Government

Marion Barry Threatens D.C. Taxi Drivers With Job-Killing Regulation

Marion Barry Threatens D.C. Taxi Drivers With Job Killing RegulationIf it’s moving: regulate it.  Literally.

That seems to be the policy in Washington D.C. these days. The moving target this time is the D.C. taxi industry, whose drivers, until now, were among the freest operators in the nation. The profession, which has long been a stepping stone for many including new immigrants, is reportedly under threat of a burdensome new bill – one co-sponsored by disgraced city council member and former mayor Marion Barry — that would require every cab driver in the District to own a special “medallion” in order to operate. The problem is, only 4,000 medallions will be issued and there are anywhere between 6,500 and 10,000 cab drivers currently operating in the District at a given time.

Reportedly, the first set of medallions available for purchase will only be offered to drivers who have been operating for at least five years and currently reside inside the District. The city, however, apparently has no clue how many drivers meet this criteria. And given the rising cost of living in D.C., it might be safe to assume a number of drivers who may have lived in the city before, have since moved to the more affordable suburbs of Maryland and Virginia.

The next in line for the medallions would allegedly be cab companies, that would in turn rent the medallions to drivers. Up to now, most of D.C.’s drivers have been owner-operators, free to make their own hours and keep all of the money they earn. According to Reason, these new regulations would destroy the open-access taxi industry in D.C..

But who would want such a thing to happen, and why? Reason explains:

The medallion bill was written by lobbyist and former city councilman John Ray, who was hired by taxi magnate Jerry Schaeffer. Ray has worked as a lawyer for councilman Harry Thomas, and it was Thomas who introduced Ray’s bill in the city council. The other major sponsor of the bill: Council member Marion Barry, the former mayor best known for his 1990 arrest for smoking crack in a hotel room with a girlfriend.

In a recent letter in the Washington Post, Ray argued that because the cab industry is open entry and unregulated it’s been susceptible to corruption. But in practice the DC taxi commission, which currently regulates the industry, has its own history of corruption. And the commission is so wary of scrutiny that when reporter Pete Tucker snapped a photo on his cellphone at a recent public meeting he was dragged out and arrested.

Marion Barry Threatens D.C. Taxi Drivers With Job Killing Regulation

Below is an explanation of the video you are about to watch. Warning, there is some explicit language:

Reason.tv Producer Jim Epstein captured Tucker’s arrest on his mobile phone. Later, Epstein was also arrested after resisting attempts by the taxi commission and us park police to confiscate his camera phone. When Tucker was arrested, cab drivers, stormed out of the meeting in protest.

Comments (41)

1 2
  • dontbotherme
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 1:52pm

    I hope the cab drivers win this battle. This is how to kill jobs.

    Report Post »  
    • robert
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 2:46pm

      When it comes to Wash D.C. this absurd Barry wields a lot of influence, so I wouldn‘t bet he won’t get what he wants, in spite of the fact he’s one of the dumbest politicians ever. Did you know he is a college grad?
      Quotes:
      The laws in this city are clearly racist. All laws are racist. The law of gravity is racist.

      First, it was not a strip bar, it was an erotic club. And second, what can I say? I’m a night owl.

      I am clearly more popular than Reagan. I am in my third term. Where’s Reagan? Gone after two! Defeated by George Bush and Michael Dukakis no less.

      I am making this trip to Africa because Washington is an international city, just like Tokyo, Nigeria or Israel. As mayor, I am an international symbol. Can you deny that to Africa?

      I promise you a police car on every sidewalk.

      I read a funny story about how the Republicans freed the slaves. The Republicans are the ones who created slavery by law in the 1600′s. Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves and he was not a Republican.

      If you take out the killings, Washington actually has a very very low crime rate.

      People blame me because these water mains break, but I ask you, if the water mains didn’t break, would it be my responsibility to fix them then?

      People have criticised me because my security detail is larger than the president’s. But you must ask yourself: are there more people who want to kill me than who want to kill the president? I can assure you there are.

      The brave men

      Report Post »  
  • orphan
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 12:01pm

    This is what happens when you vote for a crackhead.

