[SWAMPSNIPER]

"Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master".

George Washington

[ClearCase_guy]

I was in Maine a couple of years ago and read a newspaper article about an island which had a taxi service. Actually, the island had two taxi services.

The first service was subsidized by the state and used Priuses. The state of Maine paid the company something like $25,000 a year because the "green" taxis were earth-friendly. The company was pretty standard -- so much per mile, and you can tip the driver at the end of the ride if you like. The second service was run by a college kid. He used his own car. No state subsidy. He also did not charge for the service -- call him up, he'll drive over, take you where you want to go: no charge. People tipped him, and he was doing okay on that alone.

Anyway, taxi company that charged its customers was not making a profit and was going out of business, so the owner got friends in government to pass regulations that drove the kid out of business so that tourists had to pay for tax service, and the state subsidy had to be continued -- Hey! Everyone's a loser in this deal! Except, I suppose, the one guy who owns the unprofitable business.

[montag813]

This is sadly done in cities all over America.

[newheart]

Read my lips: No new taxis.
(Unless we get our cut.)

(Well, somebody was going to say it.)

[BwanaNdege]

The fact that the last NYC taxi Medallions sold for $1 million is proof-positive that government does not make things more efficient or less expensive.

It is also prima facie evidence of gross corruption, usually disguised as cronyism, closed shop union laws or highly restrictive licensing.