[pessimizer]

I'm fine with the phrase "unfair competition"; I want the competition between peers regulated. The horrible part is the assumption that the public is a peer, rather than the authority under which corporations are allowed to operate. If the public decides that it will be more efficient to provide some service itself, why would it grant special status to a project to provide that service less efficiently?

It's unfair to private corporations that we can do it cheaper without them?

[x0x0]

it does tend to cut into giant ceo earnings; it's much harder to be a parasite when you have to compete with public utilities run at or near cost

it also puts a dent into the size of bribes available to the more venal politicians...