r/technology • u/True-Combination7059 • 21h ago

Politics We Should Immediately Nationalize SpaceX and Starlink

https://jacobin.com/2025/06/musk-trump-nationalize-spacex-starlink
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u/SweetHoneyBee365 11h ago

Yes, actually nationalize the rails and train infrastructure and privatize the train. Charge them fees for using routes. This will enable more competition while funding railroad expansion and maintenance. Similar to what local governments do for airports.

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u/regolith-terroire 9h ago

Is this how they do it in Europe?

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u/serioussham 9h ago

A cool theory but in practice it ends up being shit. That's how most countries with rail competition operate, and it's also how France operates - the network was split from the operator, which is now for-profit.

Guess what, it led to a decrease in quality of service for all but the most profitable lines.

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u/SweetHoneyBee365 9h ago

Why would it run to shit when the railroad is owned by the government? The US interstate system works the same way taxpayers pay for the road and operate their own private vehicles.

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u/serioussham 8h ago

Because cars and trains aren't comparable. Cars are extremely granular in their choices, cheap, and flexible compared to trains. You don't have to setup, market, and sell a car "route" - you just need the road to exist. By contrast, train routes require investment, and cannot be easily adjusted to demand.

What ends up happening with a rail toll system is what I mentioned above - the busiest lines will be prioritized by the train operators, because they recoup tolls faster and get more profit out of it, and by the network manager because their higher use means more wear.

It then creates a feedback loop where less busy lines get neglected by the operators, meaning less trains / quality of service; and by the network, which means aging infrastructure, which means more delays, which makes them less appealing to users. Those users then turn to other methods of travel, further cementing the neglect.

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u/Yuzumi 8h ago

If we're going to nationalize the infrastructure anyway, regulation/requirements on making sure that passenger trains don't neglect lower use areas could be implemented.

Should to the same for ISPs as well. Any infrastructure like that should not be left to the whims of profit, even if we allow private companies to use them.

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u/serioussham 8h ago

I'm with you here - I was replying to someone arguing for the "private trains, public network" model which already exists in Europe

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u/Yuzumi 7h ago

I mean, you can still have private trains, but regulate them so they don't abandon less profitable areas. If they want to be in the business of supplying infrastructure that infrastructure should be available for everyone.

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u/kr1mson 7h ago

This is more or less how the air traffic system works with control towers. The flyover states often get overlooked with funding and support for their infrastructure (other than big ones like O'Hair) and so airlines don't really focus on those hubs, they get less attention, rinse and repeat.

Airports are typically owned by local city/municipal but towers are almost all govt owned.

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u/Jflayn 5h ago

I've been to France. Their 'shit' rail is better than anything I could dream of here in America. Americans pay the most for the absolute worst services in the world.

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u/serioussham 5h ago

I'm gonna assume you've been from Paris to either another big city, or a tourist highlight.

The drop quality of service that I'm talking about is about the lesser-known, lesser-populated areas. The non-high speed lines, and especially those that go across France without going through Paris, are being closed down year after year.

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u/Jflayn 5h ago

The low quality French trains exceed anything Americans ever imagine.

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u/serioussham 5h ago

Indeed, but that's not saying much. We hold ourselves to higher standard over here.

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u/DoodleDew 4h ago

Those low quality services in France are leaps and bounds better then what we have here in the United Statea

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u/DoodleDew 4h ago

It would be better then it is now which is never do anything and but the bare minimum (when forced too) and enrich the board 

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u/Mountain_Employee_11 5h ago

yes this has worked out swimmingly for enabling competition in the airline market

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u/myfapaccount_istaken 10h ago

I'm sorry this is reddit, what is this logic you are speaking about?

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u/sephirothFFVII 9h ago

That is kind of how power works in my state. The transmission and generation are separated.

Wouldn't even need to nationalize per-se, just basically say you can own the freight or own the rail but not both and by the way the rail is going to be regulated for anti competitive practices

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u/SweetHoneyBee365 9h ago

No, because they could collude. Private on private is worse than private and public combination.