Private weather.

Santorum suggests limits on government competition with private firms.

I don't know if it's because he understands why someone without a profit motive can unfairly compete (and ultimately do the market and the consumer a disservice), or because he gets lots of money from private weather services, but at least it's a move in the right direction.

Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., has criticized the bill, saying the NWS received nine million hits on its Web site during the four hurricanes that hit his state last year, and the information they were seeking went beyond that of the warnings issued.

Nelson's spokesman, Dan McLaughlin, said it is a dangerous precedent to begin shutting down government services because the private sector offers it.

"It ... could have a domino effect," McLaughlin said.

Yes. Yes it could. Wouldn't that be wonderful