I don't know what kind of markets you frequent, but an industry which governments attempt to legislate out of existence and spend billions of dollars distorting the chain of production and distribution is not my idea of an unfettered free market.
Harry Powell | 03.29.05 - 7:16 pm | #

governments attempt to legislate out of existence

Yet it exists - and where it does, it's completely unregulated.
Shuggy | Homepage | 03.30.05 - 10:00 am | #

Yet it exists - and where it does, it's completely unregulated.

Oh, I see. So if all commerce were criminalized, and all producers, distributers and comsummers were subject to arrest, and VAT were replaced with arbitary state confiscation - would that also be an unfettered free market?
Harry Powell | 03.30.05 - 10:56 am | #

Oh, I see

You do? That's good...
Shuggy | Homepage | 03.30.05 - 11:24 am | #

What's your point anyway Harry? Are you a free-marketeer who's pissed off about the example I've used? Have you any idea how much production, distribution and consumption goes completely undetected?
Shuggy | Homepage | 03.30.05 - 11:29 am | #

Some anti-drugs campaigners' solicitude with victims of the drug trade seems distinctly limited, with no similar concern shown about the conditions under which their childrens' trainers are made in the People's Republic of China.

Undeniably true, but I don't think you can apply that to Aaro - he's frequently misguided, but consistently socialist.
john b | Homepage | 03.30.05 - 3:51 pm | #

I should have been more careful to specifically say I wasn't applying it to him but to imply that his argument had a fairly conservative pedigree.
Shuggy | Homepage | 03.30.05 - 4:11 pm | #