Privatization vs. the common good

To understand politics it is helpful to understand the thought systems of the groups with political power. There are many beliefs that underly contemporary systems that members of our society utilize and depend on. Perhaps the most significant belief is the primary elevation of profit as the driving force of successful corporations which the US Supreme Court has ruled in Citizens United have the same standing has a human person.

The ultimate value of profit has destroyed the American healthcare system making it the most expensive system on planet Earth obtaining outcomes that rank it last among the ten highest income countries. (For more info click here.)

Because of a thought system heavily influenced by the value of profit, other societal systems also suffer. Americans favor private property over the things we share in common making wealth and income inequality a key factor in increasing American injustice and partisan conflict. The measurement of quality of life indicators often demonstrate a significant differences between wealth and income groups.

Republicans want privatization of the commons for profit. They would like the National Parks and Commons turned over to private enterprises for profit making recreation similar to Disney Land and other theme parks. Remember Trump has suggested that we bulldoze Gaza and gentrify it by turning into resort property. They would like to do the same with the National Parks and Monuments and Federal lands. If the common resource can't make profit for the oligarchs by privatizing it, it is seen as having no value and nor worthy of any kind of public support.

So the issue is privatization vs. the common good. Where do most Americans stand on this value and how does their stand influence who they elect for office to create the policies that guide our public interest? Are there values more important in a high performing society when it comes to quality of life for all its citizens than profit? What does it profit a person if they acquire great wealth but lose their soul?