Why now and not 1964?

I'm constantly reminded by naieve individuals about the virtues of competition in our public transit service circa 1963. Allow me to take you back to the pre-Port Authority days prior to 1964. A time when there were 21 different transit lines operating service into Allegheny County suburbs and 17 into Downtown pittsburgh. A time when there were 38 different fare structures and 38 different public transit schedules to read. Many of these companies were so financially insolvent that equipment over 30 years old was the norm. More than half of these companies were bankrupt and the ones that were profitable derived their income mainly from charters and school bus operations, a service denied to the present operations of the Port Authority. This was a time when Pittsburgh Railways the dominant carrier in the county adjusted Fares upward 13 times in 13 years and was in bankruptcy around 50% of the years it was in operation. Breakdowns were the norm because of the age of the equipment and the automobile was becoming the preferred mode of transportation in the area taking away a customer base.These were the reasons that public transit was formed into a Municipal Authority in the first place. This was a time when our Politics wasn't controlled by large Corporate campaign donors. When private think tanks didn't exist (Allegheny institute,Heritage foundation,Cato institute, Manhattan institute etc.)to frame arguments in a Corporate Monopolistic type of philosophy with their advertising dollars in our newspapers and broadcast media. If we're to hand over our transit system to private carriers, these will not be the mom and pop operations of the past. These type of operations will be done by large Companies that will stifle any type of competition. The First Transits,Veolia's, Coach U.S.A.'s of the world operate for one reason only, as any business does,to make a profit. Their reason for being is not to provide a public service, and the only way for them to exist is thru OUR TAXES as their operating margin.(Please read my blog on Public vs. Private as this is where this debate is going) These transit companies that will be entering our market are not local concerns as they have you believe but are international conglomerates, that will be hauling more American capital overseas as we continue the habit of selling off our public assets (Turnpikes,Public Transit systems,Utilities,etc.) because we as a nation have decided to outsource our manufacturing capabilities. Our economy has become a barter economy ie: you wash my windows, i'll mow your lawn. So to make up for our lack of creating wealth by making raw materials into consumer products and exporting them as we did prior to the 80's. we've resorted to selling off our public assets for cash and importing well over 90% of our manufactured goods to pay for it. Just like the discussion of the selling of our parking assets Pittsburgh, you might want to think long and hard about this public utility as well. Rest assured fellow citizens of Allegheny county you'll hear many proponents of the privitization of our transit in the media over the months to come but if its so good now why wasn't it in 1964?