[MR4D]

Because the free-priced government option will drive out the non-free commercial providers. Even if this only lasted a few years, it would put some of them out of business.

In other words, for the same reason we have laws against unfair competition.

[the_gastropod]

The U.S. used to primarily have for-profit firefighting. Switching to a state-run system drove out the commercial providers. And that's by all accounts, a wonderful thing.

Business for the sake of business is not necessarily good. If the business does not provide real value any longer, it shouldn't exist.

[MR4D]

So why not have the government run everything then?

Government for the sake of government is never good.

[the_gastropod]

Who are you arguing against? I never suggested anything of the sort.

Some things lend themselves very well to for-profit businesses. Others do not. Firefighting and filing your taxes to the government strike me as two things the government can probably handle better than capitalists.