US taxpayers should not pay for fixing US infrastructure, new White House chief declares

[roxiejules]

via Raw Story:

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/01/us-taxpayers-should-not-pay-for-fixing-us-infrastructure-new-white-house-chief-declares/


American taxpayers should not foot the bill for infrastructure improvements around the country, the new White House chief of staff said recently.

“I don’t think raising the taxes on the American people right now is the way to go at this point of our economy," William M. Daley told Bob Schieffer of CBS's "Face the Nation" Sunday.

Daley, a former Wall Street executive who opposed two of President Obama's major initiatives, said that investment for US infrastructure could instead come from private sources both foreign and domestic.

"That's a creative way to move forward," he said.

[ejpoeta]

1. wtf!!! fixing the infrastructure would be the best thing they could do right now!!

it's obvious we need to spend money and infrastructure is something that needs to be done and can't be outsourced. it needs to be done here!!! wtf is wrong with these people!

[robinlynne]

2. of course. let's privatize more................vomit.

[villager]

12. The Chicago fix remains in....

n/t

[roxiejules]

14. Chicago has been the most aggressive city...

in the United States in the privatization of public infrastructure. Since 2004, the city has privatized the Chicago Skyway toll road, four downtown parking garages, and the city’s system of 36,000 parking meters, with only the recent financial crisis preventing the privatization of Midway Airport as well.


http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/exclusive-excerpt-america-on-sale-from-matt-taibbis-griftopia-20101018

http://www.uspirg.org/home/reports/report-archives/transportation/transportation2/privatization-and-the-public-interest-the-need-for-transparency-and-accountability-in-chicagos-public-asset-lease-deals

[LongTomH]

48. I think "The Chicago Fix" refers to the Chicago Business School

The infamous Chicago school produced the late Milton Friedman and his libertarian economics, which formed the basis for Reaganomics. Friedman's ideas have been discredited; but, are still enthusiastically proposed by advocates of more and more privatization.

Sadly, many of the economic advisors who came in with Pres. Obama's administraion are 'Chicago Boys'. FDR called on the expertise economic advisers from both sides of the political fence; unfortunately, Mr. Obama has not balanced the Chicago School economists among his advisers with a single progressive voice.

[doc03]

21. I heard a young Rethug that looked about 20 from some

think tank on CSPAN this weekend actually suggested roads should be privatized.

[KeepItReal]

3. So is Wal-Mart gonna sponsor the next bridge repair project?

This dude can't be serious

[Citizen Worker]

31. No, but Wal Mart will gladly collect tolls for using the new bridge.

[corpseratemedia]

4. our new slogan for 2012

fix out infrastructure with public funds? "wtf!":(

[ixion]

5. rather than raise taxes, end the hostile occupations and use the money

to rebuild the infrastructure. Just a thought.

[jobycom]

6. A good thought. nt

[RKP5637]

22. Will never work, too smart an idea. n/t

[wtbymark]

7. sure, a 'creative' way to build deficient bridges..

and roads that develop potholes in 1 year. Leave it to private enterprise who doesn't give a shit once the project is completed. Sure, lets have China build a bunch on toll highways to take even more of our money out of the country. Beauty plan..lets drive it into the ground with a shovel and then beat it with a sledgehammer.

Why doesn't the GOP just come out with a For Sale sign and hang it on the US, betcha they make a good buck

[jobycom]

10. Maybe they could get BP to build bridges and tunnels.

I'm sure that would make people confident when driving their family sedan.

[Angry Dragon]

13. It wasn't the gop

it was Obama's chief of staff ..... I think he is still a dem ...... not sure

[robinlynne]

18. It works so well when we privatize wars and healthcare doens't it?

[robinlynne]

19. oops. And ELECTIONS!

[roxiejules]

8. Shock doctrine

Looks like we have the fox guarding the hen house.

[jobycom]

9. This is where Obama should announce Daley's replacement.

I think FDR demonstrated that building and rebuilding an infrastructure during a recession is a smart move on many, many levels. Or is Daley so "bipartisan" that he buys Beck's lies about FDR prolonging instead of ending the Great Depression?

Dammit. I was in a good mood.

[The Second Stone]

11. So it won't get done, infrastructure will continue to fall apart

and people will continue not to have jobs.

[bluerum]

15. sell it all to the highest bidder, Super.

[Angry Dragon]

16. If these elected officails can not figure out a way to

rebuild this country without selling this country to foreign and domestic corps then we have no business waging illegal wars.

[golddigger]

17. Who the fuck is running the White House?

Obama is one major disappointment.

