I am Groot Posted April 17 Report Share Posted April 17 It starts at the top. Chrystia Freeland has 46. Marc Miller has 25. Mark Holland has 25. Bill Blair has 21. Eisenhower, at the height of the Second World War, had 24. Personal staff. Why would Defence Minister Bill Blair, overseeing our tiny military during peacetime, need almost as many staff as Dwight D. Eisenhower, supreme commander of the Allies in Europe in 1944? And this is in addition to the staff support Blair receives from his departmental and military officials. Johnson: Canada's federal ministers have far too many personal staff | Ottawa Citizen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hardner Posted April 17 Report Share Posted April 17 1 hour ago, I am Groot said: It starts at the top. Chrystia Freeland has 46. Marc Miller has 25. Mark Holland has 25. Bill Blair has 21. Eisenhower, at the height of the Second World War, had 24. Personal staff. Why would Defence Minister Bill Blair, overseeing our tiny military during peacetime, need almost as many staff as Dwight D. Eisenhower, supreme commander of the Allies in Europe in 1944? And this is in addition to the staff support Blair receives from his departmental and military officials. Johnson: Canada's federal ministers have far too many personal staff | Ottawa Citizen Good question but more importantly, what are they doing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyeball Posted April 17 Report Share Posted April 17 On 4/15/2024 at 8:00 AM, Moonbox said: I'm saying that the issue and the culture has little to do specifically with management. This is a political problem - one where the priorities and Raisons d'Êtres of the Public Service have taken a backseat to the entitlement of its union members, and the governments that grant them in exchange for a huge bloc of unwavering election support. This is a poisonous relationship, and one that Canadians need to recognize and reject. A lot more local governance and jurisdictional autonomy might correct this. Hopefully the cost of increased redundancy is offset by more realistic efficiency due to a more focused allocation of available resources. I think the closer a region's politics and decision making processes are to the ground that everyone calls home the better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackbird Posted April 17 Author Report Share Posted April 17 (edited) 56 minutes ago, eyeball said: I think the closer a region's politics and decision making processes are to the ground that everyone calls home the better. I am not sure what this has to do with the question of mixing private and public health care. The health care system is failing us in a serious way. The reason I see is because of politics, bureaucracy, powerful health care unions, and a lack of sufficient funds This is the way of Socialism. Socialism has failed wherever it has been tried. Canada is no different and can expect the same results. Public health care has been failing for years in Canada. Countries in eastern Europe have been changing slowly ever since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989, but they have a lifespan of ten years less than western European countries. The average person dies at 73 in Romania and in western Europe the average lifespan is 83 years. Edited April 17 by blackbird Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I am Groot Posted April 17 Report Share Posted April 17 6 hours ago, Michael Hardner said: Good question but more importantly, what are they doing? Probably very little Canada has 138 generals and admirals and... whatever the air force calls theirs, for about 50k people. The US Marines have 60 for 180k people. The IDF has 24 for 620k Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonbox Posted April 18 Report Share Posted April 18 5 hours ago, eyeball said: A lot more local governance and jurisdictional autonomy might correct this. Hopefully the cost of increased redundancy is offset by more realistic efficiency due to a more focused allocation of available resources. When the problem is too many underperforming and overpaid public servants, and the militant public sector union monopolies and a government that panders to them, you think that adding layers of bureaucracy is going to improve the situation? 5 hours ago, eyeball said: I think the closer a region's politics and decision making processes are to the ground that everyone calls home the better. I agree with this, but when you have ironclad job security and a sweetheart CBA that ensures you never have to do more than the absolute bare minimum, the decision making priorities are how to maintain the status quo rather than actually improving outcomes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hardner Posted April 18 Report Share Posted April 18 1 hour ago, I am Groot said: 1. Probably very little 2. Canada has 138 generals and admirals and... whatever the air force calls theirs, for about 50k people. The US Marines have 60 for 180k people. The IDF has 24 for 620k 1. And -> we DON'T KNOW 2. Why? Why? Why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyeball Posted April 18 Report Share Posted April 18 23 minutes ago, Moonbox said: When the problem is too many underperforming and overpaid public servants, and the militant public sector union monopolies and a government that panders to them, you think that adding layers of bureaucracy is going to improve the situation? Not if Ottawa or Victoria or wherever still has the same monopoly on authority they enjoy. 