Posted on 01/06/2017 4:57:22 PM PST by mdittmar
The incoming Trump administration is primed to privatize America, putting at risk our retirement security, the health of our seniors, the safety of publicly-run prisons, the quality of public education and the integrity of other public services Americans depend on every day.
The nonprofit group In the Public Interest has identified 32 members of President-elect Donald Trumps Cabinet and transition team who either have close ties to for-profit companies and groups that support privatizing (outsourcing) public services, or have expressed support for privatization.
As the Nation reports, if these officials get their way Americas schools, roads, air-traffic-control systems, prisons, immigrant-detention centers, and critical social-insurance programs will soon fall into private hands.
What privatization is all about, fundamentally, is a grab for the gold, Donald Cohen, executive director of In the Public Interest, told AFSCME. Government in America spends $6 to $7 trillion a year and they (privateers) want a piece of it. They want the gold and they want the power. The power gives them the ability to get the cash.
The privatization advocates are supported by right-wing politicians who see the value of breaking unions, who are (labors) major opponents politically, and in terms of making government smaller, Cohen said.
AFSCME is a staunch opponent of privatizing public services. Learn how it hurts wages, benefits, the economy and the stability of middle- and working-class families.
(Excerpt) Read more at afscme.org ...
I just read that the postal unions stopped Staples from handling USPS packages. “Not professional,” they said. I wish the entire federal workforce could be put on permanent leave.
>>What privatization is all about, fundamentally, is a grab for the gold,<<
What privitization is about is:
1) Giving work to people who are good at it
2) Being efficient with US Tax dollars
3) Reducing the size of the government
All extremely good things.
I’m cool with privatizing just about anything, other than the following:
1) Highways
2) Courts
3) Military
4) Air Traffic Control
As for the rest, HAVE AT IT!!
Dear Mr. Trump,
Please make it so...
Im cool with privatizing just about anything, other than the following:Military
Surely no one expected a rational response from them...
ATC is largely outsourced now and after Gen II is fully implemented even more can be, as the entire system will be very different.
Highways?? How many guys do we need supervising the one guy doing actual work?
They’ve had their hands on those pieces of gold long enough.
Union heads might just actually have to start working again.
GOOD!
Is this suppose to be satire?
Pres. Trump, remember the Air Traffic Controllers and their union.
“Highways?? How many guys do we need supervising the one guy doing actual work?”
How many public highways charge 40 CENTS PER MILE to drive on (including public toll roads)?
Answer: NONE. But I can name you several private ones charging that and more in North America, thanks to Crony deals between governors and private companies.
KEEP THE FREEWAYS FREE
(and, by the way, it costs no more than 1 CENT PER MILE to maintain even government-run freeways - toll roads more, since they have to spend a ton of money to collect their tolls)
Not always the case, for instance many municipalities privatize wastewater services and many tax payers are on the hook for upgrades, expansions, repairs, sometimes it isn’t a good option
I look forward to the next update:
I live rural in a small town in N Nevada. I sent a priority envelope from Zip code 89429 to zip code 95966. The dimwit at the post office plays with her keyboard & then places a label about 4 x 4 on my envelope. I pay her $8.70.
This wasn’t the most valuable item I have ever sent, but I had done a complete inventory of my possessions—in case of a fire, I was sending one copy out of state to a girlfriend I knew would save it for me.
The dimwit at the counter put zip code 92125 or some such on that label & my Priority envelope went to CARLSBAD, CAlIF-—about 600 miles SOUTH of where I wanted it sent. I had put a very clear address on the envelope in Sharpie pen, in letters & numerals about 2” high.
It took 10 days to get to my friend & I had her send me back the empty envelope. When I took it to the local post office-—a brand new building, BTW,-— the supervisor refused to refund me my money-—I only wanted the difference between first class & the Priority. She got stubborn. I got more stubborn. I kept asking her-—WHAT DID I DO WRONG??? I’m 76 years old, a bookkeeper, and I have been sending mail since I was about 16 years old. WHAT DID I DO WRONG? TELL ME WHAT I DID WRONG SO I DON’T DO IT AGAIN. I SEND THESE ENVELOPES ALL THE TIME.
She finally got huffy & refunded all of my money, and loudly proclaimed that I can NEVER get my money back again.
NOW I still have to use their services to send bookkeeping I have done back to my clients-—BUT I LOOK AT THE LABEL before I pay for it.
The dimwit is still there, but she walks a wide path around me. Her other big stupid event was: We were sending By- Laws out to members of a group here in the valley. The first class postage was $2.35 for each envelope....The dumwit tried to sell us on the idea of sending all 18 envelopes PRIORITY for $6.85. I am sending them from this town TO this town & you think I should pay for Priority? Sure, she says—it will get there in one day. EVERYTHING gets there in ONE DAY for first class IF I send it from this location....I about punched her.
LOL you are one frisky 76 year old!
You’ve got my zip code.
They actually BELIEVE that the quality of public education is excellent, IMO. Leftist lunatics!!!!
Ya know....
With Private services, we can;
- close more gov’t agencies
- have accountability for results
- reduce Public Employee Unions
- remove obstacles to progress
- reduce taxes
- increase value-added employment
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