The US is expected to hit the high-water mark of its federal debt limit by Monday and politicians are scrambling to cope—be it through raising the national debt limit or by selling off all the country's assets—gold, highways, federal lands, buildings, etc.—in a huge-ass federal fire sale:

Economists of a conservative or libertarian bent have long argued that the federal government needs to get out of certain businesses, unload unneeded assets, and privatize such functions as passenger rail service and air traffic control. No one advocates selling Yellowstone, but why, some economists ask, should the federal government be in the electricity business?

Economist Kevin Hassett of the American Enterprise Institute said the federal government should consider the sale of interstate highways. Motorists would have to pay tolls to the private owners, he said, but the roads would likely be in better shape. Federal, state and local governments could raise hundreds of billions of dollars through highway privatization, he said.

Selling off bulk chunks of federal land, as some conservatives are proposing, is a stupid fucking idea. But what about this highway thing, or the gold thing? I mean, miles of roadway and tons of gold are just sitting there. Maybe we throw conservatives a bone, sell off a few highways, and make a little cash money for the country. Yes, private highway owners will toll their roadways, but ultimately, is that a bad thing? If we're going to do it, and we need the money, let's do it now because the only way to implement a conservative idea is with a democratic majority (it cuts through a few layers of crazy, at least).

Discuss.