It is also about transparancy.  Private businesses, corporations, do not have to disclose things to the public.  Private corporations are opaque.  Government has to keep books open.  You know who is responsible for what.  Thus they can be help accountable.

The issue is one of accountability.

Private enterpise helps restore peace in homeland...Look how Blackwater strives to despatch all junkies, hoodlums, unemployed etc to Iraq.

Keep USA clean  is their motto.

Blackwater is no more.  It has been rebranded as Xe.

"Xe is a private military contractor co-founded by former Navy Seal Erik Prince.  It was formerly called Blackwater Worldwide, and before that Blackwater USA.  In February 2009, Blackwater changed its name to "Xe," (pronounced like the letter "Z"), as part of a "rebranding" effort aimed at helping the company distance itself from negative incidents.........."

 Ok...well if you believe that our government is "transparent" and that they disclose everything then there is nothing left to talk about.  I think government can hide anything and do whatever they want.  They are answerable to no one because there is no higher authority in the land.  I believe that the government has a strick policy of plasible deniability and the more power they have, the more they will abuse it.......but that´s just my paranoia talking (Where are those weapons of mass destruction anyway?) 

But we are getting away from the point.....My point was that people can not expect governments to take care of them and do the right thing.  They must think for themselves......so in that way I do agree with you, alameda.  We have so many homes here in Texas that are build on flood plains and during Hurricane Ike many ended up under water.  The government has paid for these people to rebuild on the same plots of land......AND THEY DO IT!  DAHHHH!  Talk about giving people enough rope to hang themselves with!

The difference is in what is supposed to happen.  Of course people in government attempt to hide things, and they often succeed..........but there are things like the FOIA act and the fact that they are accountable.   It is up to us to demand it.

Remember, we elect these people! The Us government is "of the people, by the people, and for the people."

As for those homes in a flood plain...who zoned it for homes?  You are a Texan, go after them?  Shine a light on it.  It is possible the home owners were ignorant, but the ones who zoned it are required to know.

When people get money for destroyed homes in fire zones, flood plaines or other inappropriate places, I think it should it should be specified they rebuild in safe zones.  That would save money and preserve delicate ecco systems too.