AMERICA FOR SALE!

[dfgrbac]

Talk about capitalism run amok! When the U.S. Command in Iraq was setting up the rules and laws for selling off Iraq's resources after the invasion, Naomi Klein wrote about it in The Nation. Now Jim Hightower describes how the capitalists are selling off America. It's privatization beyond belief!

— an estimated $100 billion worth of highways, bridges, airports, and other public properties could be transferred into corporate hands in just the next two years. Among those already gone or actively being considered for privatization are Chicago’s Skyway commuter route, the city’s entire downtown parking system, and Midway Airport; in Indiana, three major throughways (a 157-mile toll road across the state, a new Illiana Expressway, and a section of the I-69 NAFTA highway) and the state lottery; Virginia’s Pocahontas Parkway and Dulles Greenway; the 537-mile Pennsylvania Turnpike and Philadelphia International Airport; New York’s Tappan Zee Bridge; a vast 4,000-mile network of toll roads across Texas; Colorado’s Northwest Parkway; Alabama’s Foley Beach Expressway bridge; the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel; and, in New Jersey, the NJ Turnpike, Garden State Parkway, and Atlantic City Expressway.

What’s at work here is a convergence of gutless politicians, right-wing ideological fantasizers, conniving investment bankers, and raw corporate greed. What has drawn them together is the incandescent, transformative, blinding, neon-green force that rules American society: MONEY.

What we’re losing here is the whole idea of public purpose. This is our commonly shared infrastructure we’re talking about, and it’s more valuable than money. For example, privatizers estimate that the magnificent Golden Gate Bridge is worth $3.4 billion to investors. But that’s its price—NOT its value. That bridge embodies community identity, history, aesthetics, unity, service, and purpose.

These are the people’s assets—belonging not just to all of us here today, but to those who went before and to all those yet to come. Politicians need to know that these are not “theirs” to sell, that no one can “own” our public assets as their private property. By politicians, I mean Democrats as well as Bushites. It’s Democrats who’re running the fire sales in Chicago, it was a Democrat— Rep. Chaka Fattah—who ran for mayor of Philadelphia on a plan to privatize the city’s airport (he lost), and it’s Democratic Governor Jon Corzine (a former CEO of Goldman Sachs) who has pushed the sale of New Jersey’s major highways.

This abandonment of the public trust and the common good is a leadership issue of Rooseveltian proportions, yet no one running for president has made a peep about it. If they did, they’d tap into a rich reserve of public resentment against the rip-off deals, the profiteering, and the very principle of selling what is ours. Where are the Rooseveltian Democrats who’ll stand up to the profiteers and rally the people to reclaim and reinvest in our public infrastructure?

[Joanne98]

1. This shit pisses me off more than anything! K&R!

[benld74]

2. Lack of money to maintain is being stated by the sellers and

the so called benefit of money NOW to pay for things they need? BUT what will happen is that the buyers will actually MAKE more money than they boguth the things for.

[benld74]

3. Indiana Toll Road for One-South Bend Tribune

Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels has proposed raising the tolls and entering a long-term lease with a private company to operate the Indiana Toll Road. He says the $2.8 billion or more he hopes a private company would pay for a 50-year or longer lease is the only way to pay for many needed road projects in the state, including upgrading U.S. 31 between South Bend and Indianapolis to Interstate standards.

Opponents of the plan say we shouldn't take 50 years or more worth of lease payments and spend them in 10 years or less. They also question the wisdom of giving over operation of state ****ets like the Toll Road to private companies. Some northern Indiana critics have also questioned the distribution of the revenue from such a lease, arguing more of it should stay in northern Indiana projects.

[ProudDad]

4. K&R

Corporate capitalism IS our enemy...

Not "terror", not "drugs" and not the Iraqis...

[dfgrbac]

8. Yes! It's sad but true, Proud Dad.

Capitalism has become the enemy since the multinationals gained such enormous power through their mergers and other unscrupulous actions. This is what happens when they "get government out of the way" as Reagan did. WE, the people, can end this by solidly establishing democracy for all time by enacting Mike Gravel's National Initiative.

I expressed your sentiment years ago in this post at E-The People.

