Revitalize the Public Sector

Revitalize the Public Sector
October 1998

The public sector has gotten a bad name because much of what passes for government today is a way to enrich the wealthy at our expense. Through government, Corporate America receives its long list of welfare in tax breaks, subsidies and cost-plus contracts. Even worse, as sales taxes, payroll taxes, and property taxes have been unfairly increased, many important public services have been sharply reduced. Corporate-backed politicians are using the anti-government sentiment they have so carefully engineered to kill vital programs that many employers have always despised. If corporations continue to get their way, OSHA will be gutted, our environmental and labor laws will be worthless, our public health system will be dismantled, and the safety net and public universities will be only a dim memory. It's time for working people to put an end to this nonsense.

The Labor Party stands firmly opposed to the privatization and contracting out of public services presently performed. A government that works for us would provide critical goods and services that can not, and should not, be run for profit. Our kind of government would:

regulate and limit the destructive effects of corporate greed
implement our program to guarantee everyone a decent job
ensure quality health care for all
rebuild our infrastructure and expand mass transportation
continue to provide high quality postal service
clean up and protect our environment
help enforce workplace regulations
provide quality education, housing, and child care for all
protect our social security
ensure adequate national defense.

We can fund all of these programs with a more equitable tax system that sharply increases taxes on corporations and the wealthy. Additional funds can be gained by eliminating unnecessary and wasteful military spending. Let's get government to work for us, not for the corporations.