A textbook example of people voting against their own best interests because they continue to drink the Kool-Aid cynically offered to them by Rush, Beck, Rove and big corporations who profit from the government's losses. My advice to the people of Colorado Springs: Get James Dobson and his tax-dodging Focus on the Family organization to pony up a donation to their city.

Good for the citizens of Colorado Springs... we all need to tighten our belts.. having less light pollution is not the worse thing that could happen.. That's why we have car lights..

Please tell me the time you were shooting the footage of the streets. I would LOVE to schedule my drives in C Springs when there is that little traffic! In case anyone else doesn't know it, Springs is a major metro area.

Sadly, the people who most need to understand the message of this short documentary won't. They will look at the woman at the bus stop, sneer down their nose about how poor people "always" want something for nothing. They do not understand what it is to be desperately poor; they only understand judgment that allows them to feel superior, when in fact they are just luckier. It is TRUE that, when services are cut, the poor pay far more than do the better off - who, for instance, can do without bus service because they are fortunate enough to own a car.

Springs' issue may be about belt-tightening. For the poor there, though, the issue is one of not having a belt.

Ah...the movement to "outsource" public services to for-profit entities. They'll milk those who can pay until there's no longer any profit in it. Then it goes back to the "public" to pick up the tab. The railroads are an historic example. Look at the finanical banksters for a more recent one. Only, in the latter example, they keep the money and the privatization. Sweet.
America: the best democracy money can buy. Ain't got the money? Starve and die, loser. And remember, vote Republican so you too can make this happen.

"What on earth makes people want to privatize everything?" - continued

Answer 3: A Nozickean view of taxation (philosopher Robert Nozick believed, not without reason, that taxation was morally equivalent to slavery).

Answer 4: Good ol' self interest. Egoistically, paying for public goods is irrational (this is related to the tragedy of the commons, and the so-called free-rider problem).

Anonymous 20:38

Answer 2: A healthy distrust of government.

What is healthy about distrusting government? Frankly, with government at least you have recourse. With private corporations, we are just screwed.

While we are at it, can you tell me or direct me to a spreadsheet that provides data to support the lower costs we derive from outsourcing government functions? How much savings have we realized from have KRB feed our troops and do the electrical work in Iran versus the cost of having the armed services do it? People assert that there are savings, but no one provides the actual data.

I think the savings from privatization might be a fairy tale.

"What on earth makes people want to privatize everything?" - continued

Kool-aid!

Taxes? Here in Arizona, most of the public buildings have been sold to fat-cat private investors and leased back by the state. It gave the right-wing conservative Republican controlled legislature a (very) short term shot in the arm of cash. After all, they must be against all taxes to ensure their wealthy supporters gain more wealth.

Unfortunately, it'll cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars in additional interest expense over the next couple of decades. Money that the fat-cat investors will pocket while the majority of the people get the short end of the stick (after all, AZ ranks 49th out of 50 in education spending).

Colorado Springs - join the club of the haves vs. the have-nots.

Funny that you should mention it…

In American History, the contemporary Republican philosophy is a failed concept. History has shown, repeatedly, that implemented Republican philosophy leads to failure. Absolutely!

…And, now, Colorado Springs proves it.

So, the conservatives can't bring themselves to pony up a measly $150 per average household. I wonder what these folks spend per year on movies, liquor, tobacco, vacations, ice cream, and Starbucks.

Wow. Great flick. Nice example of the logical conclusion of the Grover Norquist crowd. Yes, let's drown government in a bathtub. By all means! Screw the poor & the middle income people for that. Indentured servitude for the masses & a society run by and for the wealthy.
Right.
Who wants to live there?

"What on earth makes people want to privatize everything?" - again for fun

A few responses:

(First two for Anonymous)

"Frankly with government you at least have recourse"

1) This is an incorrect assessment of the republican form of government. Representative governments are by design more responsive to industry than to the people. Government works for industry (this is due to the fact that industry has more interest in affecting government policy than the individual does; for more info, look up "regulatory capture"). Thus, so long as we have government, it just extends the power of industry, rather than restricting it. Anti-trust restrictions are usually short term, whereas corporate welfare is ongoing.

2) I do not support privatization of war. But I'm a pacifist, so this should be no surprise. (I think you meant Iraq, too, not Iran).

(The next four are for torroid)

3) It is a false dichotomy to say that you must either trust in the government or trust in capitalism. I never said capitalism is a good system. I said that governments are not trustworthy. The idea that one cannot distrust both the government and the market is what has led so many into fanatical forms of both capitalism and Marxism.

4) I was not specifically referring to Dawkins' work, Torroid, though I am glad to see you're familiar with it. Rather, the works I had in mind were those of Garret Hardin, though I would never claim to agree with all of his conclusions.

5) Postgraduate opinions on economics are highly varied. Some economists love taxation, an others do not. Also, many anti-tax economists are quite liberal in other areas, so don't assume this is just a formulaic political dilemma.

Taxation is, as I said in my third post, less efficient, and less utilitarian, in terms of providing services, and economists are generally interested in utilitarian calculations. As said, though, taxation may be more egalitarian than the alternatives. Economics as a general field, however, is not focused on equality (which is why demand and supply curves are usually plotted as a function of utility rather than equality).

