thoughts on privatization of public services
none of which will be original to me, but I think have some worth in bringing together.
First, we need to recognize how broad the tendency of privatizing public services has become - we have private security forces in lieu of police in some gated communities and in many corporate settings. Support services for the military,even in combat zones, are now provided by contractors. Many activities that should be military or other government services are similarly done by contractors, including interrogation of prisoners. We have private prisons. We have sold toll roads. Garbage and recycling is often done by corporations. Background checks for government clearances, water systems, schools ... To these I would also add the way we provide health insurance, since unlike Germany we have not as strictly regulated the operation of the companies that provide it.
As we consider this, we should also consider the following.
1. A corporate entity is less concerned with the level of service provided than it is in maximizing its profits
2. A corporation is protected in most cases from sunshine laws requiring the disclosure of non-classified activities by government agencies and employees.
3. In many cases, government employee salaries are a matter of public record (especially in state and local governments), whereas the compensation of corporate employees is not as transparent (although top executive compensation is accessible for publicly held corporations - it is not for private corporations or for entities not organized as corporations).
3. The protections the Constitution and its amendments provide against governmental action do not apply when
First, we need to recognize how broad the tendency of privatizing public services has become - we have private security forces in lieu of police in some gated communities and in many corporate settings. Support services for the military,even in combat zones, are now provided by contractors. Many activities that should be military or other government services are similarly done by contractors, including interrogation of prisoners. We have private prisons. We have sold toll roads. Garbage and recycling is often done by corporations. Background checks for government clearances, water systems, schools ... To these I would also add the way we provide health insurance, since unlike Germany we have not as strictly regulated the operation of the companies that provide it.
As we consider this, we should also consider the following.
1. A corporate entity is less concerned with the level of service provided than it is in maximizing its profits
2. A corporation is protected in most cases from sunshine laws requiring the disclosure of non-classified activities by government agencies and employees.
3. In many cases, government employee salaries are a matter of public record (especially in state and local governments), whereas the compensation of corporate employees is not as transparent (although top executive compensation is accessible for publicly held corporations - it is not for private corporations or for entities not organized as corporations).
3. The protections the Constitution and its amendments provide against governmental action do not apply when