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Politics : View from the Center and Left -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Steve Lokness who wrote (140851)	7/15/2010 8:55:49 AM
From: Katelew	Respond to of 543113

Steve, privatizing public sector jobs generally results in a job with somewhat lower wages and definitely lower benefits. I think this is perhaps what John meant, although I also believe that using the phrase "creating inequalities" is an overstatement. Since the public sector, on average, is now paid wages and benefits considerably higher than that paid for a similar job in the private sector, I think the phrase 'creating equality' is the better description of what would happen now. Privatizing would tend to lead to a wage and benefit structure equal to the private sector even though it would be hurtful and disruptive to the public sector which has been over-promised things by the unions.

To: Steve Lokness who wrote (140851)	7/15/2010 2:08:56 PM
From: JohnM	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 543113

Privatizing schools creates inequalities? I assumed that was self evidence. But, I gather, not so. Our strange mix of public/private education is rather seriously unequal but, and this is a large but, the level of quality public education in American suburbs, in some rural areas, and in some other areas I can't think to specify, reduces that. Everyone, in lots of towns, gets the same, quite good education. If you privatize education, then money buys the education. The distance between the quality the wealth kids get, the middle class kids get, and the poor kids get, will inevitably grow. Because education has become a purchasable entity. Someone might argue that governments will still fund education, to some extent. It will simply be provided privately. Watch out for that argument because the constituencies who will receive those private funds will decline, it will begin to look more like welfare, and there you go. I think the well thought out outcome of the present privatization movement is to end public education as we know it. One more step in reducing the public sector. Small state stuff. Well pigmy state stuff. As for garbage services, you will get what you can afford to apy for. And who pays for those who can't afford to pay. Does the garbage build up and become a health hazard? Are you then back into dealing with public issues. I could go on. Just don't see how anyone can miss the notion that privatizing the public sector increases inequality. In a country that is already something of an embarrasment on that score.