Another case to re-consider privatization – National Cyber-Security

I spend 40 hours a week in the realm in cyber-information-IT security for a privately held financial services company.  I’ve been in this field for over 7 years and it can sometimes be a frustrating exercise in futility.  The logistical and political challenges around ensuring the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of the organization’s data and systems [...]

U.S. Mortgage Lending Companies to be Nationalized?

All of a sudden, nationalized services don’t look so bad, eh?  The financial outlook for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are not getting any better.  The NY Times reports that a government bailout of the mortgage giants is looking more likely every day.  I’ve got to believe that people are able to see the connection between privatized services, the [...]

Hey Mitch, go ahead and privatize the lottery.

Governor Daniels is again touting his proposed plan to privatize the lottery.  With FSSA, the 80/90 toll road, and New Castle’s private prison as a backdrop, privatizing the lottery looks like a good deal.  Yes, they are failing us as typical privatization efforts ultimately do.  But compared to these follies, the selling off the lottery [...]

Mayor Ballard looks for easy answers in privatizing his call center

So, perhaps mayor Ballard has caught ”Friedman Fever” after all.  The Indianapolis Star reports that Ballard has sought out vendors to outsource his Mayor’s Action Center (MAC).  Sarah Taylor, of the Mayor’s constituent services department, claims, “private call centers have more self-service and automated options that save operator time.”  So, less people and layer after layer [...]

Privatizing Indiana: 0-3, but Greg Ballard still buys it

Mayor Greg Ballard is a guest speaker for an upcoming tribute to Milton Friedman, famed Nobel Laureate economist with Indiana ties.  Hosted by the Friedman Foundation, located in the OneAmerica Tower downtown, Ballard will no doubt gush over Friedman’s principles that embrace complete freedom in society and the market (MUCH more emphasis on the market). It’s [...]