The "sell-off" of America's infrastructure

[SHRED]

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With no accountability to we the people.
You can't vote a private corporation out.

Again, capitalism does not equal freedom, rather, it is accountability through a democratic process that does.

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Roads To Riches
Why investors are clamoring to take over America's highways, bridges, and airports—and why the public should be nervous

Steve Hogan was in a bind. The executive director of Colorado's Northwest Parkway Public Highway Authority had run up $416 million in debt to build the 10-mile toll road between north Denver and the Boulder Turnpike, and he was starting to worry about the high payments. So he tried to refinance, asking bankers in late 2005 to pitch investors on new, lower-interest-rate bonds. But none of the hundreds of investors canvassed was interested.

Then, one day last spring, Hogan got a letter from Morgan Stanley (MS ) that promised to solve all of his problems. The bank suggested Hogan could lease the road to a private investor and raise enough money to pay off the whole chunk of debt. Now Hogan, after being inundated with proposals, is in hot-and-heavy negotiations with a team of bidders from Portugal and Brazil. "We literally got responses from around the world," he says.

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_19/b4033001.htm?chan=top+news_top+news+index_top+story

[Swamp Rat]

1. Senator Ted Stevens has a bridge to sell you.

[bleedingheart]

2. the newly privatized roads....where you can get gouged on your way to work

it is just lovely...

[Cooley Hurd]

4. ...or destroy your strut on a pothole - or plunge off a newly-collapsed bridge...

There are some things that should NEVER be privatized - ANYTHING that involves public safety!

[bleedingheart]

5. I am in complete agreement...I think it is the worst idea and my own state PA

is considering this nonsense...

[CrispyQ]

3. Yes, the republicans have successfully brainwashed the people

to believe that private industry always performs better & cheaper. Of course, it is possible, but my experience with corporate American has been that there is just as much cronyism & incompetence in industry as there is in government & like you point out, when they take over, there is no booting their worthless butts out with a vote.

[Progressive_In_NC]

7. We discussed this at church yesterday at my Sunday School Social.....

40 people in my class, 16 would consider themselves Republican. To a man (and woman) noone thought this was a good idea.

It is he strangest thing, average everyday Americans in Wake Forest North Carolina, regardless of political affiliation agree on two things....outsourcing is really bad, and privatizing infrastructure is worse.

[CrispyQ]

9. I should join your Sunday social!

:)

An interesting article on Common Dreams yesterday: http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/04/30/865/

[Benhurst]

6. Before Dubya, buying the Brooklyn Bridge was a classic joke.

Give the Junta a few more years in power, and it may be a reality.

Pathetic.

[izzie]

8. One they will not get is the Maine Turnpike.

In the 50's when it was built it was only going to pay for its self. Guess what it is still a toll road. I am sure the state house would go to war to keep it. I frankly think this selling off the peoples works, bought by our taxes, of all types is really bad business. I better not get going on it as it is Monday morning and it may set my mood for the week.