29 minutes ago, Moonbox said: I agree with this, but when you have ironclad job security and a sweetheart CBA that ensures you never have to do more than the absolute bare minimum, the decision making priorities are how to maintain the status quo rather than actually improving outcomes. I don't know...they make me work under the glare of cameras to keep me honest, what makes the decision makers so special? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonbox Posted April 18 Report Share Posted April 18 23 minutes ago, eyeball said: Not if Ottawa or Victoria or wherever still has the same monopoly on authority they enjoy. What monopoly is that? On job positions? Private sector still has plenty open...the public sector doesn't. What does that tell you? 23 minutes ago, eyeball said: I don't know...they make me work under the glare of cameras to keep me honest, what makes the decision makers so special? Who said anything about the decision makers being special? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyeball Posted April 18 Report Share Posted April 18 25 minutes ago, Moonbox said: What monopoly is that? On the decision making process. 25 minutes ago, Moonbox said: Who said anything about the decision makers being special? Their monopoly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonbox Posted April 18 Report Share Posted April 18 29 minutes ago, eyeball said: On the decision making process. Ever heard of elections? 29 minutes ago, eyeball said: Their monopoly. That doesn't exist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyeball Posted April 18 Report Share Posted April 18 13 hours ago, Moonbox said: Ever heard of elections? That doesn't exist. We must be talking past each other or something... doesn't matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonbox Posted April 18 Report Share Posted April 18 Yeah I don't really understand what you're saying here at all. 🤷♂️ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackbird Posted April 18 Author Report Share Posted April 18 (edited) People who think a Socialist system can be made good are only fooling themselves. The ideology is flawed from top to bottom. It is a great system for the powerful unions. They get whatever they wish and end up controlling the system. Canada is on a downward projectory because most Canadians fall for the lie that Socialism is good. They don't even dare call it Socialism. It is called public services, but it is actually a welfare state which is basic Socialism. Most Canadians think they are entitled to everything. This will not end well in the long run because democracy does not compensate for failing Socialist systems or systems that go broke and fall into great debt. When many people vote, they are voting for what they think government will give them, without thinking about where the money will come from or how it will be paid for. That is a recipe for disaster. It is one of the weaknesses of democracy. Socialist politicians milk it for all its worth by promising everything. That is the way Canada is heading. Edited April 18 by blackbird 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyeball Posted April 18 Report Share Posted April 18 15 hours ago, Moonbox said: Ever heard of elections? Yeah, they're just about the most pointless aspect of democracy from where I'm sitting over 3000 miles from where the decisions that effect me the most are made. Elections haven't done a single tangible thing for me that I can put my finger on. The point is that the monopoly should be distributed like authority and jurisdictions to the greatest local extent possible. None of it will ever happen of course unless its a result of complete collapse of the centre so it effectively disappears. My concern is evaporating though, all I increasingly care about is me and mine. I must be getting more conservative as I get older, I was warned about this decades ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonbox Posted April 18 Report Share Posted April 18 1 hour ago, eyeball said: The point is that the monopoly should be distributed like authority and jurisdictions to the greatest local extent possible. That's a self-evident absurdity though. Take the idea to it's logical conclusion and you'll have a mayor for every few square miles, governing jurisdictions of only a few people. Sounds dumb, right? There are a great many issues that can't be looked after locally. The question is then what things should be decided locally, and then how are funds raised for that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackbird Posted April 18 Author Report Share Posted April 18 (edited) 1 hour ago, eyeball said: Elections haven't done a single tangible thing for me that I can put my finger on. Your present motto on your posts: "A government without public oversight is like a nuclear plant without lead shielding." Democracy does not guarantee things will be good; we see the many disasters democracy has brought us, such as a housing crisis because real estate costs are out of sight, outrageous grocery prices, rampant crime with catch and release by the legal system, and a failing health care system. Democracy brought us one of the worst governments in Canadian