In the USA, we mean "crony capitalism" when we say privatization. I've moved from corporations as a legitimate business to co-ops, for reasons discussed elsewhere on this blog. The United States Postal Service is on the ropes, and right now the Brits are looking at "privatizing" their version, the Royal Mail.
The corporation was formed so "the men of Devon County" could pool resources to build a bridge across a ravine that would benefit them all, and perhaps charge a fee for others to cross it, for money for maintenance. Early court cases said the men of Devon were immune from lawsuits over the bridge since the plaintiff would have to sue the corporation, which was judgment-proof for being impoverished. You can see where that went over 300 years.
It is hardly privatization when anyone in the general public can buy stock, so what they mean when they say privatization is corporatization. And we do not want corporations, let alone corporatization.
So how to handle a failing USPostal Service? Co-operativization. Exactly what the Royal Mail is doing, but in two parts:
1. Announce the US Postal Service will lose all of its monopolies in three years (maybe phased out: media, 2nd class, 1st class, etc).
2. Deed all USPS obligations (including the pension liabilities) and assets (land, rolling stock, equipment, foreverstamps) over to the employees and the retirees. The in year three, they are all on their own. As a coop each can sell his membership (ownership), or keep it, or whatever. The accounting rules would shift to reality-based.
At the same time, competitors are forming, corporations who are at a disadvantage up against the efficiency of a co-op. WE'd get more better chaper faster. Companies would fight to deliver your mail for free, if you let them put their ads on you outgoing mail (and who knows, incoming mail too.
Take the State out of mail delivery and we'd get more better cheaper faster.
Feel free to forward this by email to three of your friends.
This, along with forecasts of instant profits, appeared to have led to the strongest demand since the big state privatisations of the late 1980s, when British Gas and other state industries were sold off. City experts calculated that the average retail investor applied for £5,000-worth of Royal Mail shares. Yet such was the demand that the number of shares on offer would leave them with an average of only £737-worth of stock each.So let's get terms right first, and then look at a solution.
The corporation was formed so "the men of Devon County" could pool resources to build a bridge across a ravine that would benefit them all, and perhaps charge a fee for others to cross it, for money for maintenance. Early court cases said the men of Devon were immune from lawsuits over the bridge since the plaintiff would have to sue the corporation, which was judgment-proof for being impoverished. You can see where that went over 300 years.
It is hardly privatization when anyone in the general public can buy stock, so what they mean when they say privatization is corporatization. And we do not want corporations, let alone corporatization.
So how to handle a failing USPostal Service? Co-operativization. Exactly what the Royal Mail is doing, but in two parts:
1. Announce the US Postal Service will lose all of its monopolies in three years (maybe phased out: media, 2nd class, 1st class, etc).
2. Deed all USPS obligations (including the pension liabilities) and assets (land, rolling stock, equipment, foreverstamps) over to the employees and the retirees. The in year three, they are all on their own. As a coop each can sell his membership (ownership), or keep it, or whatever. The accounting rules would shift to reality-based.
At the same time, competitors are forming, corporations who are at a disadvantage up against the efficiency of a co-op. WE'd get more better chaper faster. Companies would fight to deliver your mail for free, if you let them put their ads on you outgoing mail (and who knows, incoming mail too.
Take the State out of mail delivery and we'd get more better cheaper faster.
Feel free to forward this by email to three of your friends.
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