Hooray for Private Enterprise Efficiency

EIN News says, "AGL Resources to Buy Nicor for $2.4 Billion. AGL Resources, a major natural gas distributor in the U.S. Southeast, said it will buy peer Nicor Inc for about $2.4 billion in cash and stock, nearly doubling its customers at a time of surging gas production in the country. (reuters.com)".

See how nicely private industry can react to opportunities, which will presumably benefit itself and customers. Organization and consolidation are the keys to efficiency. If you don't initially believe in this, look at the operation of most African countries and the Middle East, where tribal warfare prevails without any standard of living progress.

Notice that the purchase does not involve government assistance in any form. The only role the government needs to play in this is to be sure that the controlling industry does not create a monopoly which works to the disadvantage of the public. It is for this reason that we have antitrust laws. It is government's job to see that any significant monopoly is prosecuted. It should do so gone on the basis of anticipation, but rather when it sees an actual infraction of antitrust laws.