[Sherman A1]

Agreed

I use this more & more....:banghead:

[Sherman A1]

20. Agreed

I use this more & more....:banghead:

[RKP5637]

23. Yep! n/t

[roxiejules]

24. Welcome to life in the Grifter Archipelago

go re-read Tabbi from 2010:


Bizarrely, a month and a half or so after this deal was done, a gloating Mayor Daley decided to offer some advice to the newly inaugurated President Obama, also an Illinois native. He told Obama he needed to "think outside the box" to solve the country's revenue problems.

"If they start leasing public assets — every city, every county, every state, and the federal government — you would not have to raise any taxes whatsoever," he says. "You would have more infrastructure money that way than any other way in the nation."

....

The reason these lease deals happen is the same reason the investment banks made bad investments in mortgage-backed crap that was sure to blow up later, but provided big bonuses today — because the politicians making these deals, the Rendells and Daleys, are going to be long gone into retirement by the time the real bill comes due.

- Matt Taibbi, America for Sale

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/exclusive-excerpt-america-on-sale-from-matt-taibbis-griftopia-20101018?page=1

[RKP5637]

29. +1, n/t

[benld74]

25. I'm buying that guy a DRINK!!!

[RKP5637]

26. Let's see, if we just had an auction and sold the US to the highest bidder wouldn't

that fix everything. That makes as much sense as the WTF crap that comes out anymore as a solution.

[lib2DaBone]

27. Let's sell all our toll roads to foreign investors....

.. and by all means.. let's turn over our drinking water and Electric plants to Foreign Bankers...

Where does it end? And it will not end well... "globalism" is a GIANT ripoff.

[Newest Reality]

28. "Win the Future" = WTF? - NT

[roxiejules]

30. The Crusade to privatize the world

"What we have been living for three decades is frontier capitalism, with the frontier constantly shifting location from crisis to crisis, moving on as soon as the law catches up."

— Naomi Klein (The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism)

[Autumn]

32. So we should sell our infrastructure to

China, Saudi Arabia or any fucking billionaire? Jesus Christ, these people are fucking scary. WTF :grr:

[JohnWxy]

33. This ass-hole does not set policy. IF Obama doesn't fire this schmuck we need a Democrat to run for

President in 2012!

white house number 202 456-111.

or go to : www.whitehouse.gov/contact

recommmended.

[JohnWxy]

34. Tell Obama to fire this guy or HE can get another job in 2012.

This schmuck isnot there to set policy

WH no. 202 456-1111

or go to www.whitehouse.gov/contact

[Maine_Nurse]

36. I'm already hoping the Great Waffler leaves. nt

[roxiejules]

35. Maybe Daley is right.....

American taxpayers shouldn't foot the bill. The corporations should DONATE the funds to repair the infrastructure.

We will give them the usual tax breaks.

[CHIMO]

37. Taxpayers

Shouldn't have to fund schools for the corporations.

Taxpayers shouldn't have to pay for fire departments that protect expensive real estate.

So just wish that you would have the energy of Egyptians!

[Fuddnik]

38. A more efficient way to transfer public assets to private hands.

:puke: :puke: :puke: :mad: :mad: :puke: :puke: :puke:

[Fuddnik]

39. Daley's brother has first hand experience in this stuff.

The developers wanted Meigs Field Airport on the waterfront, but the FAA wouldn't let him sell it, because of all the taxpayer money spent over the years keeping it running.

Daley sent in bulldozers in the middle of the night to rip up the runways and make them unusable. They should have thrown his ass in jail then.

They have family values. The Gambino Family.

[roxiejules]

40. When Ted Turner was asked....

which industry reminds him most of the cable industry 20 years ago, he replied, "Water."


You have to start organizing as soon as you hear that privatization is being considered.

[2Design]

41. wow aren't we glad to have someone who wants to help the people and this

country from continuing into becoming a 3rd world country

[TacticalPeek]

42. Jeebus.

Their victory is complete.

[Toon Me Out]

43. or, Mister, Would You Please Help My Infrastructure?

http://www.archive.org/details/ween2005-07-16-mk4v-flac16

[elehhhhna]

44. Hell, they buy our politicians. Why not let 'em buy the public commons?

[Joanne98]

45. He needs to resign already!

[Hestia]

46. When did COS start setting policy? Looks like Rahm screwed up that position for decades.

[hootinholler]

47. That is not a direct quote, the article is spin

Listen to the clip at the article.

I may not like him, but I'm not going to demonize him either.

-Hoot