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Richie

Listed below are comments made by Richie between Thursday, 2nd April 2009 and Friday, 3rd July 2009.

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Royal Mail in a falling market 08:15am on 03 Jul 2009 In response to #8:
Last night on Question Time, the consensus was that the Government could not allow National Express to "walk away" from one loss-making railway franchise and then still hold onto two other profitable franchises.
If this Government tries to "walk away" from Royal Mail (and it's pensions black hole), then does it deserve to hold onto other profit making "franchises" like the Tote?
And if it is *not* profit-making, then how did anyone manage to drive it into losses, bearing in mind that it cannot ever be called an essential service (in the way that railways would), with the payout ratio entirely in the hands of the operator?
Seriously, other than raising money (a tax on gamblers), is there any reason for any Government to operate (let alone own) a business that could clearly be run privately? A private owner/opeartor of a tote-business would pay taxes and create employment, presumably without the same level of overheads as a "public service" oranisation with its even higher pensions and other entitlements such as virtual job-for-life.
Is there any part of the Tote business that needs monopoly protection like Royal Mail's Universal Service Obligation (USO)? I'll bet there isn't!
G20: Road to nowhere 08:45am on 02 Apr 2009 Hughesz said: "but since when have governments been job creators?"
In fact the Government sector (national, regional, county, district, town, and qangos) seems to be the biggest one that is NOT facing massive layoffs and redundancies!
While the rest of us fear for job security and income, the government sector (all levels) simply increases taxes and charges to pay for an ever-expanding payroll!

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