history. Public oversight doesn't solve much either. Socialism is a flawed system from the start to finish. No amount of "oversight" can fix Socialism. We have had tons of oversight of the public health care system, everyone watching as it has been failing and no amount of oversight has stopped the failing. It is a total disaster for many people. I could give you my own example of what happened to me in the public system, causing irreversible damage. In my view it is 100% the fault of Socialism. Edited April 18 by blackbird Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackbird Posted April 18 Author Report Share Posted April 18 (edited) A Socialist health care system with powerful unions supporting the Socialist government does not guarantee a good system. All it guarantees is lots of job security for everyone and generous wages. The people it is supposed to be serving are the lowest on the list of priorities. The people running the Socialist system are taken care of first and the patients come last. If there are not enough doctors, too bad. If there are not enough beds, it means hallway medicine. How many people have died waiting for care or treatments the past few years in Canada? How many administrators have lost their jobs or been demoted because of a failed health care system? None would not surprise me. Edited April 18 by blackbird Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyeball Posted April 18 Report Share Posted April 18 23 minutes ago, Moonbox said: That's a self-evident absurdity though. Sure if you take it too far. We'll just have to wait and let it figure itself out naturally. In any case bioregionalism is how I'd do it. 25 minutes ago, Moonbox said: There are a great many issues that can't be looked after locally. The question is then what things should be decided locally, and then how are funds raised for that? The same way as now I guess, taxes. We have what's called a community forest license where I live and in Alaska they have community quotas for fish. First Nations get these as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyeball Posted April 18 Report Share Posted April 18 28 minutes ago, blackbird said: Public oversight doesn't solve much either. How would you know? In any case I'm quite certain it would take a generation or two to even agree what the notion means. That said I bet you know precisely what God's oversight entails. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonbox Posted April 19 Report Share Posted April 19 6 hours ago, eyeball said: Sure if you take it too far. We'll just have to wait and let it figure itself out naturally. In any case bioregionalism is how I'd do it. That's nonsense, and will never happen. 6 hours ago, eyeball said: The same way as now I guess, taxes. We have what's called a community forest license where I live and in Alaska they have community quotas for fish. First Nations get these as well. Okay? So what? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyeball Posted April 19 Report Share Posted April 19 20 minutes ago, Moonbox said: That's nonsense, and will never happen. Why exactly? What if big governments effectively collapse under the weight of their unsustainable nature and irrelevance? People will find ways to organize themselves. Some will be old some new. 21 minutes ago, Moonbox said: Okay? So what? There are sources of funding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackbird Posted April 19 Author Report Share Posted April 19 7 hours ago, eyeball said: That said I bet you know precisely what God's oversight entails. I don't claim to have all the answers. But I have access to his written revelation, the King James Bible, and prayer. You could have that too if you wanted. But you must become a son of God. Read the New Testament to find out about that. In addition to guidance in this life, it will determine where one spends eternity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonbox Posted April 19 Report Share Posted April 19 30 minutes ago, eyeball said: Why exactly? What if big governments effectively collapse under the weight of their unsustainable nature and irrelevance? People will find ways to organize themselves. Some will be old some new. K. If you're talking about the collapse of Canada/US everyone, there's really not much to discuss. 30 minutes ago, eyeball said: There are sources of funding. Yes, but your fishing license isn't going to pay your local bureaucracy...unless you want the price to go up alot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyeball Posted April 19 Report Share Posted April 19 13 minutes ago, Moonbox said: K. If you're talking about the collapse of Canada/US everyone, there's really not much to discuss. If you're talking about something other than the status quo what is it? You figure the status quo is sustainable? Good luck with it. 14 minutes ago, Moonbox said: Yes, but your fishing license isn't going to pay your local bureaucracy...unless you want the price to go up alot! There's a whole lot more to bioregionalism than a fishing licence but that's water under the bridge given there's next to no fish left. That said there doesn't need to be a collapse to decentralize things. I'm just a lot more certain it'll be inevitable and happen anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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