PART OF THE RIGHT-WING RELIGION IS TO HATE GOVERNMENT-- SO NOW THEY WANT TO SELL OFF ITS FUNCTIONS TO THE HIGHEST BIDDERS

Looks like Helen is back! She helped out with explaing why Alberto Gonzales is not to be trusted (below) and now she's put together this report on how the Repugs are starting to sell off the national infrastructure. I know she's also working on a report about what's going on with the effort to root out the sleazy DeLay pawn in her own congressional district in upstate New York. Look out Sue Kelly!

I know there is a frenzy of greed going on but this is too much. Selling off our highways to foreign countries for their profit? It seems that we are becoming a rental society, and foreign countries our landlords as well as our banks.

There is an article in the NY Times today about a 157 mile toll road, known as "Main Street of the Midwest," that may soon be leased to a Spainish-Australian company for 75 years. How weird is this?

They would pay $3.85 billion for it, be responsible for maintaining it and keep all the profits from the tolls. If the Indiana legislature approves this, it would be the biggest highway privatization deal in history. It already passed in the Indiana House and will soon be voted on in the Senate.

Some Democrats are objecting ("Hello, Democrats" - anybody home?). Some are actually saying it is bad policy to sell off public assets for private profits. The company should break even in about 17 years. Then they will earn around $21 BILLION in profit over the next 58 years of the lease. Nice deal! Not for the citizens of Indiana, however. As the House Democratic leader said, "That is money that could go to our children, our grandchildren and our great-grandchildren." Citizens will also find the toll fees rising, quite steeply I would imagine. The Repugs says that there would be limits on toll increases and, get this: if we ever get into a war with Australia, we can take the road back right away!

Private toll roads are "catching on." The Chicago Skyway has already been turned over to the same Spanish-Australian company for the next 99 years. And in Europe, this is already popular.

And guess what else they say? Drivers would benefit from "having some private-sector discipline." Good service at a reasonable price!

What else will be turned over to the private sector? FEMA? The Army? The Post Office? The Department of Motor Vehicles? Just think how much better off we'll be when everything is run for profit, pocketed by a foreign nation. I mean, what'll they do next, sell off the internet??