How much wood can a woodchuck…

There seems to be a difference of opinion as to how much taxicab drivers make driving in the city of Chicago. It seems the city’s consulting study says one thing and the drivers say another. Based on the state’s $8.25 minimum wage, who is right might be very important.

Since drivers are considered independent contractors I don’t see how the wage law applies, but that’s just me. As previously stated in an earlier column, driver advocate Melissa Callahan has filed a class action lawsuit to declare taxicab drivers employees of the city based on the level of control the city exhibits over their business. The results of the “consulting study” could play into any verdict award the drivers receive from the city in the unlikely event the city lost the lawsuit and the drivers were declared employees of the city.

My experience with “consulting studies” is that whoever pays for the study gets the results they’re interested in getting. Callahan’s call for an “independent” study has some merit. I find the idea that the city can withhold fare increases for nine years to be pathetic while the cost of everything is going up. As usual, politicians regulating business is costly and ineffective, allowing a clear demonstration of their disdain for the working poor. Let the feds feed them, eh Rahm?

What are these people thinking?

Nebraska Public Utility Commission officials are cracking down on Uber and Lyft drivers in Omaha. PUC Transportation Director Mark Breiner is quoted as saying “the law is on the books and it is our obligation to enforce it.” Wow! Imagine that, a public official doing his job and enforcing the law. I guess Mark doesn’t realize that in this day and age leaders are supposed to enforce only those laws they agree with.

Apparently, for some, the rule of law must be “interpreted” to mean what we feel like it ought to mean as opposed to what it really says. Perhaps, a visit from Eric Holder might straighten him out. He is a “feeling” kind of Attorney General. Hearings are scheduled for the “ride share” services. Remarks by the Lyft spokesman being the usual, state that the law is old and outdated. This point of view is why some want to throw out the Constitution. Lyft drivers, facing a misdemeanor, are surprisingly upbeat about the whole thing despite the fact that they face having a criminal record. Time will tell whether the law can simply be ignored at lower levels or just higher levels.

So what is discrimination exactly?

Recently, a taxicab company called SheRides started up in the big apple. The reports are that it will “cater to women.” Now, I’m not sure what the definition of “cater to women” means, but if it means that men will be refused service because of their sex it sounds just a tiny bit like discrimination.

Since I have read reams of stories, can there be reams of stories, about the Taxicab and Limousine Commission conducting “stings” to combat refusal of service, it strikes me that ChickMobile might run afoul of the law if it refuses service to anyone. Besides that, what about transvestites, trans genders, transsexuals, gays and lesbians? It may be okay to discriminate against Joe White Bread, but if you start turning away fellow members of the victim class then you’re liable to get your back seat sued off.

I can’t help but wonder if the National Organization For Men will want to sue or protest or something. Oh yeah, we don’t have one of them organizations. Well, perhaps the Congressional Men’s Caucus for Men’s Issues will have hearings or something. Oh, yeah, we don’t have that either.

Speaking of discrimination, what about hiring drivers? If I wanted to have a taxicab with all male drivers would that be allowed? Uh, okay, probably not. Discrimination by sex, race, religion or political beliefs is immoral, illegal and downright UnAmerican. When you stop separating yourself by sex, race, religion or political beliefs you’ll get treated like everybody else. As long as we have professional discrimination chasers we’ll find it everywhere. Well, except when we’re the ones doing it and allowed to do so.

Everybody has an opinion.

A recent article, particularly well done I thought, out of Tampa Florida compared some locals cab companies, not naming names, after a rant by one of the limo riding set as to the conditions of the local taxicabs. After reading some of the results of the undercover rides I had a few observations.

Number one was that the companies that were allowed to pick up at the airport were in the best condition and the cleanest. Further in the article was at least part of the reason for their good condition: the taxi inspectors checked the cabs in line at the airport. That’s all wonderful, however, the nasty cabs were at hotel stands. Drivers expecting to get inspected will always be cleaner.

Number two item of interest was the remark that a shortage of cabs during peak hours was the biggest complaint. No mention of how much taxicab medallions cost or how industry entry is controlled was given in the way of explaining why there was a shortage. Nonetheless, we can expect that controls will continue to be in place.

Third thing of interest that struck me was that the complaining originated at the hotel motel association. However, they made no effort to control the product (taxicab service) being delivered to their customers. Hotels that have taxi stands on their property can control who is allowed on those stands.

Hotels disallowing companies that consistently deliver an inferior product would clear up a lot of the issues discussed in the article. It is always much easier to whine about something than it is to take action to fix it.

Because you have to.

During the fiasco in Ferguson I chanced to see a sign held by one of the protestors that read “why do I have to keep protesting this.” I don’t agree that racism is rampant and the reason the woman had to keep protesting was because the world needed her to shed light on the subject.

Sure hon, get serious. You have to protest these things because you believe the narrative presented by the “leaders” of our community that it’s all racism. Ma’am I hate to break the bad news to you but it’s not about racism in the overwhelming majority of cases. Fact is black teenagers are murdered at twice the rate of Hispanic teenagers and fifteen times the rate of white teenagers. Black on black crime. No doubt some would immediately jump to the conclusion that it is the result of “white privilege” or “institutional racism,” but I believe it’s something else entirely.

Our “leaders” have become nothing more than excuse makers. When a violent situation turns more violent and a black teen is killed it’s always the other persons fault. In Ferguson it was the police officer. In Florida it was somebody else. Here’s a tip, violence always leads to greater violence.

Riots brought more police with riot gear prepared to do whatever violence necessary to control the situation. When we embrace a “thug” culture these situations are a natural by product. So, when it happens next time, and there will be a next time, let’s all not act surprised.

“The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral; returning violence with violence only multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars.” - Martin Luther King Jr.

If you have any comments regarding this or any of my articles please feel free to contact me at don@mcacres.com. —dmc