Exactly what evidence do you require to demonstrate that this is indeed a thing?

AFR were extremists a couple years ago, sure, but the Overton Window recently shifted. You may have noticed.

The point is that it is a thing, but it's not a thing anyone here is defending. There is no point in arguing over the things you already agree about.

Here's an example of actual government waste. The ACA provides subsidies for low-deductible health insurance. Those plans are less efficient than high-deductible plans because the plans cost more (to the government and the patient), and because the act of laundering the cost of routine care through an insurance company causes healthcare costs to increase because insurance companies are less price sensitive than patients.

The government does this out of regulatory capture. Health insurance companies don't want people using less expensive plans and health provider companies don't want patients to be price sensitive.

Do you disagree with that? If so we can have a discussion. There is no discussion to be had about whether there should be public roads.