Doug Ford flip flops on private pot: wants government monopoly, would favour prohibition
March 16, 2018 by Paul McKeever · Comments Off on Doug Ford flip flops on private pot: wants government monopoly, would favour prohibition
If you thought Doug Ford was promising a free market for cannabis sales, Doug has some disappointing news for you: that dream is now officially up in smoke. Yesterday, Ford told Alan Carter, the host of Focus Ontario that, for the foreseeable future, he is in favour of the Wynne government’s planned government monopoly on cannabis distribution and sales. Ford even says that, if he had it his way, cannabis would not be legalized at all. Read more
Against Cannabis Prohibition?: Why You Should Oppose Minimum Wage Laws Too
May 3, 2015 by Paul McKeever · Comments Off on Against Cannabis Prohibition?: Why You Should Oppose Minimum Wage Laws Too
Recently, on facebook.com, I quipped that “Behind every minimum wage increase, there’s an overpaid, uncompetitive (probably government-funded) venture looking to eliminate (private sector) price competitors.” One of my acquaintances, who I know to be an active opponent of cannabis prohibition, replied by posting an article titled “The 3 Biggest Myths About Raising the Minimum Wage“. The three alleged myths were that:
1. Minimum wage jobs are primarily for teenagers or part-time workers who are just trying to score some extra cash.
2. Raising the minimum wage will raise prices.
3. Raising the wage kills jobs.
The reader will notice that each of these arguments is an argument about economic effects, not about ethics (i.e., not about right and wrong). Yet, as with every question about the use of government force, one cannot judge minimum wages simply by the facts – whatever the facts might be. One also has to take the next step: determining whether minimum wage laws are politically right or wrong (i.e., whether they are consistent with the goal of ensuring that no person takes your life, liberty, or property without your consent). Accordingly, I replied to my fellow anti-prohibitionist as follows: Read more
