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That's such a simplistic attitude. Piguvian taxes aren't magic. And a sin tax doesn't help the people who live close to the airport.

Yeah great you have terrible living situation but at least the government has money for new F-35s.

And the reason this isn't done is because very often you couldn't pay those things in the first place. So companies that depend on not paying them will just lobby it away or die.

Sometimes its better to just make it illegal so no company actually starts depending on these things.



OK, sure, maybe make some things illegal if your government is incapable of spending money well, but you definitely need to weigh the pros and cons in that case, not impose a blanket ban on anything with a negative externality!


My point is that sometimes its better for some things to just be illegal because it is likely better then the alternative that you would likely get.

If this was a hugely important issue, yes, try to change it. However until then, lets not waste political capital on it.




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