Comments on: Penny for Your Thoughts http://www.showmedaily.org/2008/12/penny-for-your-thoughts.html Advancing liberty with responsibility by promoting market solutions for Missouri public policy Wed, 23 May 2012 17:39:11 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Michele Whiting http://www.showmedaily.org/2008/12/penny-for-your-thoughts.html/comment-page-1#comment-1412 Michele Whiting Sun, 21 Dec 2008 22:57:03 +0000 http://www.showmedaily.org/?p=2489#comment-1412 While money is a great incentive, it seems more like pork barrel government waste. The mechanics of such a small compensation giveaway is a money pit. How about instead put the money in keeping more of the motorist assistance on the roads, more salt for the winter or fix a few darn potholes. The media and the internet give enough voice through free public discourse to avoid having my tax dollars throw away paying for survey staffing, mailing costs and other costs associated with it. If you want to give something away do a random free toll or do a roll back day on fuel taxes things which have minimal mechanical costs. While money is a great incentive, it seems more like pork barrel government waste. The mechanics of such a small compensation giveaway is a money pit. How about instead put the money in keeping more of the motorist assistance on the roads, more salt for the winter or fix a few darn potholes. The media and the internet give enough voice through free public discourse to avoid having my tax dollars throw away paying for survey staffing, mailing costs and other costs associated with it.

If you want to give something away do a random free toll or do a roll back day on fuel taxes things which have minimal mechanical costs.

]]> By: Eric D. Dixon http://www.showmedaily.org/2008/12/penny-for-your-thoughts.html/comment-page-1#comment-1406 Eric D. Dixon Fri, 19 Dec 2008 17:41:12 +0000 http://www.showmedaily.org/?p=2489#comment-1406 I think he means that the results of the survey will be used as justification for allocating the much larger budget in the service of a set of specific data-driven uses. If not enough people respond, they won't have enough data to know how to direct the budget resources in the "right" ways, so they're trying to create more of an incentive for people to answer the questions. I think he means that the results of the survey will be used as justification for allocating the much larger budget in the service of a set of specific data-driven uses.

If not enough people respond, they won’t have enough data to know how to direct the budget resources in the “right” ways, so they’re trying to create more of an incentive for people to answer the questions.

]]> By: Josh Smith http://www.showmedaily.org/2008/12/penny-for-your-thoughts.html/comment-page-1#comment-1405 Josh Smith Fri, 19 Dec 2008 16:20:09 +0000 http://www.showmedaily.org/?p=2489#comment-1405 It probably goes to planning, implementing and interpreting this data gathering exercise. It probably goes to planning, implementing and interpreting this data gathering exercise.

]]> By: vroman http://www.showmedaily.org/2008/12/penny-for-your-thoughts.html/comment-page-1#comment-1404 vroman Fri, 19 Dec 2008 03:00:11 +0000 http://www.showmedaily.org/?p=2489#comment-1404 "The Federal Government really is sending out 31,000 $5 bills randomly across America. Ian Grossman says the $20 million survey helps determine a $40 billion budget." 31,000 X $5 = $155,000 where does the other $19,845,000 go? Ian's pocket? “The Federal Government really is sending out 31,000 $5 bills randomly across America.

Ian Grossman says the $20 million survey helps determine a $40 billion budget.”

31,000 X $5 = $155,000
where does the other $19,845,000 go? Ian’s pocket?

]]> By: Sarah Brodsky http://www.showmedaily.org/2008/12/penny-for-your-thoughts.html/comment-page-1#comment-1402 Sarah Brodsky Thu, 18 Dec 2008 22:21:31 +0000 http://www.showmedaily.org/?p=2489#comment-1402 True, but any deficit spending has that potential. True, but any deficit spending has that potential.

]]> By: Josh Smith http://www.showmedaily.org/2008/12/penny-for-your-thoughts.html/comment-page-1#comment-1400 Josh Smith Thu, 18 Dec 2008 21:54:26 +0000 http://www.showmedaily.org/?p=2489#comment-1400 I remember a few years ago I asked a number of people before I got a satisfactory answer "How <i>exactly</i> does the government inflate the currency?" I knew they had the printing presses, but I didn't know the mechanism whereby the money enters the hands of people outside the government. Since then I've learned about the Fed, and Monetizing the Debt, and I know that the spending mentioned in this article has a VERY small overall effect, but it represents just one more potential road for government inflation. You make good points about the value of information, and I realize that, if done properly, this survey has cost saving potential(thus increasing government efficiency[??]), but inflation was my first thought upon reading this. (Dropping money out of a blimp would be too obvious) I remember a few years ago I asked a number of people before I got a satisfactory answer “How exactly does the government inflate the currency?” I knew they had the printing presses, but I didn’t know the mechanism whereby the money enters the hands of people outside the government. Since then I’ve learned about the Fed, and Monetizing the Debt, and I know that the spending mentioned in this article has a VERY small overall effect, but it represents just one more potential road for government inflation.
You make good points about the value of information, and I realize that, if done properly, this survey has cost saving potential(thus increasing government efficiency[??]), but inflation was my first thought upon reading this. (Dropping money out of a blimp would be too obvious)

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