Libertarians ideas help expand state government

[Pointedstick]

In other news, people with addictive personalities make reliable sources of revenue, always have, and always will.

It might be interesting to see what the author of this article would say about World of Warcraft and other such highly addictive video games. Gambling and pot are practically medieval compared with the sophistication of modern digital entertainment.

I always wonder what goes on in the minds of people like the author. Does he really think it's better that the people who engage in these activities to be arrested and imprisoned? Or is he simply so delusional as to believe that somehow addictive activities can be regulated out of existence? I suspect he simply hasn't thought about it, and his righteous puritanical moral outrage that somewhere people are having fun in an unapproved manner is blinding him to the reality that such "unapproved fun" activities and their practitioners are simply a part of human society and always have been.

[Kshartle]

I suspect he simply hasn't thought about it,

I suspect this is the cause of lots of dumb ideas about using violence to get your way.

[Kshartle]

People will for the most part not be dissuaded from doing the things they want to, so just let them do it legally and tax them for the privilege. The money is [probably] better off in the tax coffers than the Swiss bank accounts of mobsters and cartel leaders.

Pugchief why is it better in the tax coffers than in the Swiss bank accounts of mobsters and cartel leaders?

[Mountaineer]

People will for the most part not be dissuaded from doing the things they want to, so just let them do it legally and tax them for the privilege. The money is [probably] better off in the tax coffers than the Swiss bank accounts of mobsters and cartel leaders.

Pugchief why is it better in the tax coffers than in the Swiss bank accounts of mobsters and cartel leaders?

When I first read the question, I laughed.  Then I thought about it some more.  That is actually a very good question and leads to examination of a bigger picture than on first glance. 

... Mountaineer

[Kshartle]

People will for the most part not be dissuaded from doing the things they want to, so just let them do it legally and tax them for the privilege. The money is [probably] better off in the tax coffers than the Swiss bank accounts of mobsters and cartel leaders.

Pugchief why is it better in the tax coffers than in the Swiss bank accounts of mobsters and cartel leaders?

When I first read the question, I laughed.  Then I thought about it some more.  That is actually a very good question and leads to examination of a bigger picture than on first glance. 

... Mountaineer

Seriously. If the mobsters are going to put it to worse use than the government then I'd like to hear the argument. Are they going to buy weapons with it? Are they going to spend it on lavish lifestyles? Are they going spend it to reward their friends and punish their enemies? Are they going to pay people to stop working and producing?

[Pointedstick]

I had the same reaction. At first it seems obvious that the money would be better in the hands of government… they at least build schools and roads, right? But then again, Hamas and Hezbollah (criminal gangs if ever there were ones) also use their money to also build schools, hospitals, etc. It seems to be a matter of degree. The criminal gangs in Central America are basically destroying their countries and causing mass exodus (exodi?) right now. So compared to them, maybe the money is better in the hands of the criminal gang in Washington, which has been known to build roads and bridges and power lines and only sometimes terrorizes and murders civilians with makes agression. But the Mafia compared to the government? I dunno.

[Mountaineer]

I had the same reaction. At first it seems obvious that the money would be better in the hands of government… they at least build schools and roads, right? But then again, Hamas and Hezbollah (criminal gangs if ever there were ones) also use their money to also build schools, hospitals, etc. It seems to be a matter of degree. The criminal gangs in Central America are basically destroying their countries and causing mass exodus (exodi?) right now. So compared to them, maybe the money is better in the hands of the criminal gang in Washington, which has been known to build roads and bridges and power lines and only sometimes terrorizes and murders civilians with makes agression. But the Mafia compared to the government? I dunno.

From my "extremely uneducated on the topic" view, I hear that 1. with the Mafia, you very clearlly know what to expect, what the rules are, and the consequence of breaking the rules, and 2. the Mafia protection rate is much lower than the government tax rate.  This of course is based on complete hearsay in a small rural town with a Mafia presence when I was growing up

... Mountaineer

[brick-house]

kshartle wrote: 

Seriously. If the mobsters are going to put it to worse use than the government then I'd like to hear the argument. Are they going to buy weapons with it? Are they going to spend it on lavish lifestyles? Are they going spend it to reward their friends and punish their enemies? Are they going to pay people to stop working and producing?

the aqueduct...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExWfh6sGyso 

[Libertarian666]

People will for the most part not be dissuaded from doing the things they want to, so just let them do it legally and tax them for the privilege. The money is [probably] better off in the tax coffers than the Swiss bank accounts of mobsters and cartel leaders.

Pugchief why is it better in the tax coffers than in the Swiss bank accounts of mobsters and cartel leaders?

Excellent question!