Reason.com
Lone Star Cosmetology Police
What's the difference between an independent contractor's license and a shakedown? Not much, says Virginia Postrel.
Most Popular Stories
- St. Louis Cops Worry That In-Car Cameras 'Are Being Used Against Them' (5.23)
- Here Are the 15 Senators Who Voted to Stop Armed FDA Agents From Conducting Warrantless Raids on America's Farmers (Not One of Them is a Democrat) (5.24)
- Reason "Hero of Freedom" Larry Flynt's Latest Stunt? Photoshopping a Penis into Mouth of Conservative Pundit S.E. Cupp (5.24)
- When Government Privileges Trump the Rights of Citizens (5.25)
- Plastic Bag Ban Will Put Los Angeles In Landfill (5.23)
Reason RUPE: Public Opinion Survey
- Reason-Rupe: Wisconsinites Favor Increasing Public Union Retirement Contributions to Address Budget Deficit (5.25)
- Reason-Rupe Poll Finds Support for Public Union Reforms (5.25)
- New Poll: Obama Leads Romney In Wisconsin, But Gary Johnson Could Impact the Race (5.24)
- Wisconsin Recall: Walker Leads Barrett 50-42 Among Likely Voters (5.24)
- Reason-Rupe Poll: Walker Leads Barrett 50-42, Obama Leads Romney 46-36 (5.24)
advertisements
Reason on Facebook
Reason on Twitter
Reason on YouTube
Reason RSSGet Reason E-mail Updates!
Manage your Reason e-mail list subscriptionsSite comments/questions:
Media Inquiries and Reprint Permissions:
(310) 367-6109
Editorial & Production Offices:
3415 S. Sepulveda Blvd.
Suite 400
Los Angeles, CA 90034
(310) 391-2245
Editor's Note: We invite comments and request that they be civil and on-topic. We do not moderate or assume any responsibility for comments, which are owned by the readers who post them. Comments do not represent the views of Reason.com or Reason Foundation. We reserve the right to delete any comment or disable your ability to comment for any reason at any time.
Todd|9.17.03 @ 8:50AM|#
Remind me again - what's the difference between the government and the mafia?
Ken|9.17.03 @ 10:54AM|#
The government gives worse odds than the the mafia. The old mafia "numbers" gave gamblers a much better expected return than the state lotteries.
|9.17.03 @ 11:06AM|#
I sympathize with Virginia's hairdresser, but wonder if it has occurred to her that lots of low-tax states like Texas have high fees because they have low taxes. Taxes on the general population are a little lower, while fees charged to specific people for specific government services are a lot higher. That "general contractor's license" Virginia is upset about is the excuse for the fee in this case, but I'd bet the $65 goes mostly to fund general operations of the inspectors' department, the kind of thing that in other states is funded out of general tax revenue.
|9.18.03 @ 2:39AM|#
These kinds of licenses have not fared all that well when attacked by the pro-market civil and economic libertarians at the Institute For Justice, Clint Bolick's outfit.
http://www.ij.org
Kevin
|9.18.03 @ 11:08AM|#
It's not a shakedown. It's for protection.
Denis JudeLaure|9.10.04 @ 1:39AM|#
EMAIL: master-x@canada.com
IP: 82.146.43.155
URL: http://www.americanpaydayloans.net
DATE: 02/27/2004 12:08:28
The Tao's principle is spontaneity.