Can I see some eye-dee?
I was discussing 'libertopia' with the Evil James Johns on Thursday, as we often do, and came across an interesting point. Jim is awfully concerned over the idea of private companies owning and keeping up sidewalk space and roads, us anarchocapitalists being 'always out for the buck'. While I challenge that the owner of the business or residential property will keep an open sidewalk as well-kept as the rest of their property for the sake of their business or value of their neighborhood, he believes that he would be inconvenienced with a 'sidewalk toll'.
I see his point! Consider this: A rich, manipulative, smarmy corporate villain (we'll call him Richard Marx) hatches a diabolical plot to acquire all of the sidewalks in North America, with the intent of charging a $300.00 (though you know we'd be using silver notes) annual "sidewalk fee" to anybody who wants to walk on the sidewalks throughout the year. The plan works perfectly for the first two years, but after the numbers begin to settle, he realizes that only A FOURTH of the people who are walking on the sidewalks are paying their sidewalk fee! FOR SHAMES! Richard Marx does not like this at all, so he hires a band of thugs and goons, and sends them about his sidewalks to demand procurement of sidewalk-fee passes from the pedestrians, and of course, to harass, rough-up, and demand payment from those who do not possess sidewalk-fee passes (even if Mr. Marx doesn't order the harassing and roughing up, they will do it anyway). OY VEY! This sounds terrible, doesn't it? An atrocity!
...sound familiar? Let it sink.
I see his point! Consider this: A rich, manipulative, smarmy corporate villain (we'll call him Richard Marx) hatches a diabolical plot to acquire all of the sidewalks in North America, with the intent of charging a $300.00 (though you know we'd be using silver notes) annual "sidewalk fee" to anybody who wants to walk on the sidewalks throughout the year. The plan works perfectly for the first two years, but after the numbers begin to settle, he realizes that only A FOURTH of the people who are walking on the sidewalks are paying their sidewalk fee! FOR SHAMES! Richard Marx does not like this at all, so he hires a band of thugs and goons, and sends them about his sidewalks to demand procurement of sidewalk-fee passes from the pedestrians, and of course, to harass, rough-up, and demand payment from those who do not possess sidewalk-fee passes (even if Mr. Marx doesn't order the harassing and roughing up, they will do it anyway). OY VEY! This sounds terrible, doesn't it? An atrocity!
...sound familiar? Let it sink.
2 Comments:
A strong argument could be made comparing your scenario with the collectors of "the driving tax" AKA traffic tickets.
See one of my recent posts for the seat-belt situation. Many police depts have increased the size of their traffic depts and are cleaning up with tickets. Nothing short of extortion, and a chance to go on a fishing trip once you're pulled over.
Nice analogy, Lee!
Obviously I must disagree with Mr. Brennise and the praise he received.
As Lee and I discussed over a beer or three...I, personally, don't care who i'm oppressed by (be it a government or private industry). I care that I am oppressed.
Not sure why it's better for some private thug to beat me silly versus a cop...but in Lee's analogy it is.
I am unable to compute,
2j
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