How do we get the the Cheeseheads, the Hogs and the other football Fanatics to put down the beer, kill the TV, and pay attention to the dismantling of America that is going on all around them? Ignorance and inattention on behalf of the majority of Americans is the real weapon of mass destruction that is destroying the country. Here is the latest manifestation that is destined to further shred the fabric of the lives of middleclass Americans.
State governments are lining up to sell/lease their roadway infrastructure. Privatization of public roads, turnpikes and other toll roads is the latest firesale in America which has politicians and investment bankers licking their chops over the prospect of squeezing billions more out of the American public. Chicago leased out its Skyway freeway for $1.8 billion with all of the funds from this long term lease going to pay off bills for running the city. The Governor of Indiana has signed a lease privatizing the 157-mile interstate for 75 years. The tolls will increase, nearly double for cars, with truck tolls scheduled over time to increase by 120 percent.In the wake of the Chicago and Indiana leases, 20 other states have passed legislation allowing similar privatizing deals for their respective roadways. Forget the outraged motorist who now has to pay double to commute back and forth to work over these roads; WE ALL will be PAYING huge increased costs for all goods, produce and commodities that are currently trucked across country. The trucking companies, who are also fighting the theft of America’s highways, will ultimately pass along the increased tolls to the merchant, who will pass it along to YOU, the consumer. Private companies, particularly foreign bankers do not have to answer to the voters and hence can raise tolls to whatever level they desire. Their attitude is that if you feel the tolls are unreasonable, then feel free to use the other remaining (public) non-toll roads for your journey. Aside from the serious economic hardships these leases will cause on a nation-wide basis; consider the problems and confusion that will occur with emergency attempts to organize mass mobilization and population movements in the aftermath of a large scale terrorist attack on the country. This explosive trend can only be stopped at the Federal level, as this is clearly a new development that will ultimately cripple the nation. It is in the national interest that access to our highways be free and remain under government control. The current issue (January/February 2007) of Mother Jones magazine has an excellent in depth report on this subject titled, “How Goldman Sachs is Selling Off America’s Highways.” Please read it and take some action.
Thank you…