The privatization of everything : how the plunder of public goods transformed America and how we can fight back

The book the __American Prospect__ calls “an essential resource for future reformers on how not to govern,” by America’s leading defender of the public interest and a bestselling historian “An essential read for those who want to fight the assault on public goods and the commons.” —Naomi Klein A sweeping exposé of the ways in which private interests strip public goods of their power and diminish democracy, the hardcover edition of __The Privatization of Everything__ elicited a wide spectrum of praise: __Kirkus Reviews__ hailed it as “a strong, economics-based argument for restoring the boundaries between public goods and private gains,” __Literary Hub__ featured the book on a Best Nonfiction list, calling it “a far-reaching, comprehensible, and necessary book,” and __Publishers Weekly__ dubbed it a “persuasive takedown of the idea that the private sector knows best.” From Diane Ravitch (“an important new book about the dangers of privatization”) to Heather McGhee (“a well-researched call to action”), the rave reviews mirror the expansive nature of the book itself, covering the impact of privatization on every aspect of our lives, from water and trash collection to the justice system and the military. Cohen and Mikaelian also demonstrate how citizens can—and are—wresting back what is ours: A Montana city took back its water infrastructure after finding that they could do it better and cheaper. Colorado towns fought back well-funded campaigns to preserve telecom monopolies and hamstring public broadband. A motivated lawyer fought all the way to the Supreme Court after the state of Georgia erected privatized paywalls around its legal code. “Enlightening and sobering” (Rosanne Cash), __The Privatization of Everything__ connects the dots across a wide range of issues and offers what Cash calls “a progressive voice with a firm eye on justice [that] can carefully parse out complex issues for those of us who take pride in citizenship.” **Donald Cohen** is the founder and executive director of the research and policy center In the Public Interest and the co-author (with Allen Mikaelian) of __The Privatization of Everything__ and (with Nick Hanauer, Joan Walsh, and Zachary Roth) of __It’s Never Our Fault (And Other Shameless Excuses)__ (both from The New Press). He lives in Los Angeles. **Allen Mikaelian** is a __New York Times__ bestselling author. The co-author (with Donald Cohen) of __The Privatization of Everything__ (The New Press), he lives in Washington, DC. America's Leading Defender Of The Public Interest And A Bestselling Historian Show Us How To Prevent The Private Takeover Of Our Cherished Public Resources Donald Cohen Is A Bright Star In The Progressive Firmament, And The Privatization Of Everything Brilliantly Distills And Illustrates The Critically Important Idea That Our Public Goods Should Be Controlled By The American People. --nancy Maclean, Author Of Democracy In Chains As People Reach For Social Justice And Better Lives, They Create Public Goods--free Education, Public Health, Open Parks, Clean Water, And Many Others--that Must Be Kept Out Of The Market. When Private Interests Take Over, They Strip Public Goods Of Their Power To Lift People Up, Creating Instead A Tool To Diminish Democracy, Further Inequality, And Separate Us From Each Other. The Privatization Of Everything, By The Founder Of In The Public Interest, An Organization Dedicated To Shared Prosperity And The Common Good, Chronicles The Efforts To Turn Our Public Goods Into Private Profit Centers. Ever Since Ronald Reagan Labeled Government A Dangerous Threat, Privatization Has Touched Every Aspect Of Our Lives, From Water And Trash Collection To The Justice System And The Military. However, Citizens Can, And Are, Wresting Back What Is Ours. A Montana City Took Back Its Water Infrastructure After Finding That They Could Do It Better And Cheaper. Colorado Towns Fought Back Well-funded Campaigns To Preserve Telecom Monopolies And Hamstring Public Broadband. A Motivated Lawyer Fought All The Way To The Supreme Court After The State Of Georgia Erected Privatized Paywalls Around Its Legal Code. The Privatization Of Everything Connects The Dots Across A Broad Spectrum Of Issues And Raises Larger Questions About Who Controls The Public Things We All Rely On, Exposing The Hidden Crisis Of Privatization That Has Been Slowly Unfolding Over The Last Fifty Years And Giving Us A Road Map For Taking Our Country Back. America’s leading defender of the public interest and a bestselling historian show us how to prevent the private takeover of our cherished public resources “An essential read for those who want to fight the assault on public goods and the commons.” —Naomi Klein A sweeping exposé of the ways in which private interests strip public goods of their power and diminish democracy, the hardcover edition of The Privatization of Everything elicited a wide spectrum of praise: Kirkus Reviews hailed it as “a strong, economics-based argument for restoring the boundaries between public goods and private gains,” Literary Hub featured the book on a Best Nonfiction list, calling it “a far-reaching, comprehensible, and necessary book,” and Publishers Weekly dubbed it a “persuasive takedown of the idea that the private sector knows best.” From Diane Ravitch (“an important new book about the dangers of privatization”) to Heather McGhee (“a well-researched call to action”), the rave reviews mirror the expansive nature of the book itself, covering the impact of privatization on every aspect of our lives, from water and trash collection to the justice system and the military. Cohen and Mikaelian also demonstrate how citizens can—and are—wresting back what is ours: A Montana city took back its water infrastructure after finding that they could do it better and cheaper. Colorado towns fought back well-funded campaigns to preserve telecom monopolies and hamstring public broadband. A motivated lawyer fought all the way to the Supreme Court after the state of Georgia erected privatized paywalls around its legal code. “Enlightening and sobering” (Rosanne Cash), The Privatization of Everything connects the dots across a wide range of issues and offers what Cash calls “a progressive voice with a firm eye on justice [that] can carefully parse out complex issues for those of us who take pride in citizenship.” Cover Title Page Contents Part I UNDERSTANDING PRIVATIZATION 1 Public Goods for the Common Good 2 The Roots and Reasons of Privatization Part II PUBLIC GOODS FOR LIFE 3 Privatizing Public Health Makes Us Sick 4 “They Just Have to Pay” 5 The Stuff of Life Part III THE PUBLIC GETS US THERE 6 Economic Destiny and the Pitfalls of the Public-Private Partnership 7 Toll Roads at America’s Crossroads 8 Who Owns the Journey? Recentering the Public Part IV PRIVATIZATION’S SLOW COUP 9 When the Contract Is King 10 Democracy in Darkness 11 Skin in the Game 12 Freedom Has a Price Part V EVERY LAST DIME 13 Teaching Them a Lesson 14 Privatized Medicaid and the Business of Denying Care 15 What’s in It for Wall Street 16 Privatizing Pays Us Less Part VI THINGS IN COMMON 17 Public Places 18 School Choice and Resegregation 19 Public Libraries and Apple Pie 20 Communities Take Care Part VII PRIVATIZATION DOESN’T WANT YOU TO KNOW 21 School Choice and Competition 22 Higher Education Part VIII “THE CASH JUST POURS OUT” 23 Academic Publishing 24 They Even Want to Own the Weather 25 Drug Prices and the Pirates of the Patent System Part IX BECOMING PRO-PUBLIC Acknowledgments Notes Index About the Authors As people reach for social justice and better lives, they create public goods-- free education, public health, open parks, clean water, and many others-- that must be kept out of the market. When private interests take over, they strip public goods of their power to lift people up, creating instead a tool to diminish democracy, further inequality, and separate us from each other. Cohen and Mikaelian chronicle the efforts to turn our public goods into private profit centers. They show how privatization has touched every aspect of our lives, from water and trash collection to the justice system and the military-- and how citizens can, and are, wresting back what is ours. -- adapted from jacket