One of the cornerstones of a free economy is open competition. Rival products mean more choices and ultimately lower costs for consumers. This is no less important—and arguably more so—when you’re spending other people’s money.
So when it comes to the $1 trillion in taxpayer dollars President Trump is likely to request for infrastructure investments, aren’t the American people owed healthy, open competition?
A number of recent articles appearing in niche, “Beltway” publications have openly advocated for closed procurement processes. A recent one appeared in the Washington Examiner, an opinion piece by Darren Bearson, who argues that Republicans in Congress should eschew PVC pipe from consideration all together, and select ductile iron pipe by default.
These pieces are cynical attempts to mislead policymakers into abandoning sound science and good governance in order to prop up the iron pipe industry’s dwindling market share in the water sector.
Enough is enough.
Darren Bearson Deceives Readers
