Lowell Barron’s Republican challenger for Alabama’s District 8 State Senate seat, Don Stout, as well as other Republicans, have been vehemently attacking Barron for operating a payday loan business for years.  Stout asserts that Barron made a tidy sum of money (which I don’t doubt) running the payday loan businesses and possibly used his position in the senate to protect and enhance his business interests.  For his part, Barron has gotten out of the business and is backing tougher restrictions on the industry.

My problem with the attacks stems from my free market belief that government should not impede business operations simply because they are morally repugnant.  The state should restrict fraudulent business practices and prosecute those use use them.  But, the state should restrict the operation of a business simply because there are people dumb enough to make bad decisions with their eyes wide open.  If I open a business where I give people two new, crisp one dollar bills in exchange for old, worn five dollar bills and some people don’t have the good sense to avoid doing business with me - that is just fine.  Republicans, in my opinion, should be free market minded enough to not denigrate someone for engaging in a legal business practice no matter how unsavory it may be.

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This entry was posted by Brian on Wednesday, October 11th, 2006 at 5:54 am and is filed under Alabama, Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. Please note the copyright policy.