What would happen, in particular to the various mafias and organized crime in general? What would they trade in? How would they continue to make a living?
There is always racketeering, dealing in stolen goods, and selling drugs without taxes and conducting gambling that is not taxed (you KNOW that drugs and gambling will be taxed heavily).
Sure, all of that. But the profits would be down considerably… less opportunities it seems like. Unemployment among the mobsters… unless… unless we are all waiting for the next big thing to appear. And it’s almost certain to appear. Just wondering what it would be?
I don’t think profits would be down that much, but then I am not a mob accountant, so I don’t know exactly. There are always illicit/illegal venues that a mob can exploit, and when the laws open a door, they close a window somewhere. Also, the mob can go into the newly legit business, since they have the infrastructure already.
If these things all became legal, the Super Deadbeat Rob Lowe would be able to afford Obamacare.
What has happened in European countries that legalized these things?
Also gambling has become quasi legal now that states realize how much money they can make at it.
Is the mafia still involved in these crimes? I thought they were mostly a relic.
I’d assume/hope the mexican cartels would take a hit with drug legalization. I’d also assume prices for hookers and drugs would drop while quality would go up, but that is probably common sense.
There’s always usury. Make it easier for stupid people to throw their money away on their addictions to drugs and gambling, and you increase the number of people looking for loans.
Drugs:
Those who practice self-indulgence, would die.
Those who practice self-discipline, would live.
After they buried a lot of their elders, and a few of their friends, the next generation of teenagers would grow up sadder, but wiser.
The mob would make less money, Walmart would make more money. That would be fine with me, although a lot of left-wingers seem to fear Walmart more than they fear the mafia.
Prostitution:
I have no cite for this, but I have heard it claimed that you are less likely to catch a disease from a prostitute, than from a woman you pick up in a bar.
Personally, I think that pimps should have to deal with OSHA, IRS, Workman’s Comp, and union activists, just like every other employer.
Gambling:
A friend of mine used to work in a hotel in Las Vegas. He said that every now and then, a guy would gamble away everything he had, then commit suicide, leaving his widow and orphans destitute. I am not sure I want to make it easier to do this. On the other hand, men squander their money in plenty of other ways, so I am not convinced that gambling would be any worse than other vices.
Some people worry about drug addiction, or sex addiction, or gambling addiction. However, in my experience, you don’t become an addict, unless at some point in your life, you voluntarily choose to indulge. I don’t see why the government should try to protect you from your own follies. Freedom is not for weaklings.
See how much Colorado is taking in on taxing pot.
Gambling is legal in CA – first there is the government-run Lottery and now the Native American are running full-blown casinos.
One tribe has Tribal lands far from traffic - so they got permission to open their casino in a more lucrative location - that isn’t even on anybody’s Tribal land.
Prostitution is legal in certain counties in Nevada. They pay lots of taxes.
The sky has not yet fallen, nor has the Mafia been put out of business.
I wonder if the prostitutes have retirement programs yet. Might need an accelerated Social Security schedule to deal with the rapid depreciation in the business.
Card rooms have been legal in California in communities that allow them since gambling was generally outlawed.
Prostitution is legal in Sacramento County, just remember to call it “lobbying”.
Sadly, they’ve been burying elders and friends for the three generations that I have been alive and they don’t seem to be getting any wiser about it.
Pot is legal in Washington State (where I live) and Colorado State (where some family lives) and the sky has not fallen. But they are still figuring it out. Oregon to the south of us is looking to both states to figure out how to implement legalization this summer. Hopefully they will figure out what WA and CO did right and wrong and set up a good system.
I don’t know what the pols have to say at the moment, but from what I’ve heard underground pot sales are just as strong as they ever were because of prices. The papers haven’t had a lot to say so far but based purely my anecdotal observations, the street sellers are doing just fine. The WA state taxes are stupidly applied, tax at production level, tax at wholesale level, tax at distribution level, double tax at retail levels. From what I’ve been told, Colorado isn’t quite so bad, but taxation still has prices above black market rates. I have no idea what pot sells for on the street and I haven’t been in a pot shop yet. I am told by those few folks I know who admit to smoking that it’s cheaper on the street. Not as safe and convenient, cheaper.
Add in the schizophrenia of Washington Medical Marijuana and things get crazy. Washington legislature is kicking around a couple of bills just now to consolidate recreational and medical pot stores and the medical pot folks are having puppies. They don’t want to pay all the taxes that the recreational users have to pay. Recreational users can not grow their own and medical users can.
The Evergreen State does not have a great track record in this department. A couple of years ago we tossed out the state run liquor stores for private liquor stores and 30% higher prices. Costco bankrolled the ballot initiative and now they get to sell booze for lower base prices than it used to be, but because of all the promises they had to make and the payola to the state government overall prices are higher than they were before privatization - but now I can buy that 5th at 5:30 on a Sunday afternoon. Whoopee!! So the state gets their piece of action one way or the other.
If the reservations start selling pot without state tax, they will be the new drug kingpins. I can’t wait till the Cowlitz tribe starts selling booze without state taxes, the biggest fear our local legislators have about allowing them Tribal status. That and Casinos. I don’t care, I don’t gamble either. People who do, deserve it, IMHO.
So personally, I doubt the legalization will change the criminal aspect until the states come up with a realistic taxation structure.
So I don’t see the black market going away anytime soon.
Matt
(WooHoo, I learned how to put in links. Pretty cool.)