Deadly Rent-Seeking

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other opinionists are absolutely correct that Americans demand drugs and that the resultant profitability of drug trade into the United States through Mexico is fueling violence in Mexico to capture market share. However, that Americans crave a product, the sale of which is profitable, does not mean Americans bear moral culpability for the violence resulting from attempts to capture that market share. Americans demand many products (like corn, beef, sugar, televisions, clothing, etc.), the sale of which is profitable. Capturing market share for those products would likewise be more profitable for any individual producer or supplier (see: advertising). That Mexico has not been able to stop Mexican drug traders from violent rent-seeking is not the fault of Americans. The same violence could result from any product whose shipment required transportation through northern Mexico.

Antitrust Suspicions Vindicated

The Senate judiciary subcommittee on antitrust, competition policy, and consumer rights will hold hearings inquiring as to the anti-competitive implications of the BCS. Maybe Dartmouth will finally get a rightful opportunity to win the national championship. Well, once we climb out of the FCS (Division I-AA), that is.