Privatization of America's Public Institutions: The Story of the American Sellout
​3-minute video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQc-KmJ_5ms
Radio interview with Rick Smith:
https://podgator.com/podcast-epsiodes/lawrence-baines/
Diane Ravitch's blog:
https://dianeravitch.net/2019/08/28/john-thompson-reviews-an-important-new-book-about-privatization-of-public-services/
NONDOC website:
https://nondoc.com/2019/09/13/privatization-of-the-military-facts/
Read an excerpt on the NONDOC website:
REVIEWS
Goethe observed that those who are ignorant of 3000 years of civilization live from hand to mouth. Breaking News and flashing images have brought us to what Norman Mailer aptly asserted: that Americans will not tolerate answers to questions that take more than 14-seconds to answer. Baines's essay, a bit more than 150 pages, warrants the time to read. Read the full review here.
Brian Dotts, Associate Professor of Educational Foundations, University of Georgia
"Baines successfully illustrates with extensive research how the privatization of public institutions has produced significant “perils” by removing democratic control of and responsibility and accountability for traditional public institutions, increasing costs to taxpayers, degrading the quality of services provided to Americans, and incentivizing profits above 'human welfare. '" Read the full review here:
Tom Gage, Professor Humbolt State University
DIANE RAVITCH'S BLOG
"Lawrence Baines’ Privatization of America’s Public Institutions: The Story of the American Sellout combines analyses of assaults on four public sectors, the military, corrections departments, public schools, and higher education, to reveal the immense scale of privatization and its dangers. Baines carefully documents the ways that 'Privatization is changing the nature of America’s public institutions and consequently, the character of the country.'" Read the full review by John Thompson here.
DAVID FERGUSON
"Baines offers a meticulously researched look at how our fundamentally public institutions (prisons, military, and all levels of public eduction) have transitioned to private management to varying degrees. The statistics and case studies are an impassioned plea for attention and an end to the trend."
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CLAUDIA SWISHER, 4TH GENERATION TEACHER
"This book is organized around four insidious efforts to privatize American institutions…cornerstones of our democracy: the military, the corrections system, PreK-12 schools, and higher education. Each chapter is exhaustively researched, with over 100 citations for each chapter. Every statement in this book is backed up by research....What are the dangers to a democracy when our institutions are privatized? Turned over to people with questionable motives beyond making as much money as possible? Turns out the dangers are real, and they are here…looking us in the eye." Read the full review here.
WILLIAM L. PHILLIS, OHIO COALITION FOR EQUITY & ADEQUACY OF SCHOOL FUNDING
"Privatization of American’s Public Institutions—should be a wakeup call to all citizens." Read more here.
FROM THE OKLAHOMA OBSERVER
"Privatization has run up unconscionable human and financial costs. But the worst of these inter-related tragedies might be the long-term damage to our democratic, educational, and moral values."