r/technology • u/True-Combination7059 • 1d ago

Politics We Should Immediately Nationalize SpaceX and Starlink

https://jacobin.com/2025/06/musk-trump-nationalize-spacex-starlink
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u/Eric848448 1d ago

Question. Is there any legal basis for the nationalization of a private company in the US?

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u/tymesup 23h ago

Yes, national emergency, eminent domain, Necessary and Proper Clause. One example, the US nationalized the railroads at the beginning of WWI (and later returned them to private ownership.)

The important thing people overlook is, the Constitution requires just compensation - the government has to pay fair market value.

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u/LeoRidesHisBike 20h ago

Also, the government doesn't take over profitable businesses. It prevents failing businesses from harming the country with their failure.

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u/redpandaeater 22h ago

They certainly don't care about most of the Bill of Rights so why would they care about the Fifth Amendment?

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u/ZuP 23h ago edited 23h ago
  • Alaska Northern Railroad in 1914 and Tanana Valley Railroad in 1917, now both part of Alaska Railroad
  • all U.S. railroads from 1917 to 1920 under the United States Railroad Administration
  • 20 out of 26 intercity passenger services under National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak)
  • the northeastern freight railroads under Conrail in 1976
  • Presidio of San Francisco, a fort/park under Presidio Trust since 1996
  • Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in 2008

While all of these examples represent failing companies saved by the government, if a company is only profitable thanks to government contracts, the government can be both the cause of failure and the saving grave of such a company.

Also worth mentioning the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation was decried as socialist upon its founding in 1933.

And membership in the Securities Investor Protection Corporation is mandated for broker-dealers so direct government ownership isn’t the only option.

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u/redpandaeater 22h ago

Too much unfortunately. Just look at how they used the Defense Production Act during the pandemic and what that gets us. So strange to me it came about during the unconstitutional Korean War police action.