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Retail and supply chain theft will always be a cat and mouse game. This is not an issue for which society/government should pay the cost to fix it (which you s

by dls2016 5y ago

Retail and supply chain theft will always be a cat and mouse game. This is not an issue for which society/government should pay the cost to fix it (which you seem to imply by saying the markets have no options).

ALittleLight 5y ago
The idea that government shouldn't be the party to address crime seems very foreign and wrong to me. We shouldn't want private companies handling crime and punishment. That is a role for government.
- dls2016 5y ago
  Government or police? Government enforces pollution laws and will step in over wage theft. But you can't call 911 and say "my boss stole from my paycheck!" whereas that happens all the time with shoplifting. Why must the government step in when these skeleton-crewed retail stores and supply chains have inevitable, predictable loss issues? The article itself makes this point.
solveit 5y ago
Enforcement of property rights is basically the textbook example of a government function. Or do you want logistics companies to hire private armies?
- dls2016 5y ago
  Railroads already have police, armored cars are allowed armed guards (as do other high-value shipments, I'm sure), retail stores have security (however neutered they may be). I don't see why shoplifters are thrown in jail and wage thieves are not. Why do cops gun down shoplifters but won't lift a finger for wage thieves? Why don't cops bust down the doors of polluters? It's the selective enforcement of property rights I have a problem with. The enforcers already side with capital 9 times out of 10.
  - solveit 5y ago
    I understand that you have justified complaints, but saying stupid things (government should not go after retail and supply chain theft) in order to take potshots against "capital" does not make a good conversation and I would rather see less of it on HN. Obviously you want shoplifters to be prosecuted as well as wage thieves and polluters.
    - dls2016 5y ago
      The original articles on this are already very sympathetic to capital, and so that’s the direction of my criticism. The story suggests we should feel bad for the railroad companies without any investigating whether the company itself could share some of the blame. Today there’s a story about how UP cut many of their security employees. The original articles and discussion here on HN is surprisingly one-sided. Obviously I don’t like railroad theft but let’s not send in the army to protect a supply chain which has perhaps been made too efficient.
ajsnigrutin 5y ago
The government has a legal monopoly on many things, including putting people behind bars. If you pay taxes, you'd expect them to "do something", because if they don't, where's the point in paying those taxes?
- ultrarunner 5y ago
  The point for those paying, or those collecting?

ALittleLight 5y ago

The idea that government shouldn't be the party to address crime seems very foreign and wrong to me. We shouldn't want private companies handling crime and punishment. That is a role for government.

dls2016 5y ago
Government or police? Government enforces pollution laws and will step in over wage theft. But you can't call 911 and say "my boss stole from my paycheck!" whereas that happens all the time with shoplifting. Why must the government step in when these skeleton-crewed retail stores and supply chains have inevitable, predictable loss issues? The article itself makes this point.

solveit 5y ago

Enforcement of property rights is basically the textbook example of a government function. Or do you want logistics companies to hire private armies?

dls2016 5y ago
Railroads already have police, armored cars are allowed armed guards (as do other high-value shipments, I'm sure), retail stores have security (however neutered they may be). I don't see why shoplifters are thrown in jail and wage thieves are not. Why do cops gun down shoplifters but won't lift a finger for wage thieves? Why don't cops bust down the doors of polluters? It's the selective enforcement of property rights I have a problem with. The enforcers already side with capital 9 times out of 10.
- solveit 5y ago
  I understand that you have justified complaints, but saying stupid things (government should not go after retail and supply chain theft) in order to take potshots against "capital" does not make a good conversation and I would rather see less of it on HN. Obviously you want shoplifters to be prosecuted as well as wage thieves and polluters.
  - dls2016 5y ago
    The original articles on this are already very sympathetic to capital, and so that’s the direction of my criticism. The story suggests we should feel bad for the railroad companies without any investigating whether the company itself could share some of the blame. Today there’s a story about how UP cut many of their security employees. The original articles and discussion here on HN is surprisingly one-sided. Obviously I don’t like railroad theft but let’s not send in the army to protect a supply chain which has perhaps been made too efficient.

ajsnigrutin 5y ago

The government has a legal monopoly on many things, including putting people behind bars. If you pay taxes, you'd expect them to "do something", because if they don't, where's the point in paying those taxes?

ultrarunner 5y ago
The point for those paying, or those collecting?