[net.politics] can you say cosa nostra?

mroddy@enmasse.UUCP (Mark Roddy) (03/10/85)

> > 
> > The sale and distribution of drugs can hardly be thought of as
> > "free market" conditions.
> > -- 
> > Jeff Sonntag
> 
> I don't want this to sound insulting Jeff, but if you don't believe that
> drug dealing isn't a "free market", you don't seem to know much about it.
> ANYONE can become a drug dealer/manufacturer/importer/etc.  The reason
> prices don't fall is because the demand is far above the supply.  And 
> there is usually little personal risk involved.
> 
	This is absurd, let's start from the last statement and work backwards.

		1) little personal risk involved, gee I guess all that drug 
		related violence is an invention of hollywood. (Like Scarface
		was an absurd distortion of reality.) That's why when the
		police arrest drug dealers, they never find  arsenals of military
		class weapons. (And if they do its just citizens exercising their
		rights to arm bears.)

		2) high prices, hmmmm, you are close here, the reason demand is
		far above supply is that drugs are illegal, importation is
		difficult and risky, domestic production is even more risky,
		and as a result supply is artificially low... consequently
		prices are high.

		3) actually, anyone can become a retail level drug dealer, all
		it takes is some capital. As for manufacturing and importing,
		you better check with your local crime syndicate first, cause
		they are sure gonna check with you later. 
-- 
						Mark Roddy
						Net working,
						Just reading the news.

					(harvard!talcott!panda!enmasse!mroddy)