Dealing With Monopolies

For all the cries of "freedom" and "capitalism," there are many facets of our life that are in government control. If you have a landline phone, pay for energy and utilities, choice is not an option. You can't decide to opt out of water or garbage service or not have power. You can't decide you'd like to use ATT, if SBC is your phone company. There is no local competition in energy providers, you have one, and only one, option. You want Comcast Cable when Charter Cable is your local provider? Good luck!

In the private sector, you have the option to opt out. If you don't like the flowers or produce from one store, you just drive to another. Competition tends to bring better prices and services to us. If a worker at a private firm screws up, they get disciplined, fired, or moved aside. Not so at our socialist monopolies.

Futhermore, you know it's going to happen. You know, that if you call the phone company to turn on your phone service, it's highly probably that you're phone won't work on Day 1. I'm to the point, that when I call whatever utility, the conversation goes something like this:

Ring ring ring, 20 voice response questions later, a help desk person picks up the phone...

Them: "Hello, thanks for calling SEI (Socialist Energy Inc.). How may I provide excellent customer service for you today?"

Me: "I just moved, and I'd like to have my energy services turned on."

Them: "Have you had SEI services before?"

Me: "No, I just moved in."

Them: "Sir, did you just move in?"

Me: "Yes, I just said that."

Them: "Thank you, sir. I'm showing that property is registered to someone else. They'll need to cancel their service before you can start yours."

Me, with George Bush scowly face : "That's absurd."

Them: "We can switch it over to you. When did escrow close/you move in?"

Me: "Today."

They then ask for information Lord only knows why it matters for energy service.

Them: "Thank you, sir. Okay, we'll turn power on today. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

Me: "Yes, I'd like to schedule a technician appointment for tomorrow."

Them: "Sir?"

Me: "Sorry, I know that when I hang up with you, that by the time 5:00pm rolls around, power won't work so I want to make sure someone is here first thing in the morning."

That's the way it goes. You know the first time, the phone won't work. The power is dead. The garbage cans sit out on the street without being picked up. The internet won't work. Mail isn't delivered. Etc.

Them (nervous laughter): "It will work, sir. Thank you for being an excellent customer of SEI."

** The Next Day, 9:45am, No Power **

Ring ring ring, 20 voice response questions later, a help desk person picks up the phone...

Them: "Hello, thanks for calling SEI. How may I provide excellent customer service for you today?"

Me: "I talked with you yesterday. Power's not working."

They then ask for tons of personal information to validate it's you.

Them: "Okay sir, we show power being on for over a day."

Me: "It's not."

Them: "We can send out a technician. It will cost $50 for the visit. If there are any problems, you can either choose SEI to do the repairs, or do them yourself."

Me, again with the Bush scowly face: "That's absurd. You never turned it on in the first place."

Them: "Do you want a repair technician to come out?"

Me: "Yes, I have to have power..."

Them: "The first appointment we have, is next thursday between 12:00-5:00pm..."

That's the way it goes here. I'm not sure it would be better with competition, but at least someone might get fired once and awhile. Maybe they'd tighten up their services a bit, and do things right the first time. That's all I'm really asking for. Is that possible with monopolies?