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About David Morris

David Morris is co-founder of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance and directs its initiative on The Public Good. He is the author of New City States and four other non-fiction books. His essays on public policy are regularly published by On the Commons, Alternet, Common Dreams and the Huffington Post. More

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Article filed under The Public Good | Written by David Morris | No Comments | Updated on Jun 18, 2012

Our Winnipeg or Theirs?

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/winnipeg-theirs/

A new video, released on June 15th by the Canadian Union for Public Employees proves you can communicate a big idea–the privatization of municipal services–by looking at the issue through the eyes of school children. The 5 minute video, made by Winnipeg artists Sean and Christian Procter, uses a light touch and animated figures to… Continue reading

schoolbus
Featured Article filed under The Public Good | Written by David Morris | No Comments | Updated on Jun 4, 2012

Business Can’t Win the Privatization Game Without a Handicap

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/private-sector-isnt-competitive-subsidy/

Handicapping occurs in sports to equalize the winning chances of contestants of varying abilities. Sometimes, as in horse racing, superior horses, based on past performance, are required to carry more weight.  Sometimes, as in golf, poorer players are allowed more strokes. Unbeknownst to most of us, the competition between the public and private sectors is… Continue reading

Article filed under The Public Good | Written by David Morris | 1 Comment | Updated on Jun 1, 2012

A City is Not a Private Corporation Austin Reminds Us

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/austin-reminding-city-private-corporation/

A private corporation has one legal obligation:  to maximize the return to its shareholders.  As Milton Friedman famously remarked, “There is one and only one social responsibility of business-to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profit….” A city is also legally structured as a corporation, but a municipal corporation has… Continue reading

petaluma post office
Featured Article filed under The Public Good | Written by David Morris | 2 Comments | Updated on May 29, 2012

How Phantom Accounting Is Destroying The Post Office

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/phantom-accounting-destroying-post-office/

As every 6 year old learns, there is real and there is make believe. The massive Post Office deficit that is driving management to commit institutional suicide by ending 6 day delivery, closing half of the nations’ 30,000 or so post offices and half it’s 500 mail processing centers, and laying off over 200,000 workers,… Continue reading

Article filed under The Public Good | Written by David Morris | No Comments | Updated on May 25, 2012

Everything You Wanted to Know About Private Equity

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/wanted-private-equity/

The hottest phrase on the campaign trail right now is “private equity”.  Mitt Romney made his hundreds of millions as head of Bain Capital, a major private equity firm and insists the company has created jobs and improved the efficiency of the American economy.  President Obama just as strongly insists that Bain and other private… Continue reading

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Featured Article filed under The Public Good | Written by David Morris | No Comments | Updated on May 24, 2012

The Euro and Local Self-Reliance: A Flashback

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/euro-local-self-reliance-flashback/

In May 1998 the European Union voted to adopt a single European currency.  A few days later David Morris set down his thoughts about that momentous decision from a local self-reliance perspective.  Fourteen years later, as Greece and Europe revisit the costs and benefits of the Euro, we thought it appropriate to offer that column… Continue reading

Article filed under The Public Good | Written by David Morris | No Comments | Updated on May 21, 2012

What are people — and the Post Office — for?

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/people-post-office-for/

On May 15, 2012 Mark Jamison wrote a heartfelt valedictory letter to his community.  He begins,  “It’s likely that I will be the last postmaster to serve the town of Webster, North Carolina.”  And goes on to tell us what he thinks the post office was and should be and what it is becoming. As… Continue reading

Article filed under The Public Good | Written by David Morris | No Comments | Updated on May 18, 2012

Pennsylvania Handsomely Subsidizes School Bus Privatization

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/pennsylvania-handsomely-subsidizes-school-bus-privatization/

Still one more empirical study finds that privatization costs taxpayers dearly.  This time the issue is school bus transportation.  In a new report, Runaway Spending: Private Contractors Increase the Cost of School Student Transportation Services in Pennsylvania the Keystone Research Center concludes, “Contracting out substantially increases state spending on transportation services. We estimate that if… Continue reading

Article filed under The Public Good | Written by David Morris | No Comments | Updated on May 14, 2012

Five Reasons Why Privatizing Michigan’s Prisons Is a Bad Idea

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/reasons-privatizing-michigans-prisons-bad-idea/

Both chambers of the Republican-controlled Michigan legislature are pushing to privatize that state’s prisons.  Like a similar bill introduced by Florida Republicans that was narrowly defeated, the Michigan bill would require shifting 1200 inmates to a private prison if 10 percent savings would be gained.   The Detroit Free Press published an Opinion piece by… Continue reading

hoover dam
Featured Article filed under The Public Good | Written by David Morris | 1 Comment | Updated on May 9, 2012

Romney, Hoover, Eisenhower and that Pipeline

The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/romney-hoover-eisenhower-pipeline-2/

After winning the Illinois primary, Mitt Romney delivered a victory speech in which he deplored America’s lost “can do spirit”.  Unsurprisingly, he blamed it on government.  If elected he promised, “We’re going to get government out of the way”.   Then he offered a few examples of what he meant.  “We once built the interstate highway… Continue reading