Raise the Hammer

Just to conclude my thoughts on this thread ... the government is deeply imperfect, that is obvious. I don't disagree that 10% of our GDP may pay for public assets and 90% could be thriving investment and economy building the life of the society. Eliminating waste and thoughtfully getting objectives met efficiently would do wonders to that effect. That is why some are suggesting fixing self propelled transport with amounts of money less than what the government drops between the couch cushions so to speak. If they don't waste money our money, sure it is very possible taxes can decrease while maintaining service levels. Of course we're not equal to those more powerful than us. I don't think there is anywhere left on earth where that is not the case. Sad but true.

Government run stuff is subject to waste and corruption. But there is more accountability to the public which is good respecting critical life support assets. Private corporations are accountable to the bottom line and having clients which is not the same as everyone's well being. Arien illustrated this point with the pill-vs-affordability analogy.

Chernobyl ... negligence, accident ... government. Polluting water ... paper mills, coca cola, oil industry ... private. Ocean dredging and overfishing ... private. Clearcutting ... private. These are examples only. Remember nothing is absolute.

I will also point out what everyone knows anyway which is that private interests accumulated enough wealth to undermine the protections that the government did attempt, via lobbying and other even worse methods. One became powerful enough to largely hijack the other which should not be allowed to occur.

You need a rational balance between control (laws) and freedom (private investment). Agreed that the former should be the minimum necessary and the latter should be the maximum possible. But this argument is going nowhere fast precisely because there are no absolutes, a logical framework will include the right mix of solutions. Ok I'm done :)