Is nationalizing some industries part of the answer?

[dysfunctional press]

oil/energy, healthcare/pharmeceuticals...why should obscene profits be made by a relative few on things so vital to people's and the nations health and livelihood...?

[liberal N proud]

1. The answer is getting the whoring politicians who are so entrenched

in these companies out of Washington and every state government.
Making illegal to hold office if you have a vested interest in any commodity type business.

These assholes who invest in these companies are the same assholes who sit there and pass legislation to allow the corporations to rape the public and the land.

It has to stop somewhere before it is too late. Hell it may already be too late.

[mongo]

2. At the very least

we need to re-regulate the gas and electric industries -- and expand that concept into the petroleum and pahreceutical industries.

I could get behind nationalization, although I am not sure that is better than a regulated monopoly.

[dysfunctional press]

6. de-regulation was big back in the robber baron days too-

in the mid-late 1800's, we went thru a big de-regulation phase, only to have everything re-regulated after depression days, and then re-de-regulated in the late 1900's...and it'll probably take another Great Depression to get re-re-regulation back in- and it's probably on it's way.

[htuttle]

3. I think many 'natural monopolies' should be nationalized

If an industry or service requires public infrastructure, and if there will generally be only one of a particular type of business in an area, it should be publically owned.

Examples I'd suggest would be water, sewer, electrical power and natural gas, ownership of the telephone and cable lines, etc... For telephone and cable, obviously there might be multiple 'content providers', but the actual wires should be owned and maintained by the local municipality.

Healthcare should be nationalized, or rather a nationalized system be available, because I think it's similar to police and fire protection. It benefits everyone if all three of those things are widely available.

Regarding oil? I'd say my answer is, if something is important enough to send US troops to defend, it is important enough to nationalize. If the oil industry would be willing to give up all of its subsidies, including the implicit protection of the US military anywhere in the world, it should remain privatize. But without the subsidies, it would be more expensive and the energy market would be more of a level playing field. Energies would better reflect their true costs, instead of a huge subsidy of the oil industry being hidden in our taxes.

[dysfunctional press]

5. that's why they don't want the public perception that Iraq is about Oil...

otherwise, headlines about dead soldiers running in tandem with articles about record oil profits might make people think...connect the dots...and wonder why
the oil companies shouldn't be expected to pay for the costs of the war(s).

[PVK]

4. Worker-owned businesses is the answer. n/t

[LoneDriver]

15. Absolutely right

How can you trust the government bureaucracy to do any better than business. Not from past results.

[dysfunctional press]

16. that's bullshit.

case in point- Social Security...the administrative costs for social security is about 1 dollar for every 100 dollars taken in.
what private company can match that kind of bang for your buck?

[PVK]

20. A competitive one--not one getting no-bid contracts from govt. n/t

Privatization works if businesses are truly competing among themselves to deliver the biggest bang for the buck. The consumers and the businesses are both winners and the taxpayer is spared the rape and pillage.

[dysfunctional press]

21. name one private insurer that has 1% (or less) administrative costs-

i'll hang up and wait for my answer.

[PVK]

22. That's why we need worker-owned businesses.

So I can name some.

[dysfunctional press]

26. my point is- to say that the private/business sector can always do better-

than government, as far as running a business is concerned, is just bullshit propaganda.

btw- United Airlines used to be employee owned- how'd that work out for them...?

[dogfacedboy]

7. The only 'nationalization' I would back is energy.

We should put oil, electricity, and natural gas under heavy regulation or national control. We ARE addicted to oil, and the ever rising cost of oil is putting a lot of pressure on things. The right-wing always talks about 'what's good for the economy'. As resources, all forms of energy need to have the costs come down, instead of letting all that cash flow into just a very few corporations. Lower energy costs would do wonders for the overall economy, as well. There would be more cash in the consumer's pocket.

[Greyhound]

11. Let me guess, you have health insurance and are finished with school

So all you have to deal with is the cost of fueling your SUV, right?

[Toots]

8. Yes most definitely

Health Care , energy, and water should all be nationalized. Those are things we need to survive and should not be subject to profit. The government has proved time and time again it runs a tighter ship than Private industry and is able to provide essential service much better than any Private firm is able. Granted there is graft and corruption in a lot of government agencies these days and as long as that remains true government is no better than Private Industry but if kept clean of corruption government is way better able to provide the essentials for life.

[killbotfactory]

9. Yes, but that will never happen

Or at least legally change their mission from making profit their first and foremost concern.

The theory is that by making profit the ultimate goal of these companies, they will become more efficient through competition and the drive for more profits, and the benefits of that newfound efficiency will trickle-down to the consumer. The problem is that when it comes to things essential to life, like healthcare, efficiency means letting poor people die and only covering the healthy. Or, like in an emergency situation, the "consumer" having no choice in the matter of their initial treatment or where they are taken to after the 911 call is made, but still being billed for it.

[elehhhhna]

10. We must first Nationalize pur goddamnned politicians.

[Greyhound]

12. Since the corporations have shown themselves to be incapable

of being conscientious citizens we have a right and duty to take over essential industries. These would include Health-Care, Energy, Education, and Justice. We must also head off their next target, fresh water, by banning the sale of municipal water and sewage systems, or their management, to private enterprise.
If we don't your surviving children will find themselves indentured to a corporation in exchange for drinking water.

[Greyhound]

13. kickin'

:kick:

[GreenPartyVoter]

14. Yes, I think we should nationalize

[mikelewis]

17. Healthcare - Maybe but oil and energy - No...

Energy is a commodity not a necessity for life. To nationalize it is to stifle it's growth. What we need is enforcement of our existing Anti-Trust legislation and an immediate inquiry into the VP's energy policy meetings where Energy Companies were allowed to set the direction of this country. When they act in collusion for greater profits, that is a trust. This is illegal and against True Capitolism. Capitolism without competition is like Religion without God.

[dysfunctional press]

19. Energy is not necessary for life?

try telling that to those of us who live where winter is winter...or try telling the hospitals & grocery stores in the south in summer that air conditioning/refrigeration is a luxury.

the capitalism practiced by the repugs goes like this: socialize the risk, and privatize the profits.
what i'm saying is that if the risks/costs are socialized, so should be the profits.

it's UTTERLY OBSCENE that oil companies are posting RECORD PROFITS on the backs of our dead soldiers.

[rucky]

18. Without a doubt.

their current practices kill people.

[Vidar]

23. Yes, but not while the crooks run the henhouse.

[Odin2005]

24. We should aim to be more like Sweden

[unkachuck]

25. absolutely....

....do we need to pay a profit-tax when we're sick or dying?

....do we need to pay a profit-tax when we fuel up our only means of transportation?

....do we need to pay a profit-tax when we heat our homes in the winter or cool them in the summer?

....do we need to pay a profit-tax on ANY necessity of life?

....think of all the money we'd save that could be put to more productive use....