Getting Wired...

I've probably mentioned that I like the HBO show The Wire. I've also read The Corner and Homicide -by David Simon, who created "The Wire". I like his writing and directing. I'm not so impressed by his politics.

At one point in "The Corner", he says that welfare basically is just giving money to people to buy drugs - but that he thinks that's OK, because it keeps them from stealing even more stuff. This is wrong on so many levels.

Another brilliant quote is in this article on The Wire from the NYTimes (reg required, BugMeNot if you are paranoid):

One of the themes of the show is that raw, unencumbered capitalism is not good for anyone," said David Simon, creator and mastermind of "The Wire."

Umm, I don't think drug dealing is an example of capitalism. Even the most libertarian, Randian, lassie-faire capitalist of people believes that there should be a court system and that people should be able to bring civil actions against each other. See, when one company feels that they have been ripped off by another company, they sue them. Since drugs are illegal, drug dealers can't take one another to court, which is why they resort to bringing out the Tek-9 when it comes to settling dispute. This is the same reasons that loan sharks break legs when they aren't paid, while CitiBank just messes up your credit report. Drug dealing isn't anyone's idea of capitalism, even raw, unencumbered capitalism.