>So it's specifically Federal government in the gun in your opinion? Seems fair enough if there is duplication.

The feds are not alone, but that's where I'd start as the destructive impact from the feds is greater in terms of individual rights. In addition, the rushing tide of limitation on federal power will continue through the state and local level, freeing the citizenry from the vice of central social planning.

>FWIW I'd be careful about privatizing national railways or utilities. There is a long and glorious history of purchasers of such schemes extracting maximum profits while minimizing investment and deferring maintenance before selling up and moving on, leaving a limping shell that often needs to be purchased back and rehabilitated at high cost by the state. It's happened to railways, banks, airlines, postal departments, you name it. if necessary split them off into a SOE (State Owned Enterprise) that is legally a separate company whose directors and managers are assessed according to normal business requirements for a utility including long-term viability not just maximum short-term returns.

I would be careful and make sure we learn from the past. I have no desire to return to the robber barron days, in fact it could be argued that the financial industry's "too big to fail" entities are a modern day equilivelent. Competition must be preserved and minimal regulation to encourage competition is a must. At the same time I'd take a different approach than is typical from Washington. Instead of taxing and punnishing business for their innovation, which only encourages the companies to hide and fight. I'd incentivize them. Tax credits for infrastructure improvements. Public works projects truly open for bidding. Prizes for big accomplishments. The punative nature of our current system does not encourage innovation.