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[quote user="henry6"][quote user="Bucyrus"]  But getting something for nothing is exactly what tends to happen when the government funds projects that would not be profitable for the private sector, and therefore would not get funded by the private sector.  For much of government taxpayer funded transportation, the users are being massively subsidized by a much larger majority who don't or can't use it, but still must help pay for it.  Socialism is sold as a free lunch.  I would not cite the fact that the government publicly funds a lot of things as evidence that those things could not be funded by the private sector or are even vital to our needs.  One big reason that a lot of things get funded with public money is that the government ever seeks to expand its power by publicly funding as much as they can possibly convince us to allow them to.  They would do it all if we just got out of their way.     [/quote] But the question has to be asked and answered: what happens if the Federal (or any of our governments) didn't build roads, operate airports and airways, or supprt passenger or freight rail?  If the lack of funds for any of these projects or programs means that a factory cannot open or operate (thus not employing the people nor returninng investment to the owner), if an item cannot be manufactured because either raw materials can't be brought in or finished product cannot be taken out for delivery (thus not employing  people nor returning investment to the owner plus depriving society of that product), then where does a society turn to have goods and services and jobs?  You cannot expect any one individual, no matter how much money he has or hasn't, to shoulder the entire burden for all of society.  There has to be responsibility and assignment of responsibility or else we are nothing with nothing.  If what has been said here, to the effect that if there isn't a profit, then it doesn't have to be done, would leave us without food, heat, building supplies, etc.  Theoretically, as stated above, there is no return on investment in roads since private turnpikes can't do the job on its own otherwise all roads, even the street you live on, would be privately owned and you would have to pay a fee that gives a return on investment to the owner.  Perhaps if that is what mankind started with and continued with up to now, it might be workable. But since 99.999% of the roads in this country from your home street or road to the Interstate highway system, are public projects, its too late to turn back.  Likewise, airports (usually munincipaly owned in this country but privatized in Europe) and the airways are government operations, how do we turn back?  The waterways...rivers and canals...moving millions of tons of raw materials in pathways deisnged and operatead by the Army Corps or Engineers and policed by the U.S. Coast Guard; how can we turn that around and why?  And with railroads, particularly with passenger services and emerging tight freight corridorsusually not making a profit but if not provided  by public monies would dump a bigger burden on other forms or transportation or close factories and towns, what is the alternative?  Even the Robber Barons of the 19th and 20th centuries understood who they were and what thier social responsiblities had to be so that they themselves could survive along with thier enterprises then and for the future. The Constitution charges Congress with the regulation of interstate commerce...should that be repealed?[/quote]I am not advocating a return to a perfect state where the production of all goods and services are produced in the private sector.  I agree that it is too late to turn back.  And even if we could turn back, there are some functions that might work better if socialized.  National defense for instance, seems like a good example.  You asked:  "What happens if the Federal (or any of our governments) didn't build roads, operate airports and airways, or supprt passenger or freight rail?   What happens is that these things will get done by the private sector at lower cost to us all, and our society will be happier, healthier, and more prosperous than it would be if the government did all those things.You said:  "If the lack of funds for any of these projects or programs means that a factory cannot open or operate (thus not employing the people nor returninng investment to the owner), if an item cannot be manufactured because either raw materials can't be brought in or finished product cannot be taken out for delivery (thus not employing  people nor returning investment to the owner plus depriving society of that product), then where does a society turn to have goods and services and jobs?"There won't be a lack of funds.  If the production of these goods and services is really needed, investors in the private sector will be motivated by the potential profit to invest their money.You said:  "You cannot expect any one individual, no matter how much money he has or hasn't, to shoulder the entire burden for all of society."Providing goods and services to society is not a matter of shouldering the burden.  If provided by the private sector, it is not through the burden of donations or volunteerism.  It is motivated by profit.  Even if done by the government, it is not a matter of shouldering burden.  Government has nothing to contribute.  All they have is the power to redistribute wealth from one citizen to another.  You said:  "If what has been said here, to the effect that if there isn't a profit, then it doesn't have to be done, would leave us without food, heat, building supplies, etc."But those things do need to get done, so there will be a profit motive to the providers, and they will get done.  But even if they are provided by a capitalist, the recipients need to do their share.  They have to earn the money to purchase these essentials.  Everybody has to do their part in a free market system.
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