Utility rates were among the lowest in the nation. When you flipped a switch, the lights went on. Working a phone was uncomplicated and fairly uniform around the country. If the phone didn't work, at least you knew whom to contact for repairs. The results have been mixed at best.
Airline regulation is touted as the epitome of successful deregulation.
I suppose, in terms of lower coach-class fares for tourists, it is successful. But I suspect the experts propounding the merits of airline deregulation seldom, if ever, ride in the back of crowded airplanes. In my view, passenger service, comfort and flexibility have suffered greatly in the name of deregulation. Most of the tourists' savings in fares have come at the expense of business travelers who can't meet the restrictions required to buy the cheap seats. Meanwhile, in deregulated and traditionally unregulated sectors, I detect less, rather than more, competition.