Reply #90: Why do you people flat out refuse to see the distinction between... [View All]

[grantdwilliams]

...what is involved when a government does something and private company does something? (And I mean a private company that doesn't use the government, and isn't subsidized (not even a little bit) by any government; since they wouldn't be private then).

The only way a government can accomplish anything is by enacting a law or a policy or an ordinance. And the only way they can make sure it gets done is by forcing you to comply. If you don't comply you get arrested, fined, or worse. It doesn't matter what they're trying to do, how much sense it makes, or if it ends up helping you... underneath all of the posturing about how it's for your own good, or for the good of the democracy, or the national security reasons, there's a guy with a gun who is going to make sure it gets done.


If a private company, on the other hand, tries the same tricks, you can get the government (assuming they're not too busy redistributing other people's money) to step in and stop them. A private company's policies and products rise or fall on their merit, not their creator's muscle.