[44net] routable or private?

If this is, " a hack to backbone a semi-private network on top of the public internet" then why do we need 44/8? Please explain why 10/8 would not work just as well? [....] if it's not going to be routable then why do we need 44/8? use RFC1918 space and give 44/8 back. [...] We could attract many into this hobby if we'd simply offer to be the teachers of the IP networking craft using standards based methods used by everyone else

the internet.