If you think privatizing social security is bad, how about privatizing the sewers.
My ancestral homeland is Milwaukee, Wisc., where the mayors were socialists for about 60 years. The last socialist mayor, Frank Seidler, gave me a ride home once (nice man). So I thought the term "sewer socialist" meant someone more interested in city parks and city infrastructure than radical politics.
Apparently, "sewer socialist" means just that. About 100 years ago, waste disposal was privatized. Every home had to figure it out for itself. No city sewage system. But a lot of disease and polluted rivers. Then the socialists came along and proposed city sewage systems, which of course we all enjoy and take for granted today.
Thus, the article recently in The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that cities are being financially starved to the point where they are borrowing millions to fund basic city services.
"Rushing to beat any property tax limits imposed by the state, local governments across Wisconsin have voted to authorize more than $335 million in potential future borrowing for capital improvements and economic development," writes Lisa Sink in the Journal Sentinel (June 25, 2005, front page)
Taken together, local, state and federal deficits are now creating what some call the "birth tax," meaning every child today is born with a $150,000 debt.
At some point time, and we hope soon, the American public will force its leaders to fully fund all levels of government, understanding that only public funding can provide the health and welfare all citizens need. Til we begin in investing in the 21st century, Americans will continue to shoot themselves in the public foot, and keep falling behind Europe.
Just heard an interview with Frank Seidler today. He's 93 and has a new book out. We're buying it!
Posted by: Bill & Julie | July 05, 2005 at 05:08 PM