Any time you hear the word "privatization", you should be scared

[JDPriestly]

34. Fact is, after decades of privatization favored more by Republicans than Democrats,

Republicans warn us that we face a fiscal cliff.

Republicans cannot have it both ways.

If privatization is saving us money, we are not facing a fiscal cliff.

If privatization is costing us a lot of money, then maybe we are facing a fiscal cliff.

We did not face a fiscal cliff when we hired civil servants and government employees to do the work we now privatize.

That is historical evidence that privatization is a failure. It is costing us taxpayers more than letting our government do its work would.

People complain that government makes such a mess of things. They never mention the Exxon Valdez, the many mining accidents, the BP spill, many pipeline spills, train derailings, gas company explosions, lawsuits over products that kill, pharmaceuticals that aren't properly tested, cigarettes that cause all kinds of illnesses -- and how the cigarette companies hid their research on their own products. The list goes on and on -- insurance companies that don't pay for needed medical care. The list of messes, catastrophes and deaths caused by private companies is extraordinarily long.

Meanwhile, on very limited budgets, our police, fire departments, schools, highway departments and many, many other government agencies are there, serving us, making few errors, cleaning up after us and after the big corporations.

The Coast Guard proved itself after the BP spill. Again and again, big corporations make a mess, and leave it for government to clean up. Climate change is one of those big messes.

We need a balance between the private sector and the government. Each has its role to play. Privatization of government work such as oversight of the private sector is a horrible idea.

Government can do a much better job of delivering relief aid in emergencies if given a chance. The more we privatize, the more we pay.

Sorry, I disagree with you completely, jody. People who watch too much Fox News tend to lose the ability to look at reality and think critically.

Lauding privatization has become the mantra of the right. In that respect, the right is very, very wrong.