I am under no illusion that this will actually persuade anybody, but I   
   want to write a bit to clarify things in my own mind.   
      
   I highly recommend that you not the author's name above and move on to   
   some more interesting topic like California's 250 MPH train from   
   somewhere in the boondocks "near" Madera Acres to Oleander.   
      
   When I speak of such things I have two conceptions of government   
   involvement in the construction and operation of public services.   
      
   But first let me dispose of the "Private Enterprise" matter.  I DO   
   believe that the best way to get need things done is for government to   
   get out the way and let the entrepreneurs get it done.  But I recognize   
   that since not many people will join me in that belief so we won't get   
   to see the best quality product, so let's move on and see what we can   
   get people to buy.   
      
   One of the two conceptions is that a group of free citizens decide to   
   band together to construct some thing they think they need or want   
   (California is littered with old-time special districts that serve as   
   examples.  Here in fly-over country Rural fire departments and rural   
   potable water companies are probably the best examples I can think of)   
      
   In these cases, free people band together, form an organization of some   
   sort (probably of a government sort to get into governments monopoly on   
   taxes).  They agree to hire people and companies to do the work and   
   agree to tax themselves to pay for it all, at lest until start-up if it   
   is expected to be self-supporting.   
      
   So far I have not mentioned anything that I am opposed to on general   
   principles, although nobody who has lived under an HOA can say that   
   there is nothing that can go wrong.   
      
   The objectionable configuration is what has been dominant for too many   
   years.   
      
   Here some special interest group (whose interests are usually secret)   
   decides that some huge structure needs to be built by a government   
   entity that has no interest in the people affected, has taxing authority   
   over people who will not benefit, and authority to seize property that   
   does not belong to them.   
      
   Such projects are easy to recognize by the "They are building WHAT"   
   aspects of the projects, H\huge overruns, long delays, and massive   
   destruction of pre-existing infrastructure.   
      
      
      
   --   
   quis custodiet ipsos custodes?   
   -- Juvenal   
      
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