    Report Post » orphan  
  • elosogrande
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 11:16am

    Marion Barry is nothing more than a junky. Why would The Blaze or any other media outlet enen consider giving him any ink? Igore him – pretend you never heard of him. Pretend he’s dead. The man is a piece of crap.

    Report Post »  
    • the_zazzy
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 11:20am

      Hey Marion, why don’t you go back to smoking crack, rather than trying to lead a city? It’s more up your alley.

      Report Post » the_zazzy  
  • blazingaway
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 10:57am

    Not surprising … perhaps he is related to obama … what can you expect from a drug addict and a community organizer who also was a drug user … If you elect people like this to positions of leadership then just expect to get screwed over … they only know and understand how to take and take and take from those who produce

    Report Post » blazingaway  
  • Melvin Spittle
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 10:23am

    The medallion system should be illegal. It promotes corruption and enslaves free enterprise to middlemen.

    Report Post » Melvin Spittle  
  • affinnity
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 10:18am

    Why aren’t the foreign black guys complaining about the American black guys being racist? This is the kind of crap that happens when you put druggies and gangsters in charge.

    Report Post » affinnity  
  • Glenn Edward Cahill
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 10:15am

    same ol same ol

    Report Post »  
  • Glenn Edward Cahill
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 10:14am

    Add your comments

    Report Post »  
  • OH, I Get It!
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 10:01am

    What is this guy smoking? OH! It’s Marion Barry and the answer is EVERYTHING.

    Report Post » OH, I Get It!  
  • melmatmic
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 9:42am

    I was in DC last year for the Restoring Honor rally (great time). The driver spoke almost no English and was listening to some foreign radio broadcast (sounded like Islamic fire and brimstone speech). Maybe the only law they should have is you should have to be a Citizen of the US to operate a cab. That would cut the number in half immediately.

    Report Post » melmatmic  
  • ACLUHater
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 8:38am

    Only in the ghetto can we elect someone who looks, talks, and acts like a pimp.

    Report Post »  
    • ICEDRAGONNITE
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 9:27pm

      The longer this guy is around the more he resembles Papa Doc. Why put up with this jerk?

      Report Post » ICEDRAGONNITE  
  • ThoreauHD
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 8:27am

    They elected a crackwhore. Sorry, but you deserve this and more.

    Report Post » ThoreauHD  
  • BBomber66
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 8:18am

    Follows the NY model, limits access for cab drivers, creates an unnatural shortage and raises the cost of using the service. Typical liberal, corrupt, line-your-pockets behavior. Oh and the best indicator is the author is the one buy who benefits the most from the legislation.

    You get the gov’t you elect or pay for. A criminal mayor and still a felonious councilman. Why am I not surprised.

    Report Post » BBomber66  
  • hightide
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 8:07am

    If they get away with taking money from these people, they will take it away from ALL entrepreneurs.

    Report Post »  
  • Bruce_Almty
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 7:47am

    Democratic philosophy … If it ain’t broke, write some regulations to BREAK IT.

    Report Post » Bruce_Almty  
  • MrObvious
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 7:23am

    @NR – Race has nothing to do with it, just party affiliation … well that, corruption and progressivism.

    Report Post »  
    • MrObvious
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 7:29am

      O wait, maybe I was being redundant: when it comes to politicians, most democrats are progressive; and, most progressives are corrupt.

      Report Post »  
  • MoHAMplz
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 7:03am

    WOW, look at the tilted bach head, raised palms and well, we may now who Obamas dad really is. With that said, ship those IDIOTS along with obama to Somalia.

    Report Post » MoHAMplz  
  • Rweb
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 6:19am

    How can this guy keep in office or out of jail.

    Report Post »  
  • notreally
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 6:17am

    But for the tons of US taxpayer money dumped on DC it too would be a financial wreck, like every large city run by Black democrats.

    Report Post »  
    • melmatmic
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 9:36am

      I didn’t know this crack head was still around. Tells you something about the DC voters. DC is broke.

      Report Post » melmatmic  
    • loadingmyclips
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 10:23am

      right on! racism, smashism anyone with an I.Q. and the guts to speak the truth knows ngs can’t run sh*t. maybe their mouth, when it’s not full chicken and waffles. Just look at the cities ruined by the apes! now a bunch of sorry aS*ed bleeding hearts put mister cutey face in the white house. and look were the whole country is heading!