"You want quotes? Taxes are the price we pay for a civilized society."

6) Your badly cited quote (did you mean "the Republic"?) does not address the Nozickean view, and you should keep in mind that many people thought the same about slavery, and they were wrong.

(For Anonymous)

"Personally, I make it a point to avoid that part of the planet as much as possible. It's ugly, self-righteous, and selfish--and beyond redemption."

7) Where the other responses to my post were mostly well thought out and intellectual, this is just offensive. As a native of Colorado I can tell you that this state is one of the most beautiful in the nation, and though I am not particularly fond of the Springs, I'm certainly glad I've been there. It's your loss if you decide not to visit our little mountain paradise.

Now as far as you sickening generalization of the people of the region, I can only say that you are plain wrong. There are plenty of people in even the most heavily fortified conservative regions with more... enlightened attitudes. Further, your absolutist attitude toward the people of the region shows that you are guilty of some of the same things you wish to fault others with: egotism and extremism.

(For everyone)

8) Thank you all for your responses to my posts.

School of hard knocks.

PhilipInDenver,

The only way this is going to get better is if we follow down the ugly path it has taken, and everyone (excepting the truly lunatic) sees where it ends. Societies as a whole usually learn by experience, but have relatively short memories. It's not a coincidence that Wall Street did what it did to use with about 10 years of the retirement of all the people who witnessed the Great Depression.

Pony up a measly $50 and buy a used bike if you can't get around the small town you live in. by the looks of it the folks belly aching about the bus service could loose a few pounds anyway. poor liberals, why don't you just become a rich hippy. well, if a stupid redneck can become wealthy it should be simple for a brilliant lefty get rich, right? also, if you are afraid of the dark you might consider getting a gun and a conceal carry permit. here's a lefty quote for you to chew on, "my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country". try that on for size.

Anonymous 23:44
I'm one of your "poor liberals" who became a "rich hippy". I wasn't "brilliant", just lucky.
CS is a large metropolitan city - without adequate bike paths to get around with bikes safely. There is also a big traffic problem with all the rich honkeys driving recklessly.

"well, if a stupid redneck can become wealthy it should be simple for a brilliant lefty get rich, right?"
Who ever said that everyone wants to be "rich"? Being rich shouldn't be a prerequisite for living in a city.

" also, if you are afraid of the dark you might consider getting a gun and a conceal carry permit."
A typical libertarian position. Unfortunately a lot more of the CS"Christofascist "haves" are going to have to take your idiotic advice because the" have-nots" are going to become increasingly desperate for subsistence..

Your JFK quote should be particularly relevant to those that have been blessed with so much - the rich. Here's another quote that you should "try on for size" - "To whom much is given, much will be required"

@Torroid: I agree, and well said. I made my comments somewhat tongue in cheek.

@Pony Up Anonymous. I partly agree... other societies get by great on bicycles, stay healthier etc. In fact it's a good idea, and maybe CO SPGS could institute that red bycicle program like they have here in Denver.
However... there still remain some folks with legitimate health challenges that need some form of public help. Any suggestions for those?

And, although (as a centrist) I'm for gun ownership rights (the data supporting the fact communities with high gun ownership actually have lower crime rates is compelling - at least within the American culture)... I somehow have a hard time imagining a town full of Christians toting around guns and not helping their disabled neighbors...

Jesus didn't strike me as a gun toting type... I don't remember him ever saying to his disciples: "When ye wander into the darkness, verily, verily, be sure to pack some heat... preferably a 357 Magnum..."
He seemed a little more focused on things like... say... helping the poor, giving them free fish and the like, not just sitting around spouting tired old knee-jerk rants against "them liberals".

That said, your quote of "Ask not what you can do..." is spot on.
What I like about that quote is: it applies to everybody, from both parties, and doesn't have some sort of sneering innuendo that's insulting either liberals or conservatives... just a constructive suggestion for all of us.

"If you aren't rich, hurry up and die!"

Even though the "drown in a bathtub" comment captures one aim of the Republican Party, I always thought the above was their actual core belief.

PhilipInDenver..Well put. I'm "the pony up".

some folks do need help, i realize that. I was playing hardball in my commentary. i'd say less than a third of those who are receiving "entitlement" benefits, deserve them. we used to be so much more self-reliant as Americans but now so many want the government to take care of them at "the rich peoples" expense. Debt is what will kill America, not a standing army. the problem with socialism is, eventually you run out of other peoples money.

drosera.. you'll love kagen as a supreme court justice. if she has her way she'll put a stop to that free speech non-sense found in the constitution.

You cant trust one sided projects like this video. In Illinois the pension liability is what is killing us. Paying state a local employees to retire at 55 with full health care and 90% pensions is what is killing us.

colorado springs is Lockheed country; they pay hundreds of thousands to fly jets over the US Air Force football stadium each fall for the games. The working poor don't matter even if they need buses to get to their jobs. Somebody used the word "christo-fascist." That's putting it sweetly.

Let's not forget.....we only have a country today because people decided ENOUGH WAS ENOUGH and refused any more English taxes.

