Your note struck a chord, and it just flashed on my why....
There is something about the villification of Big Government by the right that seeks to conceal its immanent essence as OUR government, representing our interests and welfare. It is, after all, an important public/common space. I don't know why, but that penny had not really dropped before.
This is perhaps, the most important context in which to see privatization. I had always focused on the guarantee of profits, but this is actually more important.
Hmmmm.
Joanna ----- Original Message ----- From: "jam" <amvojo at gmail.com>
One of the more interesting elements of the previous possession of the Capitol was the ability it afforded people outside the leadership of the unions, parties, and organizations (or people not involved in any such organization at all) to meet, theorize, organize, and plan.
Outwardly the occupation may have appeared as a stalling strategy and symbolic occupation - indeed it was that, but also more - inside, people were constantly meeting, sharing, solidifying bonds, working out the tensions of building a broad movement. It had become a rather well organized community with wings devoted to food, health/medicine, family/childcare, meetings, etc while the building served as a sort of nucleas outside more establishment-oriented domains. Maintaining possession may no longer delay passage of the bill, but there is a sense that it is 'our' house and we are determined to have it back; currently, it is back in the people's hands and the old chants, songs, etc echo again through the marble halls. Fire trucks and snow plows have made rounds around the building, horns and sirens blaring. The dane county sheriff's dep't appears to be solidly sympathetic; however, the sheriff warned that the capitol is under the jurisdiction of the capitol police and they in conjunction with the Dep't of Administration will ultimately make enforcement decisions.
My guess is that they will want the capitol back - it serves too many purposes in the people's hands (hence all of the rules issued by DoA over the past week to keep people out).
For now, it is ours, but there is no rest.