If we succeed this election cycle, we have to start having a big, multi-pronged conversation about the unmaking of the public good. Libraries, public schools, parks, safety...all of it is being privatized a century after we acknowledged the importance of shared space and responsibility.
"The program’s average recipient is a white female, who has never attended public school, from a family earning more than $99,000 a year. The shift has taken a huge bite out of state funding for public school — an estimated $600 million this year." www.indystar.com/story/news/i...
The average participant now is a white female who never went to a public school and comes from a family earning more than $99,000.
This also reveals a larger problem, constructive separation of family wealth from younger generations so they can avoid means testing implemented punitively against the actual poor. Generation wealth without generational tax and benefits treatment.
I'm speechless because I want to emphasize this, but can't think of a big enough way to do it! SHOUT IT, perhaps?
Relatedly, the idea that private companies owe something to the public good, esp the towns where they're based, has been utterly nuked starting in the late 70's. Everything became next-quarter share price, rather than long term self interest which included looking after their workers & neighbors
Public transit : buses, trains, subways, Amtrak, etc. That includes bus and train stations, bus stops, sidewalks, etc.
These are all things I fondly recall from my 70’s era childhood. You want to “make America great again,” I say bring these back. For everyone.
The longer I live in this country, the bigger socialist I become. Burn capitalism to the ground. Let’s take care of each other again
I have been thinking about that too lately. It seems that starting in 1981 we said public goods mean private profit. To preserve our democracy and to rebuild the middle class, we need taxes and regulation.
Grifters and opportunists have managed to poison the image of these public institutions in the minds of so many that I have to wonder what it will take to undo that harm.
Yes, yes, a million times yes. We need a Green New Deal for public libraries / parks / rec centres.