Here's an example of How it Works: Oakland marijuana

OK, so now the Teamsters have managed to organize workers of a marijuana growing outfit. The biggest one I guess, or the biggest California-legal one. Feds still think they have the right to tell states how to deal with that issue. (Yay CA for ignoring the overreaching feds--for once) But, that aside, is it not obvious that unions are merely businesses who worm in under completely bogus pretense?

I assure you, no workers in the marijuana factory are angry and feel victimized. There is a payoff for the company though. That brings us to part 2.

Part 2 is that the city of Oakland has decided to issue 4, count em, Four, permits to commercial pot growers. Right now that covers the medicinal marijuana industry. I do not know the ins and outs, but people commission outfits like the unionized place to manufacture their pot for them. Plenty of cancer patients have no realistic ability to cultivate it themselves. Besides, in my mind it is just natural trade.

OK. So why are there only four permits, or permits at all? You know if it gets to be legal all around, the competition is going to be wicked--high quality, low prices, yipee! Maybe not.

The Oakland model which is reminiscent of many business boondoggles throughout history, guarantees a dearth of competitors, higher prices and to make it tougher, they'll let the union have a say directly or indirectly. The union being as superfluous a player as the Oakland City council. I'm sure they'll also manage legislation which prevents outsiders from competing by bringing in product from Alpine, for example.

If this decision, regarding who, out of the dozens and dozens of applicants, will get the coveted permit, doesn't reek of corruption to you, then someone's been drinking the koolaid far too long. They are pretending to look at all these noble parameters, but that is always the way they play the corruption game.

The Oakland/teamsters example appears so transparently corrupt and sleazy to me, I had hoped that pointing it out might cause people to consider other issues which have been similarly handled.

Although cloaked in nobility, the result is to lock out the competition, individual honest entrepreneurs, and make money dishonorably. It really does happen a lot. All due to the simple process of ignoring the question, "Does this really need to be under government's thumb to this extent, or at all?". Unions only get these extortion opportunities because government backs them. But the union part is minor. Just a piece of the puzzle.

You know they are in bed with the commissioner responsible for deciding who gets to do business. And it is one big orgy between the mobster pot companies, union and government. If a pot company wasn't mobster, by the time they play ball with the union and government, they will be by default.

The point is not the product, but the dynamic. All kinds of industries and businesses have followed this path. It is what has lead to many societal problems and economic strangeness over the years, Also to wars, I venture to say. Because no one insists on answering the above stated question, and the additional question; "where in the Constitution is this right granted to government?" Simple as that.

From most statements out of Obama and other politicians I can see that they have somehow decided the functions of government cover any that may appeal to them on a given day. That is where it goes awry.