Look, we all use these services every day but don't really get how they work. I'm gonna break down these government operations in plain talk no corporate jargon, just straight facts with some real talk about how they actually function (or don't).
1. Your City's Money Pits (Municipal Utilities)
Take the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power it's like that rich uncle who can't manage his money. They serve 4 million people but still can't prevent those summer blackouts. The kicker? They're sitting on $8 billion in debt but keep charging you more every year.
2. The Never-Changing Monopoly (US Postal Service)
USPS loses about $6.5 billion yearly (that's $17 million per day!). But here's the dirty secret Congress forces them to deliver to every single address, even that cabin in rural Alaska that gets 3 letters a year. Their union contracts make it impossible to fire bad workers. Still, where else can you send a letter across the country for 63 cents?
3. The Train to Nowhere (Amtrak)
Amtrak's Northeast Corridor makes money everything else bleeds cash. That Chicago to LA route? Loses about $80 per passenger. But try telling that to the senators from rural states who keep voting for subsidies. The dining car food hasn't changed since 1987, and neither have their financial problems.
4. The Money Magicians (Federal Reserve)
These guys create money out of thin air literally. When COVID hit, they "printed" $3 trillion in months. Their board members all come from Wall Street banks surprise, surprise and somehow always bail out their old buddies during crises.
5. Toll Booth Mafias (Port Authorities)
The New York Port Authority runs the world's busiest airports... and some of the most hated toll bridges. That $17 Lincoln Tunnel toll? Goes to pay for projects that never seem to get finished. Their last chairman resigned after spending $215,000 on "business travel" in one year.
6. The Contractor Gravy Train (PPP Projects)
Remember when Denver Airport's baggage system cost $560 million and didn't work for years? That's your tax dollars at work. Private companies win these sweetheart deals, then come crying for more money when they screw up. The politicians who approved it? Already working for those same companies now.
7. The Housing Casino (Fannie & Freddie)
These twins caused the 2008 crash, got bailed out, and are now back to their old tricks. They guarantee 70% of U.S. mortgages while paying their CEOs $5 million yearly. During COVID, they foreclosed on 10,000 families while taking $1.5 billion in government aid.
8. Alaska's Free Money (Permanent Fund)
Alaskans get yearly checks from oil money sounds great until you realize it's made them dependent on fossil fuels. The fund's worth $76 billion but can't stop politicians from dipping into it for pet projects. Last year they nearly drained it to pay for tax cuts.
9. The Corporate Welfare Bank (EXIM Bank)
Boeing's personal piggy bank. Over 40% of their loans go to one company that then lays off American workers. When Boeing's 737 MAX crashed, guess who backed their foreign sales? You paid for that through your taxes.
10. The Oil Piggy Bank (Strategic Reserve)
Those underground salt caves in Texas hold enough oil to power America for 35 days... unless there's a real crisis. When Biden released oil in 2022, gas prices dropped for about 15 minutes before oil companies raised them again. Half the oil actually went to China and India through loopholes.
Comparison Chart:
| Type | Example | Good | Bad |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utilities | LADWP | Lower rates | Slow upgrades |
| Corporations | Amtrak | Serves rural areas | Always late |
| PPP Projects | Denver Airport | Built fast | High fees |