Beware the False Promises of 'Faux' Privatization

As a general practice, privatization of certain government operations can be a good thing. Government should be in the business of doing things that are inherently governmental, and anything that the government is doing that isn't inherently governmental should be done by the private sector. But problems arise when policymakers, in the name of privatization, use the promises of privatization's benefits (namely, lower cost and better service) to lead the public down a false path… to create entities that aren't really privatized, but are, instead, these bizarre hybrids of government and private sector, government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs). Anyone who has ever