Terry,
Interesting questions. Lemeesee....
1.What does Government do that isn't wasteful, inept and costly that the private sector can't do better.
Very little, though I am not sure that your question attends to the moral issues involved in such 'governing'. I think that it is the way that the private sector 'governs' that is in question. The US medical system is one such example. If the private sector respects the individual and affirms equality, or at the very least respect for the individual, then I doubt that many care about who provides what. What you seem to be missing on both fronts Terry is the dismal failure of human nature, which is innerrantly self-absorbed, to provide stability for society - its only means of progressive growth. It must be remembered that the desire for a government that controls the private sector has been borne from historical abuses over centuries shown by those who control the Private sector.
2.Why do people disagree on the role of government when there are thousands of examples of where Government fails to provide?
Again, my own feeling is that the present agendas and past history of the private sector is one that might make a large part of the community nervous about giving it too much power. The UK has the MCC which designed to allow Government to intervene in granting any one set of companies too much power for this very reason. I think it a good idea given the historical inability for Capital to curb the appetites that might put too much power in one place (a l halliburton) , subsequently unhinging a sector of society.
3.Do you think Government automatically becomes efficient, orderly and manageable when YOUR PREFERRED PARTY takes office?
Of course not, though imo there are worst things than an inept government, and that is Private Enterprise without a moral compass. One can be voted out and the pieces picked up, the other changes the planet irreversibly.
HS