this post was submitted on 17 Jul 2026
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The reason Alabama has state run liquor stores is that Christians clutched their pearls at the idea of people making profits off of the vice of alcohol. This individual agrees that vices and profits don't mix from a moral perspective. Where this individual and the "alleged" inbreds split, and I'm assuming, is that they would like the state to supply all vices in a profit free environment. A novel idea that would surely not go down in a favorable way in a state that never finds itsself at the absolute bottom of any quality of life list, solely because of the existence of Mississippi.
This is dumb, because there is still a profit, it's just the state collecting it instead of a private individual. If there was no profit, the product would be significantly cheaper, but it's not. There's a profit being made, it's just going to "the people."
The problem is that the government is going to operate the retail operation so inefficiently, that the profit will be eaten by bureaucratic costs.
That's the real value of profit - it drives efficiency. Without a profit motive, there is no reason to value and implement efficiency, so money gets wasted.
Do you want efficiency in selling vices?
IMO you want just enough efficiency to prevent a black market, otherwise add as much friction as possible.
Speaking of dumb:
I work for a non profit organization. An enormous amount of effort goes into ensuring efficiency so that we can maximize the success of our mission.
Excellent point. Obviously, there is a lot more nuance involved that can't be contained in a single sentence.
Citation needed. You're just repeating right wing talking points that holds that government can't be efficient, and that profit is the only source of efficiency.
Profit drives selling things for more profit, not efficiency. Sometimes efficiency is the driving force for more profit, but not always by a long shot.
The value of regulated pricing for vices is that it prevents the profit drive to lower prices, increase addiction, and then raise prices.
The goal isn't cheap vices. It's stable prices, controlled quality and predictable supply.
You also make excellent points.
I understand that it could sound like Right-wing talking points, but RW talking points often have a kernel of truth, that gets distorted. We have all seen government agencies that are hopelessly bureaucratic, but that doesn't mean ALL government agencies are that useless. I've been to terrible DMVs in past locations I've lived, but the DMV in the area I live now is amazing. I'm never there longer than a half hour. Government doesn't have to be inefficient, MAGAs just like to make it that way, so they can invent excuses to cut programs.
The goal is lack of a profit motive, means they are less likely to exploit the human weakness. They’ll sell you your vice but not try to push more