Should governmnet software be Open Source?

[Rick B. Dietz]

Is anyone familiar with the IRS's effort to create free (as in beer) tax
software?  As I recall, Congress shut this project down at the behest of
Intuit, et al.  The argument was the same as that often made against the
USPS, government intrusion in the market space of what would otherwise be
a profitable private enterprise.  This position would seem to be very much
a hinderence to the adoption/creation of free (as in freedom) software as
well by the gov't.

Rick Dietz