to deal with the bigshots. The salaries they make are 10 times what any flagman on a road project can hope to make, and their jobs are always secure because the boss thinks he would be lost without them. Some of those featherbedded characters actually rise to high exec positions and then it really gets weird when the whole corp has to run on the learned knowledge of low-level middle managers and frontline workers. Sometimes what you see is shocking, like execs who have no idea how their products are made and sold and serviced.
As to those road workers...I'll bet you they were contractors to the highway service and not actual salaried governmental workers.
Also, don't confuse state workers with federal.
I've heard all those stories (they just sit around while one works)...and then looked into it...every time I have found the phenomena, it was contractors who were padding the bill.
Check for yourself, and don't just go with urban myths.
Ever watch highway workers or tree trimmers that are employed by the state or the city municipalities? 1 to dig a hole, 5 to watch the traffic and hold shovels....
This problem is a lot worse in states which are unionized. Down here in Texas the highway workers are indeed workin,g for contractors and they are generally all working - including weekends, sundays and at night with lights - and they've got their wives on the payroll to direct traffic. The only catch is that they're all illegals.
Dave
"The only catch is that they're all illegals."
- Dave (Vox Populi) Nalle
Hope they don't wander too close to your fortified compound and get mistaken for a stray dog, Populi...
Well that's a racist comment, MCH (real name unknown). I happen to like Mexicans. Unlike you I don't equate them with dogs.
Dave
D'oh,
My experience with PO isn't an urban myth; I lived it.
And years later, my wife worked as an independent contractor for the PO, also carrying the mail. Nothing had changed.
The unions fight tooth and nail every time the PO tries to increase the maximum number of allowable stops per postal route, and wins. Meanwhile the carriers are drinking coffee on our dime.
And state jobs CAN be the same. My tax guy worked for the Georgia government as an accountant-- for about 3 months. They wouldn't give him enough work, and being an industrious type, he quit to start his own business. I knew him back then; the story is true.
Differences between state and federal, Clavos...which I point out above.
I've never said it wasn't a problem, just that there are also problems with contracting services out...i give specific examples.
For road workers, I can only speak about NJ and Maine...in both cases the vast majority of the work is contracted out...and where you see one guy working and many standing around. Here in Maine, the town crews are usually 3 guys, and they know the work out as fast as they can to get off the road....but when a contracting crew is on the job, a 2 day job can take weeks, and there are 3-5 times more guys there than working.
My point is, each circumstacne3 needs to be examined for efficient use of tax dollars..and tight oversight is required.
Fair enough?
D'oh,
I addressed both of these already.
Contractors or state employees both have issues of productivity mainly based on who's administering it. If the state is, then watch out, the contractors will typically rip them off because of all the controls or lack their of.
However, I would still error on the side of outsourcing, since I think an advantage can always be had in a competitive situation.
That's capitalism at it's finest.
Well that's a racist comment, MCH (real name unknown). I happen to like Mexicans. Unlike you I don't equate them with dogs.
- Dave Nalle
I think he was referring to you your stray dogs being of Mexican origin and straying over the border illegally.....
Martin my bit above was directed elsewhere, sorry for any confusion.
On contracting out...i would suggest that the track record fo such has been abysmal due to the contracting and oversight process not being anywhere near what it should be...and thus on especially the federal level, the track record is federal workers are a bit more efficient than contractors...
there's also the HUGE factor of defense contracting out many national security functions, which raises ALL kinds of shit...not just cost/overcharging problems, but very real national security issues...
giving food for thought, that's all
Actually I was referring to Populi's paranoid penchant for killing anything that gets too close to his fortified compound...stray dogs, illegal aliens, people armed with Windex attempting to clean his glass house...
Bliffle #17 - OR their secretaries do all the work. I do know of a couple of high-ranking, overpaid management types in local government who do nada - come in late, long (drinking) lunch, leave early - & THEY collect their fat paychecks while their secretaries do all their damned work. All they do is sign whatever is put in front of them. They couldn't interpret it if they tried. IMO they should be fired summarily & the staffers promoted into their positions - but they're both good buddies with the Exec, so that'll never happen. Same in private industry, with a college friend of mine: she did all the work, her boss just signed the papers then left to play golf & schmooze with his rich friends at the country club.
Nancy...now I see your problem....you stated that you "have worked for federal, state, or local government most of my life."
You are part of the bloated overhead that needs to be lanced like a festering boil. Gee, I noticed that you have time to post your incoherent ramblings on this silly site during working hours...is this what you are claiming to be a "hard-working, honest, & dedicated" government employee..
More bullshit! I hope they outsource your job to Mexico!
JustOneMan
Like this example of outsourcing perhaps?
Or other instances in Iraq of mercenary corps and contractors overbilling or even out right "losing" billions?
Blah..blah..blah...there is more pilfering of government money from pork barrel spending and public assistance programs...I guess you cant talk about that...its not PC..
JustOneMan
Glad to talk about it, JoM...especially after the last few years of a GOP Congress that never saw any pork it didn't like , and a GOP pres that didn't see any pork he didn't sign.
you sure you want to go *there*?
And you know better than to insinuate the likes of me being PC about anything.
For you...
the Tao of D'oh.
Yaaaawwwnnnnn....
More left-wing, Bush hating, BULL SHIT...
Make sense or shut the fuck up!
JustOneMan
Does make sense JoM...you just don't like admitting it.
And you might want decaf, and to check yourself...
but nice try in stifling discussion, however you fail once again.
Duh...what makes sense?? your Bush hating bullshit????
Gee...what a great discussion...
Fuck Off!
Oh, JoM...what makes sense is the subject you brought up was waste, and fiscal conservatism...I mentioned that the last fewyears have been full of pork barrel spending by the Congress, signed off on by the President.
Care to try and dispute those facts?
nothing about bashing, nothing about *hate*...i'll leave that to you and your simple minded invectives
Until and unless you care to try and talk about the facts of an issue you brought up, just what function do you serve?
At least try to be funny, your surly bit is unimpressive, as are your lack of thought or analytical capability.
Care to try again like a reasonable human being, or would you like to continue as a caricature of some rabid dittohead on crystal meth?
yaaaaaaaaaaaaawwnnnn.....
JoM, you remain such a font of articulation...
Perhaps this link will cheer you up.
And how about those elections last November, must have brought tears of sheer joy to your eyes.
gee...you really let me have it...WOW the intellectual power of the left is so....yawn...ah...energizingzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....zzzzzzzzzzzzzz...zzzzzzzzzzz
nice to see you back in form JOM...now don't let D'oh suck you into meaningful exchanges or anything
Add your comment, speak your mind
(Or ping: http://blogcritics.org/mt/tb/59169)
Well, hell, I thought someone was finally going to finger Dubya for actually murdering 4 homeless men & trying to cover it up! You raised my expectations too high, Realist ;) Good article.