An interesting idea...
BrinkofForever
Posts: 373
I was listening to a local radio show host, Bob Conners, and he had an interesting suggestion. Keep in mind that Bob is a conservative talk show host on a primarily conservative talk radio station. He threw out the idea of instead of having the government buying into corporations that are competative in the market and that give consumers a choice (such as health care, banks, insurance, the automotive industry), that maybe the government should take over the utilities industries that, despite deregulation, remain monopolistic in most parts of the country.
The discussion came about because of a story in Detroit where an elderly man died in his apartment during the winter because the utility company shut him off. Bob's line of thinking was that as consumers, we have a choice over most free market products and services, but the utilities seem to be a different story, as they are run by conglomerates like PG&E, Columbia Gas and AEP. Because these monopolies control the infrastructure and means of transmission, other providers do not survive because the cost of using the monopoly's lines keep them from being cost effective. Subscribers have no choice but to pay what the utility requests, although prices are generally monitored and capped by the PUC. You can live without a new car or insurance. You can even go without a bank or chose a competator. However, water and electricities are basics that, unless you are Amish, one must have.
The discussion came about because of a story in Detroit where an elderly man died in his apartment during the winter because the utility company shut him off. Bob's line of thinking was that as consumers, we have a choice over most free market products and services, but the utilities seem to be a different story, as they are run by conglomerates like PG&E, Columbia Gas and AEP. Because these monopolies control the infrastructure and means of transmission, other providers do not survive because the cost of using the monopoly's lines keep them from being cost effective. Subscribers have no choice but to pay what the utility requests, although prices are generally monitored and capped by the PUC. You can live without a new car or insurance. You can even go without a bank or chose a competator. However, water and electricities are basics that, unless you are Amish, one must have.
Make your life a mission - not an intermission. - Arnold Gasglow
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R.i.p. My Dad - May 28, 2007
R.i.p. Black Tail (cat) - Sept. 20, 2008
In fact it was one touted by Adam Smith back in the 1700's ... Mr "Free Markets" himself.
Smith thought that ANY service that required such massive infrastructure as to be redundant in a free market to the point of encouraging monopoly was best left to municipal government to run for THE COMMON GOOD.
If people only understood more about what some of the greatest minds in their history REALLY thought, i think we would be able to overcome a lot of our obstacles in short order.
If I opened it now would you not understand?