Have alcohol, will taxi
Posted by Peter W. Schramm
Scott Johnson notes that the Twin Cities Metropolitan Airports Commission has ruled unanimously that airport taxi drivers who refuse to transport riders carrying alcohol will be suspended and, after a second infraction, can be denied a license. Muslims will, no doubt, take it to the courts.
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I'm very surprised that free market forces haven't taken care of this problem. Were taxi companies unable to fire the cabbies?
Taxi companies hardly represent the free market in action. Various city commissions closely regulate their activities, in return for issuing an extremely limited number of licenses--which of course protects license holders from competition.
I've never understood this confrontation.
As piker suggests, would seem the free market could easily solve this PC dilemma.
Either by pick-up location or marking, all Muslim cabbies not willing to transport alchohol could be identified.
Persons desiring a cab ride could then choose the Muslim or the "I don't care, I'm trying to make a living" cabbie.
Mike
"Muslims will, no doubt, take it to the courts."
Yes, Mr. Schramm, just like those over-zealous Christian pharmacists who refuse to dispense legal pharmaceuticals (birth control pills, Plan B, etc.) because it is against their beliefs, despite being an integral part of their job. I don't recall you blogging a virtual eye-roll for them...
As piker suggests, would seem the free market could easily solve this PC dilemma.
As I understand him, this isn't what piker is suggesting. He isn't saying that the market could solve this problem, but rather suggesting that the free market should have already solved this. If that were true it would represent a clear instance of market failure. My response was that there is no free market in taxis--with the implication that if there were the problem would've been solved long ago, for reasons you point out.
I'll add for Elizabeth's benefit that the market has pretty much solved the problem she's talking about as well; any pharmacy has the right to fire any pharmacist who refuses to do his or her job. However, if someone wanted to open an explicitly religious-oriented pharmacy, and refuse to carry certain products deemed objectionable to people of particular faiths, then there is no reason why that shouldn't be permitted as well.
Elizabeth J, I was thinking the same thing...