Uh huh. The Repubs have been pushing that mantra forever. It's crony capitalism bullshit.
Has nothing to do with republicans or democrats or your political views. There are endless examples of government inefficiencies and waste that continue year after year. When there is no pressure to be efficient and no accountability, that's what happens.
Public parks - cheap
Private parks - not
Libraries - cheap
Private libraries are bookstores - not
Public roads - cheap
Privately run toll roads - expensive
municipal utilities usually offer their customers a better rate
Post Office to send a letter - cheap
Fed Ex to send a letter - not so cheap
Example given earlier of private medicine in US vs public in other countries. Private medicine is more expensive per capita.
Just take a millisecond to think about it. Private organizations serve multiple masters. There is the customer and the owners. The owners want all they can get. Public organizations serve us, the public.
Now - where competition exists like cell phones there is downward pressure of prices and there private organizations shine. However, as soon as one company dominates, the shine becomes tarnished. The downward prices is gone. The folks that run the company have a captive market and are only accountable to the owners and board of directors.
Now - I have no evidence of this but about 35-40 years ago the folks in conservative think tanks took a look around and thought it was time to employ Propaganda. The same wrong ideas were repeated over and over again. You hear it enough and you believe it. This government inefficiency thing is one of them. They sold trickle down like that too, but people are finally catching on.
“The most brilliant propagandist technique will yield no success unless one fundamental principle is borne in mind constantly - it must confine itself to a few points and repeat them over and over.”
― Joseph Goebbels
There are conservative hell holes too.