      Report Post » loadingmyclips  
  • likwidlizard
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 4:45am

    Hey Present Relic- you must be dating this bum. Read the article genius. Crackhead Barry is basically going to do away with maybe 6000 cabbies and the ones that do stay will be EXTORTED into paying for some POS emblem to put on their cabs so they can work. That will also mean the medallions will be a BIG YEARLY FEE to work. That’s EXTORTION RELIC, NOTHING MORE, NOTHING LESS. It’s like if you want to go to your favorite grocery store to buy food and you been going there all your life, then come next week, if you want to keep shopping there then you will be charged $10 to get in the door.

    Report Post » likwidlizard  
    • GeorgeWashingtonslept here
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 6:40am

      I agree 100%. Hey, Present Relic. Can you stop with the running sentences? Doesn’t your period function on your keyboard? Geesh.,

      Report Post »  
  • mrhate
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 3:53am

    Apparently years of crack usage has naturally embalmed Mr. Barry’s body and now he can be named; “THE MAYOR THAT WOULD NOT DIE”!!!

    Report Post »  
  • Present Relic
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 3:49am

    @Likwidlizard

    sadly I think your speech is Uglier then him ……… and since when does drug addiction discrimanate based on race by the way porch monkey was not always a slang for black people kinda sux rascim had to ruin it because most of the summer I am a porch monkey myself and I am white I love sitting out there talking to my neighbors in my community that pass by

    any way kinda made me want to be a cab driver in all honesty

    and the part I think your missing is the fact that it is going to be increasing fair cost by an additional 25% that you and I average joe blow are going to have to endore by creating an artifical lack of driver’s to raise the demand to steal more money out of your pocket

    so numb nu…‘s I see why your racist it’s because your dumb and don‘t pay attention to everything except for what you need to keep inside that little box of your’s

    Report Post » Present Relic  
  • tom
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 2:51am

    Do these people ever do anything honest?

    Report Post » tom  
    • robert
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 2:36pm

      Barry is not only a joke, he’s a numbskull of the highest order. Here’s some quotes he made when he was mayor:

      The laws in this city are clearly racist. All laws are racist. The law of gravity is racist.

      First, it was not a strip bar, it was an erotic club. And second, what can I say? I’m a night owl.

      I am clearly more popular than Reagan. I am in my third term. Where’s Reagan? Gone after two! Defeated by George Bush and Michael Dukakis no less.

      I am making this trip to Africa because Washington is an international city, just like Tokyo, Nigeria or Israel. As mayor, I am an international symbol. Can you deny that to Africa?

      I promise you a police car on every sidewalk.

      I read a funny story about how the Republicans freed the slaves. The Republicans are the ones who created slavery by law in the 1600′s. Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves and he was not a Republican.

      If you take out the killings, Washington actually has a very very low crime rate.

      People blame me because these water mains break, but I ask you, if the water mains didn’t break, would it be my responsibility to fix them then?

      People have criticised me because my security detail is larger than the president’s. But you must ask yourself: are there more people who want to kill me than who want to kill the president? I can assure you there are.

      The brave men who died in Vietnam, more than 100% of which were black, were the ultimate sacrifice.

      Report Post »  
  • likwidlizard
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 2:43am

    You mean to tell me Obutthole’s crack addicted Daddy is still alive? Where did he get that clown hat? Did he steal it off a drunk bum? Probably. This head porch monkey needs to let the cabbies do what they can to make a living. Have you looked CLOSELY at the ECONOMY lately? Everybody is going BROKE, FOOL. You need to go get another lowlife motel room with another crack hoe and just mind your own bidness, toad. Just because your offspring is in the WH destroying the nation doesn’t give you any right to go stretching your big rubber lips all over town. UGLY PIMP.

    Report Post » likwidlizard  
  • Apple Bite
    Posted on July 8, 2011 at 2:35am

    Yep, they only have themselves to blame for this clown still being around.

    Report Post » Apple Bite  
    • banjarmon
      Posted on July 8, 2011 at 2:03pm

      Is Marion Barry still around…I though he dried up and blew away like cow dung.
      Why do the BAD live so long?

      Report Post » banjarmon  
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