About a decade ago, chatting with a friend about the corporatization of Chicago’s schools, I joked, “Soon they’ll be privatizing the streets! And the squirrels!” Five years later, at least half of that forecast came true; our former mayor sold off the city’s parking meters to a private company. And a few weeks ago, now-Mayor Rahm Emanuel locked in the deal, ensuring that Chicago parkers will remain servants of that company for the next seven decades.
The epidemic of privatization spreads way beyond Chicago, and way, way beyond parking meters. It’s seeping quickly into things like airports, health clinics and, of course, education. The corporatization of everything is squeezing the life out of crucial institutions, chewing up the concept of the “public good” and spitting it into a privatized water fountain.
This process is painful to witness. But we at Truthout are sticking with the story and telling you the truth about its devastating effects – the ways in which it’s impacting your lives and the lives of your fellow humans. No corporation will ever fund this vital work. That’s OK; we don’t want them to! But this means you’re the ones we count on in order to keep bringing the truth to light.
We need your support to continue this mission. Stay informed: Please donate today!
Click here to donate.
(Truthout is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. EIN: 20-0031641)
You can also donate by check, made payable to:
Truthout, P.O. Box 276414, Sacramento, CA 95827
(Please include your email address on your check.)
Join us in defending the truth before it’s too late
The future of independent journalism is uncertain, and the consequences of losing it are too grave to ignore. To ensure Truthout remains safe, strong, and free, we need to raise $50,000 in the next 10 days. Every dollar raised goes directly toward the costs of producing news you can trust.
Please give what you can — because by supporting us with a tax-deductible donation, you’re not just preserving a source of news, you’re helping to safeguard what’s left of our democracy.