Re: that's NOT totalitarianism

But if the libertarian argument is that government-run services are inefficient because they are guaranteed funding instead of having to earn it, why is a private school that is guaranteed government money going to be any more efficient?

I am not a pragmatic libertarian. When I agree with libertarians it is always because of principles, not effects.

But that said, the funding doesn't need to be guaranteed on top of a general minimum (say, subsidized or free electricity or running water). After that, the funding could be pegged to the number of pupils enrolled. The market alone then dictates which schools get more funding, even if the government is the one paying it. And it doesn't lead to school overcrowding: overcrowded schools are less sought after by parents, and if there is overcrowding in a town or neighborhood, it would attract new schools too, due to the imbalances.

Irrelevant; the Internet wouldn't have come about how and when it did if not for government investment (though I'm not discounting the efforts of private business in its development as well).

The backbone, no. But since the 1990s every interesting development has come from private industries or people.

I'm sure you're aware of the massive investments into facilities like Oak Ridge that were necessary in the Manhattan Project

Yeah, and I'm also sure if I had the money to fund it and wanted to, I'd have the drones razing my house in no time.

This doesn't date to Bush either. It dates to the 1960s, and both parties have contributed to it. Obama with his cute non-proliferation speeches is doing it as much as Bush with his "Saddam has nukes".

Yeah, you'd think by now we would've found some ways to help these developing countries enrich themselves without destroying the environment, especially with the threat of climate change we're not cognizant of. Admittedly, it would involve government action and not just corporatist laissez faire free trade policies.

Funny that they want neither, right?

No, taking care of it would mean cracking down on the CEOs who knowingly exploit these people

Yeah, screw the American employees too because there were illegals at other place in the factory - or harvest, or kitchen.

Obama was elected on the promise of raising taxes for those of certain incomes.

Funny that this "certain" income is quantic and its distribution depends on who the listeners of the speech are.

I'm fortunate enough to have some girls in my life this weekend so I'm just gonna leave it at that and get back to life for now (I actually find internet arguments really tedious). Hope your weekend is girl-filled as well; take care.

It was. And the schoolbreak promises heavens themselves. My girl is the most awesome thing to happen to me in decades!