Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 beta 3/9/83; site grkermit.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!genrad!grkermit!chris From: chris@grkermit.UUCP (Chris Hibbert) Newsgroups: net.politics Subject: Re: State run enterprises Message-ID: <432@grkermit.UUCP> Date: Tue, 21-Jun-83 10:09:14 EDT Article-I.D.: grkermit.432 Posted: Tue Jun 21 10:09:14 1983 Date-Received: Wed, 22-Jun-83 00:17:22 EDT References: <2029@tekmdp.UUCP> <131@tty3b.UUCP> Organization: GenRad Inc., Concord, MA Lines: 19 In regards to tty3b!mjk's comment on Jon White's comparison between highways and railroads. "This is NOT an argument against government subsidy. I'm just pointing out that subsidies exist everywhere, so it's ridiculous to argue that railroads should die if they `can't survive in the marketplace.'" Jon White's comment may not have been a definitive argument against subsidy, but that doesn't imply that there isn't one. The fact that there are subsidies running throughout our transportation system likewise doesn't make the argument ridiculous. It just makes the problem of creating a market solution more difficult. In order to see if the railroads will survive we'll have to deregulate and stop the subsidies systematically throughout the transportation system. I would still claim (like Jon White did) that the railroads (and all other forms of transportation) should die if they can't survive in the marketplace. I will just add the stipulation that that implies that I favor the creation of a free market in transportation.