The editorial is a little indirect but the funding challenge is the key bit. What the editorial is saying is that both the currently private projects in US to

The editorial is a little indirect but the funding challenge is the key bit. What the editorial is saying is that both the currently private projects in US to build the new generation of ground telescopes need government money to be completed but it is unrealistic for government to fund both. Therefore the government should pick one to take over and then make sure it has enough money to be built.