thanks to the dems, lunch is no longer on you
by Alan Moore
Published: June 28, 2008
I came across an interesting story earlier this week from “As The World Turns,” better known as the U.S. Senate. Looks like the Senate, while under Democratic control, is actually privatizing some of its operations. I’m as surprised as many of you are. Historically, the party has not been friendly towards the idea of privatization.
The Post’s Paul Kane reports, “Year after year, decade upon decade, the U.S. Senate’s network of restaurants has lost staggering amounts of money - more than $18 million since 1993, according to one report, and an estimated $2 million this year alone, according to another. The financial condition of the world’s most exclusive dining hall and its affiliated Capitol Hill restaurants, cafeterias, and coffee shops has become so dire that, without a $250,000 subsidy from taxpayers, the Senate won’t make payroll next month.”
In a late-night vote two weeks ago, the Senate voted to privatize operation of its restaurants on its side of the hill. Sen. Diane Feinstein, left-coast liberal extraordinaire, says there was no choice. Feinstein chairs the Rules and Administrations Committee, which oversees operation of the Senate. The Senate Restaurants, as the dining operation is known, brings in roughly $10 million per year, but has turned a profit in just seven of its 44 years in operation. That number is interesting, given the prices of Capitol Hill fare. I can remember paying about $5 for a bottle of orange juice at a Senate restaurant not that long ago. A quote from Feinstein basically sums up my thoughts on the matter: “It’s cratering. Candidly, I don’t think the taxpayers should be subsidizing something that doesn’t need to be. There are parts of government that can be run like a business and should be run like a business.” Well, perhaps there is some hope for the Democratic Party after all.
Fiscal responsibility is the absolute duty of every elected official. If an outside firm, in this case Restaurant Associates out of New York, can run the operation at a lower cost than the Senate can in-house, go for it. Elected officials, and sometimes citizens for that matter, forget where the government’s money actually comes from. In contrast to The Senate Restaurants losing streak, Restaurant Associates, who currently manages dining options on the House of Representatives side of the capitol, turns a profit annually. In fact, they’ve paid about $1.2 million in commissions to the House in the last five years.
Spend a few million or make a few million; when it’s our money that’s on the line, is there really a contest?
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(15)
June 28th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
I agree. I can’t belive my own Feinstein actualy impressed me like that, but I’m very proud of her.
Perhaps there is some hope for the Democratic Party after all? Well….it’s a pretty meager start, but a start, I suppose. But I agreed most with what you said about them forgetting where their money comes from. I think that’s pretty true. Sometimes they forget who put them where they are, too.
June 30th, 2008 at 11:37 pm
Will someone please point out the scenario where the private sector and the govt. produce the same good and the govt. does it better? That way I can be more at ease with my party status.
July 1st, 2008 at 9:44 am
That scenario doesn’t really exist, it just kind of comes down to sometimes the overhead of letting the government do something is worth it to make sure one entity is organizing everything. Like fighting a war or building the interstate highway system.
Other scenarios like a public school system could probably be “better” for some if privatized, but in doing so many corners might be cut like eliminating music programs and what not.