Originally Posted By: JetStar
Originally Posted By: Derid

Actually gov't only funded scientists to put together the atomic bomb. Atomic power plants were most certainly developed and build by private industry. As was all the infrastructure needed to do those projects you mentioned.

Govt can do deeds, but is much less efficient at performing tasks. See the Post Office, or any other bureaucracy.

The military is a different case altogether, noone has ever argued that the gov't has no place building a military.

Also , private enterprise did save the world in WW2. There is a reason we ended up innovating in weapons, and simply producing more guns, bombs, planes and tanks than the Axis. Our fundamental economic system was simply superior to National Socialism.


I have to disagree here.

The mandate of the post office is to deliver to all addresses. In the past this was key. FEDEX and UPS would never deliver to ALL addresses because they would lose money. Sometimes services NEED to be covered by the government. Its the overhead of a free society. Police, Fire, and basic health care were NEVER supposed to be for profit. These are rights in my book.

The Bay Bridge which was managed and funded by the government, and by all of us is one of the busiest in the world and allows thousands of people to get to work each day. Private industry would have NEVER been able to do it, fairly and properly. Sure contractors do the work, but it is managed and funded by all of us.

Private industry DOES NOT do everything well. That is a fact.



I never said the Post Office shouldnt exist. You should know, that the reason some of us like to tease you from time to time is because you are so fond of responding to what you want to argue against as opposed to what was said.

The Post Office is inefficient, that is a fact.

I do agree it should exist though, in fact the Constitution specifically provides for it. Apparently the Founders thought it was a pretty good idea for the Federal Gov;t to run a Post as well.


Also, who ever said Police or Fire should be private? Not me, or anyone else here that I have seen.

As for the Bridge in question, it goes back to the Deed vs Task issue I just mentioned. Gov't can bring private resources together to achieve One Particular Deed... but managing ongoing tasks is a different story altogether.

Last edited by Derid; 09/10/11 09:42 PM. Reason: aded
For who could be free when every other man's humour might domineer over him? - John Locke (2nd Treatise, sect 57)