Monday, January 26, 2009

Times are tough when...

...a business columnist for the local news-rag says, in an interview, that the state could lessen its financial woes if it legalized -- and thus regulated and taxed -- marijuana and prostitution.

Ummmm, yeah.

I'm the farthest thing from a prude, in most respects. While I've never employed the services of a noffka, I have smoked a little gage in my time. Not recently, I hasten to admit; I am certainly not without sin in any event.

But the idea of government stores selling doobs, and government brothels dispensing -- shall we say -- intimate companionship, leaves me cold.

It might appeal to the political hacks. They are almost invariably stoned, though their drugs of choice are public money and the ability to pass obnoxious laws. And they certainly know about selling themselves for money....

Would making these "pleasures" legal actually raise money? Probably, but I don't want either state or national governments to have more money; I want them to have less and act sensibly with what they get.

But the revenues wouldn't be as great as they think. Put enough tax burden on weed-puffers and those engaging in the world's oldest profession, and they'll go right back underground. They'll roll their own in private, so to speak.

As far as I'm concerned, the current hideous state of our economy should suggest only one thing: our government has no business running itself so deeply into debt and expecting us to pick up the tab. The crisis is, to me, absolute proof that government waste and interference in private business must always fail.

The politicians screw us and feed us too much distorted reality as it is.. Let's not give them yet another way to do it.

8 comments:

Benita said...

I second that "emotion".

Anonymous said...

Hmmmm..while I am for them being decriminalized it wasn't so they could be taxed.

becomingkate said...

I'm for decriminalization too, but that would be to relieve the financial burden of the jail system.

Fin said...

I see citibank is waffling on taking their foreign-made fifty million dollar jet. Thanks Carl Levin.

Everyone who keeps unthinkingly saying "you cannot legislate morality" seems ignorant of the drunk driving problem in Saudia Arabia.

Unknown said...

Oh sure they could raise money but it sure as hell wouldn't go to the right places.

John0 Juanderlust said...

Maybe they could save money now spent on court cases over personal choice and things not the business of government. They would do like they do with alcohol and make it a crime to make your own. Wonder if they'll dream up denatured cannabis ?
I agree that they need less and to confine themselves with working their mischief within that lowered budget. Drastically lowered if I had my way.

Anonymous said...

I'm thinkin' government at all levels could be in the black instantly if they would put a sales tax on the "political favors" they bestow on special interests. A "loophole" might be worth, say, $1M. At a 6% tax rate, that would be a quick $60,000 in the treasury. They could rise a few billion $$$ in no time. ;)

S

Anonymous said...

Apparently, snuff films are also quite profitable.

As is child porn.

There are lots of options here.