[ProudDad]

10. Good Essay

Thanks :hi:

I'm not too sure about Gravel anymore though...not after his performance on Mike Malloy's show last night.

He has courage and is spot on about THIS war, Iran and Global Climate Change. I admire his reading the Pentagon Papers into the Congressional record to save the Unitarians back in the day. Most of his platform back then was damn good.

But I'm afraid that now he's way off on taxes, health care, hell, any kind of "voucher" and the "initiative". He also appears to be somewhat ossified in his thought processes. Understandable. He doesn't sound like he can listen to anyone any more -- even potential allies and doesn't explain things well.

As for the Initiative:

The purchase of the initiative process by the right-wing and corporations here in California got us Proposition 13, 3 Strikes, The Groppensteroidenfuhrer and a bunch of other shit that's ruining the state.

Frankly, I don't have the time to vote on each and every aspect of government and that would leave the same interests in charge as are in charge now. I happen to like the dampening effect on the tyranny of the majority that the representative form of government could give us.

For some real solutions - I'd back someone who supported the following:

I DO want to see the CORPORATE MONEY taken out of the process. Making it the law of the land to make available FULL Public financing of elections including taking back a portion of OUR AIRWAVES for real meaningful candidate statements and debates is the real answer to creating a representative democracy here in the U.S. of A.

I want Universal Single Payer Health Care -- HR 676 the Conyers bill made the law of the land...as it is in many other countries... No vouchers, just no-fault -- you show up, you get care.

I want Universal Free Education in this country from pre-K through Doctorate...as it is in many other countries... No vouchers, just no-fault -- you show up, qualify and get your education.

Taxes -- A Simple, HIGHLY Progressive tax on ALL incomes, corporate and individual...along with targeted tariffs to help us back to a self sustaining, producing economy...along with the Guaranteed Annual Income; even Nixon was ready to climb on board that train!

(Gravel's "prebate" is a kind of feeble attempt at Guaranteed Annual Income but I think since he probably got burned in the early 70s on that one, he's changed the name some... I can understand it, a few Ubber-Capitalists have flamed me here on DU when I even mentioned Guaranteed Annual Income -- oooops, here they come!)

End all wars and cut "defense" spending by 3/4...down to only 3 times the next biggest spender...China...

Use the rest of that money for education, health care and public financing of elections...

[dfgrbac]

11. I'm afraid you're missing the big picture about the National Initiative.

The National Initiative for Democracy really cannot be compared to state initiatives such as California's. Gravel's National Initiative is far more rigorous in blocking corporate influence and interference from elected representatives or the courts. And the idea that we would have to vote on every aspect of government is just wrong.

We, the people, would only have to vote on the issues that we feel are important enough. All other issues would be addressed by the usual congressional elected officials. This new law making capability for the people is just an expansion of the idea of checks and balances; it adds a fourth branch to government. We, the people, are supposed to be in charge (the Constitution left us full sovereignty), but we are letting our officials do whatever they want these days. We must stop that.

Tyranny of the majority is an oxymoron that does not exist. Tyranny is imposed on the people (the majority) not by them. The population is too diverse to result in any kind of tyranny.

On issues like healthcare, I prefer Dennis Kucinich's plan to expand Medicare to everyone. But whatever the specifics are on each issue, the National Initiative gives the people control. We don't have to follow Mike Gravel's plan on anything else. He really does not intend us to follow him, but rather to lead.

[tularetom]

5. You're gonna see deferred maintenance on a massive scale

as their new owners pocket all the tolls and neglect the facilities. And as soon as the bridges roads tunnels etc have deteriorated to a state where they need replacement, the 'rugged individualist' private companies will whine that they no longer can handle the financial burden and the government will be forced to step in and bail them out.

May not happen in my lifetime but I'd bet anything on that scenario.

[mikelgb]

6. let's get all our money together and buy it

[Dr.Phool]

7. Ummm We already do.

[dfgrbac]

9. Indeed, these are our assets.

Taxpayers paid for them being constructed years ago. Now they belong to the people and are not available for sale.

[polichick]

12. Selling our infrastructure is such a disturbing new low...

Reminds me of selling our souls.