Hacker News Reader

Comment by runesofdoom | Hacker News Reader

The government could nationalize the railroads. (There's even precedent.)

But instead they get the same treatment the airlines do: public support for private profit.

Between the extremes of doing nothing to maintain the status quo and nationalizing an industry, there are countless options. Many of which would be more realistic, more palatable, and more beneficial. In fact, nationalization is so repulsive to most politicians voters that suggesting it is an effective tactic to squash efforts to create meaningful change. A beneficial suggestion would seek to address issues in a way that could be realistically achieved by balancing competing interests.

> Many of which would be more realistic, more palatable, and more beneficial. In fact, nationalization is so repulsive to most politicians voters that suggesting it is an effective tactic to squash efforts to create meaningful change.

Why though? Railways are a natural monopoly and critical infrastructure, so either they have to be state owned or heavily regulated.

Right, so regulation would be the middle ground between state-owned (nationalized) and unregulated.

Union pacific alone is worth 132 billion dollars. Nationalizing the railroads would probably cost $500 billion and then they would lose money because they'd pay their workers a reasonable amount instead of what is happening now.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com