Cooperatives Administration Act of 2015 (Failed)

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Strike Section 2 and I could support it. The government should not artificially bloat one sector just because of what it is or stands for. If cooperatives are to be successful, they will need to be able to survive on their own.

Plus, one third of contracts cannot immediately go to cooperatives after the passage of this bill for the simple reason that there will not be enough cooperatives to take on this work.

I think we can support cooperatives in their infancy (so long as we make it clear what a cooperative is), but I can't see how setting any kind of quota is a good idea here. They've got to compete for contracts just like everyone else.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Seeing the above responses, I feel good going ahead and putting this amendment forward.

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[HagridOfTheDeep]

I object.

The point of section 2 is to make sure we have a strong cooperative sector by setting aside federal contracts for cooperatives.

Why should we give them contracts if it is counter to our fiscal interests?

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Aye

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Not sure. We could arbitrarily throw a number onto it, but I'd be curious to know what our budgetary situation is looking like. Not that this would be a hugely expensive program, but it would be nice to know how we're doing before we agree to spending.

Is there a way just to group co-operatives in with small business and allow them access to the grants/support that already exists? Or is this the case already?

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Atlasia abolished its Small Business Administration several years ago, IIRC.

Perhaps now would be a good time to reinstate it, then. Unless there were good reasons for abolishing it?

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Atlasia abolished its Small Business Administration several years ago, IIRC.

Perhaps now would be a good time to reinstate it, then. Unless there were good reasons for abolishing it?

There was never much evidence in favor of its effectiveness, and in practice it functioned mostly as a subsidy to banks by providing backing for high-risk loans.

Hm. Interesting. So if one follows that same line of reasoning, couldn't the same be said for what we're now planning to do with cooperatives?

[HagridOfTheDeep]

'I don't believe it's our role to promote a particular form of business organization'

Except that you do, because not promoting co-ops means spending federal dollars on contracts with non-cooperative enterprises.

The government is not promoting anything by paying for the goods and services it needs to operate. Contracts should go to companies who can do good work at a reasonably competitive price. If cooperatives cannot deliver on those fronts, then there's a problem inherent to their business model. I'm inclined to believe they can indeed compete on their own.

And since we don't seem to be giving too much help to small business either, I don't see why we should help cooperatives instead.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Nay

Lol.