Reasoning Right

Services such as highway infrastructure and public utilities are often owned by the government.  The government maintains a coercive monopoly over these sectors of the economy by barring private companies from entering the field or by regulating private companies to the extent that the companies are not free to act in their own self interest.  Some results of government controlled infrastructure include crumbling roads, traffic jams, and power shortages.   When these areas of the economy are government run and government owned, there is no incentive to improve services and innovation is rare.   The privatization of these sectors of the economy is a topic deserving of more attention.  This is especially true given the President's focus on renewing investment in 'public infrastructure' by rebuilding roads.  A recent article by John Stossel brings to light the many benefits of road privatization as well as the inefficiencies (and occassional deaths) that result from government control of infrastructure.  A great read.  Click here for the article.