An op-ed published by the Houston Chronicle last weekend serves as an excellent reminder of the ultimate goal of those in the GOP who desire to privatize our public lands. The Cato Institute authors write:
Some object to privatization because they believe that our national "crown jewels" (however defined) are sacred natural treasures and that no price tag can or should be attached to them. Well, one is welcome to one's beliefs, but value is subjective. Land is worth only what people will pay for it.
They also write:
If there is more money to be made by turning the Grand Canyon over to the Walt Disney Co. rather than to an eco-sensitive tourism cooperative, it simply means that the public demand for Disney's services at the Grand Canyon is greater than the public's demand for Deep Green Trail Services Inc.
This is a philosophy that places zero value on public land of any kind—in fact, zero value on anything non-monetary. "Turning the Grand Canyon over" to a private enterprise, whatever its marketing angle, is taken for granted.
In this world, there are no National Forests, no National Parks. "America's greatest idea" is no more.
I love that you're exploring this issue, Peter. People truly do not grasp the threat to the commons. Posts like yours start to make the danger real.
Posted by: Mike | March 15, 2006 at 09:32 AM
Thanks, Mike. Fortunately, I think enough people grasp this particular threat to make sure it doesn't happen. But the privatizers will try again and again.
Posted by: Peter | March 16, 2006 at 07:49 AM