Progress Illinois

The push back against privatization, or putting public services and assets in the hands of private entities, has become more organized. Last week, a public interest group released a legislative agenda to combat privatization, which they say too often contributes to the downward spiral of local economies and the growing wage gap in the U.S.

The newly-released “Taxpayer Empowerment Agenda” is a package of policy recommendations intended to assert taxpayer control over public resources. Unveiled by In The Public Interest (ITPI), a resource group focused on privatization and contracting, the agenda is being introduced to lawmakers across the country in the hopes of making government contracting processes more accountable and transparent.

“We wanted to introduce a set of proactive public protections aimed at defending our communities from the often detrimental effects of privatization,” said Shahrzad Habibi, research and policy director for ITPI.

Brad Schneider persuasively makes the case that there are “real differences” between him and his opponent U.S. Rep. Robert Dold (R-Kenilworth) in the deadlocked race for Illinois’ 10th district representative.

And Schneider need convince almost no one that Dold is part of a legislative body mired in “unbelievable gridlock.”

But like many candidates running for Congress, Schneider is caught in a moment of political uncertainty where there is an absence of bold policy ideas.