CRONY REGULATORYISM: DC Fights Uber, Hurts Consumers and the Environment.

You may have heard of Uber, the innovative taxi startup that’s faced legislative roadblocks in city after city as entrenched interests in bed with local politicians dig in their heels. . . .

It’s almost comical at this point—we say ‘almost’, because Uber may be shutting down its latest offerings due to the DC Taxicab Commission’s onerous rules. Needless to say, VM’s staffers in DC have used Uber on several occasions, and we all are quite fond of the service. We certainly hope that DC’s authorities see the light of day on this and come to some accommodation with the company. Protecting a moribund cartel like DC’s cabbies from honest competition serves no one’s interests in the long term.

Politicians are people who use power to help one group at the expense of others. Public interest seldom plays much of a role.