HuffPost's Dave Jamieson Discusses Toll Road Privatization On MSNBC's 'The Dylan Ratigan Show'

The Huffington Post's Dave Jamieson appeared Thursday on MSNBC's 'The Dylan Ratigan Show' to discuss why states are selling their toll roads to Wall Street.

The deals seem beneficial, but end up hurting states in the long run, Jamieson explained.

"You may get 3.8 billion dollars upfront but you may very well burn through that money in 10 or 15 years," he said. "And then after that you no longer than have the power to levy tolls on drivers and all that money is going to end up going to the private investors."

Explaining the draw of road privatization, Jamieson said, "The states wind up looking at these deals because they're in really desperate situations and that's never a spot where you want to be negotiating from."

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Comments

[Jane Claymore]

10:52 AM on 07/04/2011

I thought a contract could be revoked if found to place an "unconscionable" burden on the contractee..in this case, the people of the country and the state of Indiana. Well, I won't be driving that road!

[mamapower]

09:44 PM on 07/03/2011

Soon the Saudis and Chinese will own ALL of America.

Thanks conservacons!

[Onlygodknowswhy]

10:04 PM on 06/18/2011

The privatize the government.into debt and ruin.
Republican platform 2012.

[mnnyer]

07:02 PM on 06/17/2011

The CEO's of the GOP love this scenario.
Pay-to-play.
If you want something or need something (a road, for instance) they've got what you need, for a price.
Profits into forever, guaranteed customer base, and no other options.

[Higgs Boson]

06:05 PM on 06/17/2011

I would say that Republicans are wrecking America like Bulls in a China shoppe , but that would be an insult to Bulls ...............................

[underover]

05:30 PM on 06/17/2011

Does this mean that those stretches of road will be policed by a private police force hired by a bank? Or do they free security paid for by the state?

[ArkayMI]

04:56 PM on 06/17/2011

Are te Indiana voters aware of these clauses? If there are any Dems left in IN, they should publicize these clauses.

[mnnyer]

07:04 PM on 06/17/2011

Wisconsin next.

[James DeJan]

04:13 PM on 06/17/2011

How is it that this isn't on the front page of every newspaper, blog, the Huffington, and every other news outlet in this country? Dylan is on during the business day so if its not on the evening news it will never get out.
How did the People of Indiana and Ohio much less the whole country allow this to happen. I can understand selling a building to foreign investors but our Interstate Highway that was built and paid for by tax payers? HOLY CRAP!

[Higgs Boson]

06:05 PM on 06/17/2011

America has gone insane

[blinkthink]

07:17 PM on 06/17/2011

Or are too self involved to pay any attention. People are slow on the uptake-they fail to realize what kind of an agenda these "deals" expose.

All the people who wanted Daniels to run for POTUS obviously never did their homework.

[Harbinger08]

07:34 PM on 06/17/2011

Most of the country is too interested in watching Jersey Shore to care about something as stupid as the future.

[sackman]

03:12 PM on 06/17/2011

They always talk about a wall on our southern border, I say one around Indiana, to keep all those Republican lovers out of the general population

[Golfer59]

01:30 PM on 06/17/2011

Welcome to The Republican Free Market Economy!!!!

[den1953]

01:01 PM on 06/17/2011

Things were a lot simpler in the old days, even when Clinton was president!

[Higgs Boson]

06:06 PM on 06/17/2011

back when we had jobs and a balanced budget

[mnnyer]

07:05 PM on 06/17/2011

On the day Clinton left DC, someone in the crowd had a sign that said "Please don't go!!"
I've thought about that sign often.