Socialized Risk, Privatized Profit

There’s not much in American society I can’t stand more than those who decry "big government" while simultaneously bogarting the government teat as a private contractor.

A new report from the Henry Waxman-led congressional Committee on Government Reform, Minority Staff finds nearly 40 cents of every federal tax dollar now finds its way into the pockets of private companies, a record amount. Over 20% of these dollars wind up in the hands of just five companies. Longtime military-industrial complex poster child Lockheed Martin leads the way, but Halliburton’s share of federal pie has increased over 600% between 2000 and 2005. I wonder how that happened?

Government bureaucracy is a giant maze of inertia that often impedes efficiency, and there are instances when citizens might be better served by a private contractor. However, the Grover Norquist-style “solution” of wantonly bidding out all government functions except law and order to corporate campaign contributors just turns tax dollars into a giant slush fund for incumbents.

In the hands of the Bush regime, this socialized risk/privatized profit scheme is nothing less than a subtle form of class warfare, resulting in reduced government services for fewer people delivered by less-compensated employees with even less oversight.