Privatization and the Mackinaw Center

Margie Williams is mad and I can't blame her. She passed along this typical bunch of nonsense that passes as research from the Mackinac Center to Benefit the Rich and Perpetuate Economic Injustice. The article alleges taxpayers are being well served by the privatization of Mt. Pleasant's school lunch programs. But Margie noted in her e-mail to me, "Of course Chartwells saves money! It pays it's workers dirt, treats 'em like dirt, and hasn't any workers that are about to retire!"

Michigan's right-wing think tank financed by rich know-nothings like Lon Morey has spent much of its efforts on justifying privatization, another part of the economic injustice movement to reward the wealthiest and make the rest of us poorer.

How does it serve taxpayers to take away retirement benefits and health care from some of our citizens? It simply redistributes wealth and shifts responsibilities for society's problems. It's true that Michigan spends a lot of money on schools, but the real problems have nothing to do with school lunch programs, janitorial compensation or teacher salaries. But don't expect to hear the Mackinac Center talking about nationalizing health care and consolidating school districts.

More on this later.