Bing wants to privatize City Lighting

**scuola** · June-10-09, 09:29 AM

Originally Posted by LodgeDodger

Does privatization really work? What are the statistics concerning privatization of city services?

I've become tired of "privatization" being the cure-all for what doesn't work.

Privatization? It's simply called "business" to most people. These days it's all too apparent that only private companies, i.e., NOT the government, are accountable to anyone. GM and Chrysler are bankrupt as they should be. But what about the government that is supposedly helping them through bankruptcy? The government itself is effectively bankrupt! Detroit is effectively bankrupt. California is effectively bankrupt. It was privatization. i.e., business, that built this country in a day and age when the government wasn't the one we know today. Read biographies on Edison, Ford, Carnegie, JP Morgan, etc. Don't just read people's interpretation of what they did--read their biographies, you get a different light on who built America. And it wasn't the "public."

LodgeDodger · June-10-09, 09:57 AM

Originally Posted by scuola

Privatization? It's simply called "business" to most people. These days it's all too apparent that only private companies, i.e., NOT the government, are accountable to anyone. GM and Chrysler are bankrupt as they should be. But what about the government that is supposedly helping them through bankruptcy? The government itself is effectively bankrupt! Detroit is effectively bankrupt. California is effectively bankrupt. It was privatization. i.e., business, that built this country in a day and age when the government wasn't the one we know today. Read biographies on Edison, Ford, Carnegie, JP Morgan, etc. Don't just read people's interpretation of what they did--read their biographies, you get a different light on who built America. And it wasn't the "public."

I've asked for studies showing privatization is an effective tool; not your diatribe against government services.

**rb336** · June-10-09, 11:23 AM

Originally Posted by scuola

These days it's all too apparent that only private companies, i.e., NOT the government, are accountable to anyone.

that is down-right laughable.

anyone who thinks DET or any other private entity is going to fix Detroit's lighting problem is seriously deficient in the cranium. From whom are they going to get the money? no, they would let it rot away while charging the city through the teeth for the privelege