Here is the story. And here is the part where I ask (again) why it is that so many protectionists are willing to try to sabotage Uber and UberX, and by extension, sabotage the lives of those who depend on Uber and UberX to put food on the table and a roof over their heads …
Seattle, Meet Brussels. You Two Will Get Along Just Fine.
I suppose that I should look on the bright side in reading this story; maybe as a takeaway, I can be comforted by the fact that certain American cities don't have a monopoly on perpetrating outrages against their citizens and the free market. But I confess to believing that any such comfort is of the cold variety: …
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Seattle’s City Council Fails Its Constituents
I don't know what possessed Seattle's city council to side with the taxicab cartel instead of siding with the residents of the city, but I do know that the move is utterly unjustified, goes against the interests of the residents of the city, and makes a mockery of free market competition. I can only hope …
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Uber, Traditional Taxicabs and the Failure of Regulation
Read Larry Downes's comparison of UberX to a traditional metered cab, and you will readily understand why the following is happening: So traditional taxi and limo services are responding the only way they know how to—by using legal challenges and regulatory obstacles to block or even ban the services. In some cities, including Portland and …
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When Regulations Attack . . . and Small Government Advocates Are Responsible
I understand that certain regulations are necessary to prevent fraud, or to ensure that a certain class of individuals aren't made eligible for a certain class of benefits. But I am with Will Baude and Jacob Levy, who criticize the fact that in the latest farm bill, small-government advocates (Republicans, specifically) have helped ensure the existence …
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In Memoriam: Ronald H. Coase
The great man lived for over a century, but as is the case with the passing of other great and productive minds, one feels as though the world did not have him for nearly as long as he was needed. Here is the University of Chicago Law School remembrance, which helps sum up his extraordinary legacy: …
Adventures in Overregulation
“Feds Require Magicians To Make Disaster Plans For Their Bunnies.”
