I'm saying that there wouldn't even be an iPhone without the government.
I'm sorry, but this all reminds me of the "You didn't build that" Obama quote.
All of the infrastructure exists because of the demand. Government doesn't lay down a superhighway or pave a road into the forest. No, they are made going directly to Wal-Mart and other stores only where there first exists a consumer demand. Which means that just because it has used something that was paid for by a federal grant does not mean it would not have existed, funded and created its own, privately.
So yes, we absolutely would have an iPhone today given the demand for it to be there. Where govt steps in, of course the market will use that to its advantage. That doesn't mean govt gets sole credit for all things existing because it was used in the process.
Yes I think the government can influence demand in a marketplace. Is there more to that than a yes or no question?
I didn't say "influence". I asked if you think a government could create genuine demand in the marketplace? Do you think the govt can somehow make millions of adults voluntarily purchase a product like the iPhone?
I don't care what quote it reminds you of.
You've ignored every single one of my points to call that out. Regardless of whether the demand exists you've been saying (wrongly)
Look at consumer technology, what government department or agency do we have to thank there?
and
So did the military proliferate that technology it? No, a genuine free market did.
Whether you believe in it or not, the current success on an iPhone is a pure free market phenomenon.
Nowhere in there were you discussing demand. You were asking do we have any government department or agency to thank for consumer technology? The answer is yes. I gave examples.
Then you're asking about the proliferation of that technology and whether the military specifically (I assume you mean government in general) had anything to do with it as you stated it's a pure free market phenomenon. And the answer was again yes. Also examples.
Now the iPhone is a pure free market phenomenon because why? We've already established that the technology and the infrastructure to make it, sell it, and use it all depended on cooperation with government. You seem to just ignore that and jump straight to the demand. How would we even have an iPhone without government involvement? Can you lay that one out for me?
Yes the government can create demand. Also see the market for things like atomic bombs, fighter jets, bullet proof robotic pack dogs...etc. It may very well be an artificial market but that wasn't part of what you were asking. Do I think the government can make people voluntarily purchase iPhones? No. But I don't see what that has to do with the government actually having a part in what has led to the iPhone even existing. No one sat there going "man I wish I had an iPhone." to Steve Jobs before it was invented either. The demand actually comes after the invention of these things.