A further thought on some suggested here ... encouraging private competition in a number of government supplied service would have the dual function of reducing the "monopoly" factor and also provide guidance or realistic wage levels.

Since Bell relinquished there monopoly over local lines, (unfortunately the government hasn't done enough to reduce barriers to enter and we still have an oligopoly bu that is another issue), we haven't seen more phone lines or towers etc. ... in other words ... infrastructure need not be repeated.

Allowing the private sector into ... alcohol distribution, education, medical care, parks and recreation management, road maintenance, sewage and water treatment etc should not be frightening.

What is essential is standards are defined and strictly enforced and private companies provide a bond should they not perform according to the standards defiined by a government by and for the people.

Government has tried to be the solution when in fact they are the problem. The post office with the ridiculous number of classifcation levels, insane CBA length, and IMO excessive compensation levels given skills required, job stress is extremely indicative of empire building at its finest which does occur in private business as well these but are eventually solved by entrepreneurial initiative.

Part of the barriers to entry are indeed generated by an ever increasing, bureaucratic and invasive civil service who under the guise of "public good" strangle well meaning and honest hard working entrepreneurs. This more than anything else has always and will eventually (sooner than any of us want) lead to the death of a society.

North America esp. the US is broken and until the institution of government is put back into its righfuly place by its citizens, continued degradation of the standard of living and social and civil decay will undoubtedly occur.

orgy