Posted on 05/01/2013 11:30:58 PM PDT by JerseyanExile
It’s not enough that Washington Republicans seem bent on signing onto any immigration deal that supposedly helps them with their “image” problem, but why do so many of them want to bash one of Obama’s better ideas in his budget: privatizing the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)? Let’s see: Barry Goldwater was for this before it was cool, and Ronald Reagan broached the idea in 1981, and was beaten back. Now Obama has grabbed hold of it. Start selling federal assets, and pretty soon the deficit might start to come down.
It is understandable that Tennessee senators Corker and Alexander would oppose the idea for the usual home team reasons, but why aren’t other Republicans jumping on board and upping the ante? (Probably for the usual deference/log-rolling reasons; they’ll want Corker and Alexander to support their home state pet projects down the line.) I recommend that Republicans suggest adding the Bonneville Power Administration in the Pacific Northwest, and watch the Democratic senators from Oregon and Washington object. That’s probably why Obama didn’t include Bonneville along with TVA. Memo to GOP: Go big with this idea.
The Washington Post notes in an editorial:
The political irony is delicious: A Democrat plays against ideological type, at the short-term expense of red states that didn’t vote for him anyway; ostensibly free-market Republicans scramble to explain why this particular behemoth should stay in Uncle Sam’s portfolio. . . It’s worse than hypocritical for Republicans to stand in the way.
I like this comment from one observer:
“The odd thing is that a bunch of Rs are defending the most liberal, collectivist, state-managed thing ever undertaken in the United States,” said [Mike] McKenna, [a Republican energy lobbyist] whose clients include the Atlanta-based utility Southern Co. (NSC) that could benefit from a sale of the TVA, in an e-mail. “TVA was the brainchild of the near-communists in the Roosevelt administration.
McKenna’s got a point. The TVA’s old logo is perfect New Deal beaux arts fascist:
Maybe GOP are finally figuring out that privitization is just Business Socialism....only that you end up costing more in tax dollars when you privatize
And with Obama.....the TVA will end up with one of his race quota buddies
Real Conservatives eliminate programs....not privatize them. Its still socialism when you privatize
TVA should be privatized, the problem is convincing current customers that their service will not be adversely affected and that rates will not increase. I believe that the subsidy of the TVA is less than its profits currently, thus neither service nor rates should be significantly affected.
So you would have the TVA just shut down all of its facilities—and no longer be used to generate power?
This behemoth should be privatized in pieces—though you are right, Obama and his crew would do everything possible to rig the process.
If the South is so set on socialized electricity, however, then the relevant Southern states and locales can get together to buy the beast and its debt. There’s absolutely no reason to have this nationally owned and operated.
It’s debt subsidy is huge (think Fannie Mae style guarantees), making it indeed subsidized from the national many to the regional few, but what’s lost there could be offset by at least somewhat more efficient management.
*Its*
The Romney Convention themes would not have been out of place at a social democrat party convention. It was all about reforming "entitlements" (Medicaid, Medicare + Social Security) for future generations. Save socialism for the future, the program of the GOP.
It's the Republican definition of "conservatism", save every part of the Federal Government...
GeeOpie: What happens now?Scott Toomey: Well, now, uh, Ken Mehlman, R. Clarke Cooper, Meghan McCain, Mary Cheney and I wait until nightfall, and then leap out of the Fithcally Conthervative log cabin, taking The Party(tm) by surprise -- not only by surprise, but totally unarmed!GeeOpie: Who leaps out?Scott Toomey: Uh, Ken Mehlman, R. Clarke Cooper, Meghan McCain, Mary Cheney and I. Uh, leap out of the log cabin, uh and uh....GeeOpie: Oh....Scott Toomey: Oh.... Um, l-look, if we built this large wooden Rhinocerous -- [twong]ALL: Run away! Run away! Run away! Run away! [splat]
Notice the author said “might” & “deficit”, rather than “will” & “debt”.
Selling the TVA might be a good thing, but giving Obama extra money will NOT bring down the deficit. Obama will simply spend the money & more on crony capitalism, ie., he will WASTE our money enriching himself, his friends & cronies.
Also, selling an asset is a one time thing, so rather than cutting our debt, it only cuts our deficit for one year while debt continues to increase. Further, Libs can then say they have cut the deficit, therefore it's time for more taxes & spending. What will they want to sell next year to keep the scam going?
In principle, I believe the US gov't owns too much, particularly land, that should be privatized.
Selling the family jewels could be a smart move, but not if you spend the money buying more booze to keep the party going.
Isn’t the TVA about comprehensive irrigation?
Republicans, are politicians first, Democrat sychophants second.
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