Inspectors not letting crisis go to waste:
The New York Times reports:
More than a dozen New York City buildings inspectors and clerks have been charged with exploiting their positions as gateways to the city’s booming real estate industry to obtain hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes, law enforcement officials announced on Tuesday.
This seems to be a recurring problem, and is a wonderful (or horrible, depending on how you look at it) example of the rule that it is the regulation that creates the opportunity for the corruption.
One reason to be for smaller government is that it would be more honest, because there would be fewer opportunities for shakedowns.
Look. You got something the other guys want and are willing to pay for it. So they pay. What’s the matter with that?
I mean, what’s a regulation for, anyway?
Blithe Spirit 