[Peace-discuss] My letter in N-G

[David Green]

Rauner and his neoliberal agendaSun, 03/01/2015 - 7:00am | The News-Gazette  Bruce Rauner's financial and political ascendancy presents object lessons regarding neoliberal financial machinations, impoverishment of the public sphere (including pensions), collusion between the two corporate parties, and alienation of voters.The source of Rauner's wealth, private equity, depends on borrowing large sums of money to buy and eventually sell corporations, amass huge amounts of wealth at the expense of productive workers and real, equitable economic growth, and pay a low level of taxes. A dispassionate book analyzing this sector, "Private Equity at Work," can be partially accessed online.Rauner's investments have been mired in scandal, regarding nursing homes, vocational certification, and correctional services—all ultimately dependent on the public purse. These affairs have been largely uncovered in the mainstream media, including The News-Gazette, but can be researched online. Also buried has been the ironic dependence of Rauner's wealth on public pension investment decisions lacking in transparency. This has been exposed by journalist David Sirota.It is consistent with the neoliberal agenda that as governor, Rauner will continue to privatize and monetize the public sphere while attacking unions. It is also predictable that Phyllis Wise will gladly lend assistance in this endeavor: In neoliberal parlance, "There is no alternative."Democratic Party leaders have been accomplices in all of this: Clinton, Obama, the Daleys, Rahm Emanuel and Penny Pritzker. Pat Quinn was thus utterly incapable of presenting a clear alternative to working families and students, who largely absented themselves from the election. But things could be worse, and they surely will be.DAVID GREENChampaign
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