By Don McCurdy

According to reports from the city by the bay, taxicabs are making a comeback. The San Francisco Metropolitan Transit Authority (SFMTA) reports that the request for "A Cards" has recovered to pre Uber levels. The reports are that the medallion still costs $250,000. Articles show decreasing medallion sales since a spike in sales in 2013.

The article had some other interesting tidbits. For instance, Uber claims its drivers earn $19.04 per hour. That's a very interesting number for a company that claims its drivers as independent contractors. Couple that with the reported statement of one of the taxicab company owners that drivers "realize they can make a higher hourly wage driving cabs" but that taxi drivers incomes are still down 25% since the Uber explosion.

You have to wonder who is tracking these independent contractor drivers? Do owners of taxicab companies really use terms like "hourly wage?" How do we know taxicab drivers are making more than Uber drivers? All in all it seemed like an advertisement to drive a taxicab in San Francisco brought to you by the SFMTA.

Besides a riot in the streets, Chicago has another issue, they can't find buyers for their taxicab medallions. Reports are that the medallions sold in 2013 have yet to be paid for due to lack of available financing. Used to be the medallion low bid was $650,000, now not so much. Chicago, like New York City, allowed Uber to operate providing essentially the same service without the medallion. No wonder they're calling for Rahm's resignation, he killed the goose with the golden egg.

Reports are the judge who ruled against the yellow cab medallion holders in New York City who said they should compete or die and then reconsidered has reconsidered again. The judge stated he "disagreed" with the federal judge's ruling that using an ap to hail a ride or waving your hand are essentially the same thing. While the approach is different the result is the same, a vehicle appears ready to provide on demand transportation.

While the judge may disagree with the federal court on the matter I disagree with his current ruling. A hail by any other method is still a hail. Cities that allow Uber to provide on demand service without requiring the medallion that the city sells with exclusive hailing rights have made the medallions worthless. Good luck selling them.

This is beyond the classic reason I don't agree with politicians regulating business. You get as good a product as you can buy. Whoever can buy or rent the most powerful political friends get to make the rules. Judges have simply become an extension of whatever party appoints them or they get elected through. The Supreme Court being the classic example of ideology trumping law.

We always know how certain judges will rule based on their ideology, subsequently, the court then becomes a one or two judge panel. Rights that are interpreted to be in the Constitution trample rights that are clearly delineated in the Constitution. Laws on the books are modified without congressional approval, and the monster that has become the federal government attacks its citizens as enemies. No doubt it's all for our own good.

A handful of Toronto taxicab drivers recently staged a hunger strike to protest Uber being allowed to operate in the city. While I have heard of "hunger strikes" I've never actually understood what was hoped to be accomplished by them.

Let me see if I understand, I'm going to starve myself in the hopes that my enemy will somehow be repelled? Well, it didn't work. The city voted to allow Uber to operate and the poor starving taxicab drivers ended their hunger strike when one of them had to go to the hospital.

You mean not eating can make you sick? Who knew? Perhaps next time they should try drinking poison and seeing if their enemies will be affected. Sounds like another compete or get off the street moment brought to you by Uber.

Unlike those wimps in Toronto, the taxicab drivers in Ottawa aren't trying to kill themselves to get what they want, they're willing to kill you. One of their union reps was reportedly arrested for assault, breaking and entering and mischief. Mischief? The union's director of political action was also reported arrested. Not to be outdone, a "financial secretary" from the Canadian Auto Workers Union was also arrested. No wonder they always seem to get a better deal than the UAW here in the states. None of the thugs, er, union reps, could be reached for comment.

Portland has deregulated the taxicab industry. A fairly mundane report, all in all with the possible exception of a small note in passing, indicated that Uber was being investigated by the city auditor for failing to disclose some lobbying by a "political consultant", a much nicer term than "bag man". The political consultant had previously done work for one of the commissioners and the mayor.

Investigated? Why? I mean hey, they didn't assume some political consulting was going on? I know I did. More and more that's how business gets done. Ask Trump, he's admitted to hiring some "political consultants." I know that we all would like to think that there was a groundswell of customer support that carried Uber to victory, but that's just not how it happened. If you've got as much "working capital" as Uber you would be amazed at who wants to be your new best friend. Or not.

"What really bothers me most is that none of the fourteen who perished had a chance."

Volumes have been written about the San Bernardino Islamic inspired terrorist attack, but what has haunted me is the quote above from one of the doctors attending to the survivors of the attack. While his lament is in regards to the fact that they died prior to reaching a trauma center where they might have been saved, mine is not. Mine is of the suppression of the citizen's rights to bear arms in defense of themselves.

California is a progressive place and has long struggled with the courts for their desire to disarm the populace, I get that. When San Bernardino city leaders gathered for a press briefing after the attack, they stuck with the usual meaningless "move forward" type "feel good" platitudes. Impotent political functionaries utter these sentiments when they've failed in their duty to protect their citizens. However, none mouthed a single word of what would be changed to allow the good citizens of San Bernardino to protect themselves.

While national political figures beat their chests and demand "sensible gun laws" none show how those laws would have prevented the attack or would even prevent a future attack. Other countries , with much more civilized citizenry, are also experiencing these attacks and there seems to be no short term answer to the problem. You'll be called a racist if you propose one.

Meanwhile, the chest beaters and name callers can recommend no solution. Disarming the public seems to be the best solution brought forward during these times, including a ban on anyone on any "no fly" list purchasing a firearm. How do you get on this list? Nobody knows. Does it take a presentation to a judge? No. Can you present your case prior to being put on the list? Nope. Seems to me that some of our "leaders" are trying to add more fish to the barrel, not protect the ones already in there. Glad I live in Texas. I will at least have a chance.

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

—dmc