(DC) Washington, Seeking Revenue, Is in a Mood to Sell

[alp227]

Source: The New York Times

WASHINGTON — Like Americans trying to raise quick cash by unloading their unwanted goods, the federal government is considering a novel way to reduce the deficit: holding the equivalent of a garage sale.

Deep within President Obama’s proposals to raise revenue and reduce the deficit lies a method that has garnered bipartisan support, something rare in Washington these days. It involves selling an island, courthouses, maybe an airstrip, generally idle or underused vehicles, roads, buildings, land — even the airwaves used to broadcast television.

Among the listings: Plum Island, N.Y., off the North Fork of Long Island, which the government has already begun marketing as 840 acres of “sandy shoreline, beautiful views and a harbor.” As former home to the federal Animal Disease Center, it may need a bit of “biohazard remediation,” making it a real fixer-upper.

Many conservatives — including Representative Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, chairman of the House Budget Committee, and the budget experts at the Cato Institute — support the broad idea of shrinking the government by selling parts of it. Democrats like the idea of virtually painless revenue-raising. Whether Congress can pass any bill in the current atmosphere, however, is far from certain.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/30/business/washington-considers-sale-of-spare-properties-to-raise-revenue.html?pagewanted=all

[vminfla]

1. Good luck with that

It couldn't even give away the stealth boat that was the inspiration for a James Bond boat: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123543023154353525.html

[ret5hd]

2. All of our beatiful shoreline:

soon to be private property.

Grand Canyon: soon to be private property

Glacier National Park: soon to be private property.

the schools were just the start.

[IrishAle]

19. correction

"Glacier National Park: soon to be melted"

-Fixed

[sinkingfeeling]

3. How about throwing in a few hundred world-wide military bases?

[Plucketeer]

6. Even if they GAVE THEM AWAY

We'd save a bundle!

[gateley]

8. Good point. nt

[AtheistCrusader]

12. Shit we're building new ones across africa and the ME now.

Even Drone bases. Oh boy. Fun.

[TheWraith]

23. Actually, we've been selling off military bases for decades. Mostly missile bases.

Abandoned missile silos have been sold off and converted over for research facilities, industrial storage, even underground homes.

[dtexdem]

4. Hey, why not? They already sold their political souls.

And their policy proposals.

[Arctic Dave]

5. Plum Island?

Does it come with free biological waste?

[gateley]

9. Republicans don't believe in biological waste - target market! nt

[saras]

21. Yes. Read the OP. It DOES come with biological waste.

I say let some sleazy rightwing developers build there, but only high-end luxury homes.

But I don't REALLY mean it. Because that top 1% doesn't buy their homes from sleazy developers. They buy from custom builders.

[gateley]

7. Sounds practical. nt

[KurtNYC]

10. Cash and carry government is not novel

it started years ago. Write a check and you get a law changed. Spend $10 mil; make $1 bil

[Amonester]

11. How about taxing the Rich like they were in 1960 again, uh?

Really, it's not like they Reaaaally NEED the tax breaks to meet end's meet, no?

How many millions does it take to live comfortably numb?

[msongs]

13. screw taxpayers for full price then sell to corporate whores as fire sale prices. thanks a lot nt

[Fuddnik]

14. The bi-partisan neocon agenda advances.

On edit: Make that neoliberal.

[blkmusclmachine]

15. "Bi-partisanship" w/the GOP will NEVER be good for America or the Middle Class:

"Bi-partisanship" means never having to say: "I agree with the other guys."

[Joe Shlabotnik]

16. This beach brought to you by.... nt

[Scottybeamer70]

17. Welcome to the At&T...............

White House

[Stumbler]

18. I'm sure heard variations of this story before...

Wasn't there a city in AZ (or somewhere in the southwest) that not-too-long ago sold a gov't building for a quick cash infusion only to immediately turn around and sign a 20-year or so lease to continue using the building's office space? And if I recall correctly, the long-term cost of the lease was substantially more than what the one-time sale price delivered...

Classic American-style administration: Socialize the cost of anything, privatize any potential profits.

[vminfla]

20. not an uncommon practice

Large corporations and government agencies do that routinely. There are some benefits to the quick infusion of cash, as well as removing underperforming assets from their books.

But it can be challenging to determine the net savings or costs in a deal like that. There are so many factors involved outside of the initial sales price.

For example, a government agency may only need to lease for a year until new accomodations are made elsewhere. Or the maintenance costs of the buuilding tself may be greater than any lease payment.

[saras]

22. The Pentagon would make the greatest band rehearsal space EVER. I want it.

With walls like that, anyone can play anything, and their neighbors won't hear a sound. Nice location, plenty of security outside and a huge protected inside park for, ummm... relaxation, of the sort that bands are wont to do.

[annabanana]

24. SERIOUSLY object to the sale of theairwaves.. I want to be able

to cancel some of those leases.

[MadHound]

25. Selling the airwaves is NOT a good idea

Complete corporate control of media is not health for any society.