The New York Times article from the previous day gives a heads up to the political nature of the story in sentence one. The article opens with "Shoddy electrical work by private contractors...". "Privatization", "outsourcing", and even "contractors" are political buzz words. Never mind that almost all of us are "privatized", if your paycheck does not come directly from the US Treasury, apparently you are suspect. I'm guessing there is an exemption for people working for the New York Times - they're OK, just ask em.

This issue comes from people who are dangerously unqualified doing work they have no business doing - just as seen in this forum's Violation Photo section. Unless the goal is to make a poitical point, private vs. public has nothing to do with it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/18/world/middleeast/18contractors.html?hp

But on the private vs. public question, I'd be curious to know which party is easier to sue for their negligence. My guess, only a guess, is you would find it easier to get justice when wrong by an individual rather than a government. Guess I'm biased too.