Maybe these folks have a point? What other projects was the city funding? In what other ways were tax dollars just being pissed away?

Look at the way Obama is spending the USA into future decades of debt and poverty...perhaps Colorado Springs is merely a microcosm of what's plaguing the entire country!

Local Taxation Is Better, and local control and supervision of government money spending is inherently more efficient, while Federal taxation and Federal spending is rife with corruption. The community documented here has it backwards - they have all of the economic burden of the Federal taxation but without the locally managed essential services. That the political debate continues to be framed in a Left vs Right interpretation of their situation reflects the brainwashing of the public psyche. It is a false paradigm and we need to move beyond it. Think of how that town or any other would be if the Federal Govt were providing essential services - think Katrina - now compare it to Tennessee, which just had massive flooding that wasn't even covered in the MSM - they refused Federal help and ran a far more efficient emergency management - guess which effort was massively expensive and produced tragic results for the people living there? It's time for a new approach.

"As a native of Colorado I can tell you that this state is one of the most beautiful in the nation, and though I am not particularly fond of the Springs, I'm certainly glad I've been there. It's your loss if you decide not to visit our little mountain paradise. "

Colorado is a capitalist nightmare. It's certainly no fault of Coloradans that the place is beautiful. They've worked hard to turn it into a cesspool of waste, pollution, and corruption. Denver, for example, is a high pollution nightmare and has been for decades. I moved there from L.A. in the 90's and saw the place go from bad-to-worse even in comparison to L.A.

Have those advocating ++local control ever lived in a small town??--the politics get worse & personal, to the benefits of a few--all this needs balance. It is acceptable for someone in the state & federal to oversee some things too big for the locality & insure homogeintiy of services. Incomplete 911service has led to the death of a person in our county!! Past generations have learn we need to take care of all of us--le$$epeoples shop & use services too--it is also 1] healthier--disease know no economics & 2] safer--people will not be trying to steal or kill as much--for everyone. If you think not, take a drive a few hours south of here.

I'm wondering if such an event could trigger the wake of a strong community feeling, either by necessity or by good will.

I've heard that when there was no plowing services people used to shovel the streets themselves if there was a snowstorm. How could they travel if they did not help each other? Maybe we would act the same way if we were cut from plowing services today.

Look at the guy at 7:20!

As a resident of Colorado Springs for the last 18 years, I'd like to give a little perspective.

The City Council has always put private business ahead of the citizens. It is said that Colorado Springs is the only city in the US that is more corrupt than Chicago. So it shouldn't surprise anyone that it is turning into another Detroit.

The Council treats tax revenue as a windfall to be given out to private business and organizations - such as $60 million to the USOC - then they turn off the street lights to save $1 million, because they are out of money. So, in one respect, the voters had a point in voting down that tax measure - the City takes in plenty of money, they just don't use it for the benefit of the citizens.

Then again, there is a mentality of GREED in this city that is unparalleled anywhere else, and I blame that on the faux-Christianity that was brought here by Dr. Dobson and his "Focus on the Family" fascism. These are the greediest, stingiest, most selfish and hateful people on the planet - and they proudly do it all "in Jesus name."

"Anonymous" wrote"
"What on earth makes people want to privatize everything?"

Answer 2: A healthy distrust of government.

-----------------------------------------------------

As if trusting private enterprise, who are NOT accountable to the voters, makes so much more sense.

Remember, it was the Conservatives argued against regulating off-shore drilling, because - of course - private industry would never let anything bad happen !

Drill baby drill, spill baby spill!

To Thomas Mc:

Consider how well the government has done (and is doing) at preventing offshore drilling. The government will not stop such excesses by private enterprise, as it is not accountable to the voters, but only to industry. If we place our trust in government, private enterprise is just given more power!

This is not to say that governments don't act toward conservation, and even preservation. When controls are put into place, however, it is usually to assist industry, by reducing supply and raising prices, or by reducing the opportunity for competition.

What?! You mean if you aren't willing to pay for something then you will lose it? That gov doesn't work when it's controlled by those more interested in their own enrichment even at the cost of everyone else?

Well I am sure it will work out.

The hard working rich can just do the stuff that the lazy poor do now:

Cleaning
Selling food and other stuff
Police
Putting out Fires
Being responsible for most of the economic activity

It's appropriate that the lights are going out in a city that's a randian paradise. That's how she ended "ATlas SHrugged"

Being an Anarchist myself, I'm amused that you're so frightened of the concept of Doing For Yourself rather than Letting Sam Do It. I'm tickled by the thought of these hypocrites who didn't want to pay $150 a year for common services, but who never put any forethought into providing those services for themselves and their neighbors. I've seen -- and lived in -- communities that were much poorer but managed to provide for their populations far better than this.

I live in Colo. Spgs. and to the person who thought the helicopters were extravagant and not necessary - we have a gang problem and the helicopters were donated by the military base. All we had to do was the upkeep.

The police and fire services have been cut with several fire stations closed and police laid off so that many crimes can't be investigated at all. So if you think the "fiscal conservative" policies are all hunky dorey - please move here and check it out first hand.

I am also a native and this place is going to hell fast.