Wouldn't it be better if America outsourced the Presidency?

Question

Americans seem to prefer small and efficient government. Is it time for the presidency to be outsourced so it can be run more cheaply and more efficiently? After all, a large part of the war in Iraq has been outsourced to private contractors, why not do it elsewhere? Imagine a president named "Sanjay" who works in a call centre in India! Good idea or bad? Why or why not?

Adel: I think that outsourcing the Vice Presidency and the whole cabinet is very logical. After all, there's a guy in India who can shoot someone in the face for lot less money than Dick Cheney costs.

Wundt: I would disagree. Americans seem to have a deep dislike and suspicion of government. I suspect that there are many who would do away with government altogether if they could.

Even the ones who are in favour of the many good works that government does seem to want to have those services delivered for free, from all the whining I've heard about taxes. As the old saying goes, "Everybody wants to go to Heaven, but nobody wants to die."

Answer 1

You know, that just might work. Since the President would live overseas he could be more impartial and perhaps more objective about the situation. Also, instead of paying him 400 grand like we do now we could pay him 25 - and with the extra money saved we could spend it on education or maybe.. mmm bridges. Makes a lot of sense to me. I think we might as well outsource the President's cabinet and whole support staff too.

Answer 2

Actually, people don't want a "small, efficient" government. When you get past the sound bites, people want an "effective" government. They like Medicaid/Medicare, Social Security, EPA, OSHA, good infrastructure, good schools, etc. It is corporations who like small government because that means less regulation.

I don't want to outsource the presidency, I want it to be a job were we hire the most competent person, not the one who looks best on TV and has the most money.

Edit - You are wrong... If you poll American with a question like, "Should we eliminate the X from the US government?", very few Americans would choose to get rid of any of the programs/departments I mention above. If you want an example, look at the Bush attempt to redo Social Security two years ago, poll after poll showed that most Americans didn't want the program changed. And, there are other specific examples, such as polls concerning Medicare. Sure, when you ask that BIG question, "Should the government be smaller", people will say YES, but if you then ask what should be cut... then they get less certain.

I am not suggesting government couldn't benefit from some overhaul... but the idea we want NO government is ridiculous. Personally, I like having clean water, safe food, and due process in the law.

Answer 3

Do you forget the lyrics to our national anthem? America is proud, brave and free. Also our government may not always work the way we want it, but our government is: "we the people" If you outsource the presidency you have to outsource government, and even the foreigners who leave their countries to come to America, would'nt want that. So it's not a question of it being better or not, because it will never happen.

Answer 4

I was told it was long outsourced to a bunch of British investors. The White house is just their American office. There is rumours it might be sold to some Saudi oil Barons, but I doubt tehy have the capital to buy us.

Answer 5

It's already been outsourced to the Illuminati. There is a small group of people who run our country through the presidency.

Answer 6

You need a government as-like in Switzerland

Answer 7

ya know, they might be running it right now for all we know. while sanjay is selling me ink jet cartridges for my dell printer he could figuring out the new budget. maybe that's why it takes so long to get a real time answer.

Answer 8

haha, thats hilarious.

maybe we could actually get some sense in this govt.

Answer 9

sorry! don't know what to say!