Privatization

Privatization of social security was a horrible idea. Thank goodness that the Republicans were not able to slip that one in. It would also not be wise to privatize the fire department or the police department. When jails are privatized judges end up taking bribes so that more people will be put in jail. Using private military contractors instead of the military has turned out to be a total disaster in Iraq and Afghanistan.

I am not an educator, but as an ignorant layman I certainly have mixed feelings about privatizing our public schools (called charter schools).

When free enterprise is allowed to run rampant without any control or regulation the marketplace does not control the boom and bust cycle – it exacerbates it. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. I have some bad things to say about capitalism and free enterprise. Note that I was general manager of a privately owned company with over 100 employees for 15 years. We were highly profitable every year that I served at the helm. So I am not just some wild eyed socialist.

I do admit that when governments allocate precious resources they are sometimes less efficient than businesses. But they are also less ruthless.

For the last 30 years America has been conducting a radical experiment in deregulation and completely uncontrolled capitalism. It has not turned out at all well. The middle class has shrunk, the rich have gotten obscenely wealthy, and the poor are suffering more than ever. American life expectancy has actually decreased. The radical free market capitalists who advocated this deregulation almost broke the American economy, not to mention all the damage which was done overseas. Far fewer workers have employer sponsored health insurance or retirement programs now than in the 1950s and 1960s. Many more people work part time against their wishes, and far more people work for what is well below a livable wage.

Yes, this has been a real disaster. Whenever someone starts talking about privatization we need listen carefully and then think long and hard before we do something really foolish.

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