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Comment on Ask HN: Why can't tax pay for universal basic utilities?parent

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Good question! Because we need them to work. Function should be the goal not profit. Ofc maintenance would require public involvement which we lack and which is why everything was privatized.

We could do it differently, I like this formula:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_board_(Netherlands) > ...independent of administrative governing bodies like provinces and municipalities.

It makes it extremely hard if not impossible for conventional government to cut the budget. It does one thing and it does it well.

I'd agree that function should be the goal and not profit. However if you can align the two then you get a self sustaining system.

If an individuals selfish ambition can be channeled to produce the best hospital systems we can have given the resources we have, that would be ideal.

The difference is that if I do something for you because you pay me handsomely for it I'm gone the moment you can't afford me.

I want the government to be a robust platform on which people can build the jungle of commerce.

Making widgets is hard. One can buy a truck to truck the widgets to the customer but the entrepreneur shouldn't also have to build roads. If we involve him in building roads it will mean fewer widgets of lesser quality. The whole widget manufacturing might not even make sense anymore.

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