Yah cain't shake yor pom-poms in Texas!

"The only problem I have with the idea that the private sector knows what is best for all of us is just that. They do not know."

The private sector does not presume to know what is best for you. It offers multiple choices and *you* pick what's best for *you*. Heck, if nobody offers the choice you want, start and run your own school and offer what you think is the best choice to others.

Come on, this is basic stuff....

"I am also equally convinced that the private sector hasn't a clue either. Yeah, let's let big business run things. They always take care of the little man while lining their pockets. There is a reason for labor unions."

What do you lack in the private sector? What do you want that isn't produced? Where do you find there just aren't enough choices for you? Clothes? Electronics? Cars? Not enough choices in housing? Food? Entertainment?

Some of the wealthiest Americans got that way be taking care of the 'little man' while 'lining their pockets.' People love to hate Walmart, but do you realize how much further a poor person's budget goes in that store than it did in the stores before it? You think Microsoft or Dell got rich making mainframes for the wealthy?

The reasons for labor unions are fast dying. Every year a smaller and smaller portion of the American workforce bothers with unions. Why should they? As job choices and incomes go up, the need for unions disappears.

"There are many socialist leaning governments in this world that seem to take care of their people just fine. For some reason this never seems to work in this country. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer, etc, etc, etc...."

Have you ever once in your life actually compared living standards for Americans vs. citizens of these socialist countries you speak of? You do realize that Americans defined as "poor" match or out perform "middle class" Europeans in almost every way, right? Don't even bother comparing America's "poor" to citizens in the rest of the world. "Poor" Americans are "filthy freaking rich" by the standards of most of the world's population.

Which proves my original point: free market works. Government control does not. It's as simple as that.