[listopencil]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Slightly off topic, but I wonder if we could make everything legal and tax it at the cost to society. Victims would get reimbursed and the government would take a little off the top to cover costs.

Murder? - Go ahead, and you just have to pay the cost of that person's lifetime earnings and value to their family. Government gets another 5 percent or so. And maybe there'd be some savings by not having prisons. Vagrants would be free!

Speeding? Go ahead, and you just have to pay the expected value of accidents to yourself and others, and I guess the cost of stress to other drivers. Since it's so common, non-speeders would get a tax break each year, and speeders would pay extra.

Want to do cocaine? Just pay the expected cost of associated crime, loss of productivity, and rehab. Cocaine users would pay money, their families would get some pain and suffering money, and of course Uncle Sam would get some.


Stealing wouldn't really work.

You didn't take the concept far enough- only apply it to "victimless crimes".