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...In short I’m a bit lost and would appreciate more detail.

I'm happy you asked...

As I understood it the airlines pay a small fortune per flight....

During peak times the airlines monopolize the ATC system - 70% by their own numbers which are highly suspect. We think its' higher. Only 4% of the IFR clearances into major hubs (LAX,SFO, for example) were issued to general aviation during peak hours last year. We generally fly in good weather and can do so without ever contacting ATC-Airspace Rules permitting. Every scheduled carrier flight is an IFR, thus ATC intensive, flight.

So, no....GA is not "using the same amount of services". Then too, it's not the airlines, but their passengers who pay via ticket taxes.

At the same time, we're paying fuel taxes just like the airlines. We pay hanger leases and parking fees just like the airlines. We pay for examinations, flight training, certifications, renewal, insurance and registrations just like the airlines.

Big money (the airlines) thru the taxpayer, got mostly what they wanted when the ATC was first established. GA has had to jump thru hoops thru the years in order to maintain transparent co-extistance with the airlines so that we might have the privilege of sharing the same airspace.

Eisenhower set up the Interstate Highway system during the Cold War to move the military fast, if need be. Commerce development was a neat benefit. We enjoy it today as an example of Big Money (gov't) benefiting the common auto driver.

The airlines and GA both benefit by being able to share Gods airspace with a reasonable expectation of living to old age.

And moving the ATC to a private or quasi-gov't authority?

To quote Phil Boyer "The FAA likes the idea of user fees because they could serve as a source of funding that sidesteps the congressional budget process. The agency could then spend the money as it likes, without congressional scrutiny..."

The airlines like the idea because they would get a $4Billion dollar tax cut thru elimination of fuel and excise taxes currently paid for by passengers. At the same time, certain ATC functions and system development would be outsourced per the direction of the new agency.

Conservative that you are, you must realize that there are some functions, as I pointed out in my post, that demand the centralization, standardization, and accountability that government does afford. Air travel would become a dangerous tower of babble were bits and pieces farmed out to various vendors per the proposal.

Finally keep in mind that GA contributes $150 billion to the U.S. economy and supports almost 1.3 million jobs. Were trying to do our 'fair share'!