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Walter E. Williams: Some things I wonder about
Townhall.com ^ | December 31, 2003 | Walter E. Williams

Posted on 12/31/2003 9:03:26 AM PST by xsysmgr

Early in our marriage, 40-some years ago, Mrs. Williams would return from shopping complaining about the unreasonable prices. Having aired her complaints, she'd then ask me to unload her car laden with purchases. After the unloading, I'd ask her: "I thought you said the prices were unreasonable. Why did you buy them? Are you unreasonable? Only an unreasonable person would pay unreasonable prices." The discussion always headed downhill after such an observation. But let's look at prices.

I don't know about you, but I always try to get the lowest prices for what I buy and the highest prices for what I sell, and that includes my labor services. Is such a practice immoral? Nobody is forced to sell me anything at my preferred price, nor are they forced to buy from me at my preferred price. If we indeed transact, the only thing a third party could conclude is that we both saw ourselves as being better off than our next best alternative, or why would we have voluntarily transacted?

You say: "OK, Williams, you're right. But where are you going? How many times have we heard the accusation that a corporation moved overseas to take advantage of lower-priced labor or hired cheaper-priced Indians with HB-1 visas to replace higher-priced American high-tech workers? You'd think that a desire for lower prices is somehow immoral. Why should a preference for low prices be OK for you and me, and not so for CEOs?

Another thing I wonder about are those life insurance company advertisements where they offer reduced rates for nonsmokers. Here are the facts. According to an article in Social Science & Medicine in 1991 titled, "Life expectancies of cigarette smokers and non-smokers in the United States," the life expectancy difference between never-smokers and current smokers is about seven years at ages 25-29, and three years at age 75 and older. Thus, it makes actuarial sense for life insurance companies to charge smokers higher premiums.

According to a study titled, "The Longevity of Homosexuals," in the Omega Journal of Death and Dying in 1994, the median age of death from AIDS is 37 and death from other causes 42. In another study, "Does Homosexual Activity Shorten Life?" in Psychological Reports in 1998, the average life expectancy of homosexuals is 20 to 30 years less than heterosexuals.

Here's my question: How come life insurance companies don't advertise lower life insurance premiums for heterosexuals? After all, life insurance companies do ask applicants about other forms of behavior that have an impact on life expectancy, such as: Are you a pilot? Do you abuse alcohol and drugs? And do you have DUI arrests? Why not also: Are you a homosexual? I think I know the answer. Life insurance companies would be charged with lifestyle discrimination. But isn't it also lifestyle discrimination to charge higher premiums to smokers, airplane pilots, drug and alcohol abusers, and drunk drivers? None of these lifestyles has the devastating impact on life expectancy that homosexuality does. The only answer I can come up with is that some forms of discrimination are politically acceptable, while others aren't.

I also wonder about judges. Merv Grazinski of Oklahoma City purchased a brand new 32-foot Winnebago motor home. On his first trip, he set the cruise control at 70 mph and calmly left the driver's seat to go into the back and make himself a cup of coffee. The R.V. left the freeway, crashed and overturned. Grazinski sued Winnebago for not advising him in the owner's manual that he couldn't actually do this. The jury awarded him $1,750,000 plus a new motor home. Winnebago changed its manuals. I wonder why. Anyone so stupid as to leave the driver's seat is probably also too stupid to read a manual.



TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS: walterwilliams
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To: xsysmgr
I loved this column.
41 posted on 12/31/2003 6:03:06 PM PST by SeeRushToldU_So (No, I don't watch rasslin'?)
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To: MattinNJ
How much is the filing fee in your jurisdiction?
If the plaintiff loses are the faced with paying defense costs for things like depos?

The problem you described is partly caused by poor business judgment by the insurer--it should not feed the bears.

I represent mostly plaintiffs and occasionally do some tort cases, but I would have screened out that plaintiff on the phone.

Do you think a motion for summary judgment would have ended the case?
42 posted on 12/31/2003 6:17:06 PM PST by Wayland
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To: xsysmgr
I also wonder about judges.

Old joke: What do you call a lawyer with an IQ of 80?

Answer: Your honor.

(rimshot)

43 posted on 12/31/2003 8:43:05 PM PST by irv
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To: sauropod
Not true.

You speak only for yourself so it's impossible to say my statement was untrue.

44 posted on 12/31/2003 9:12:02 PM PST by Protagoras (When they asked me what I thought of freedom in America,,, I said I thought it would be a good idea.)
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To: Beelzebubba
I dropped Dr. Williams an email asking for a source. I'm probably not the only one so it will be intersting to see if he retracts or provides additional documentation.

The great thing about the internet is the sea of at-your-fingers information, but I don't believe anything anymore unless it has a date, a reference, and an author.

For example, I read an editorial on town hall that listed a number of quotes from democrats (the same ones that are calling Bush a liar) that made statements about Saddams WMD. THere were just names and quotes. I'm not saying they never said those things but I just don't put a lot of confidence in a quote that isn't sourced.

45 posted on 12/31/2003 10:23:04 PM PST by tjg
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To: Protagoras
I don't think this is worth a response.
46 posted on 01/01/2004 4:55:42 AM PST by sauropod (Excellence in Shameless Self-Promotion)
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To: breakem
duuuuuuhhhhh, maybe then we will be in a deflationary spiral the likes of which you have never seen in your lifetime.
47 posted on 01/01/2004 4:58:13 AM PST by sauropod (Excellence in Shameless Self-Promotion)
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To: xsysmgr
FOR SURE!

AMEN!

HEAR HEAR!
48 posted on 01/01/2004 5:17:14 AM PST by Quix (Particularly quite true conspiracies are rarely proven until it's too late to do anything about them)
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To: xsysmgr
I love it when Williams wonders.
49 posted on 01/01/2004 5:31:54 AM PST by Positive
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To: nj_pilot
Gotta like Williams. But in the version I heard 20 years ago,the idiots were Iranian student pilots at N.A.S. Pensacola who didn't know the difference between Auto-pilot & cruise control. IMHO it's a tossup on whether judges or Iranian student pilots are dumber.
50 posted on 01/01/2004 5:42:45 AM PST by orlop9
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To: sauropod
then maybe they won't move overseas. You need a course of Williams 101
51 posted on 01/01/2004 8:59:37 AM PST by breakem
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To: tjg
Dr. Williams replied to my note on the myth subject:

Thanks. I thought the source from which I obtained the Winnebago story was reliable. As it turns out it was less than so and indeed an “urban legend”, as many of my thoughtful readers pointed out to me. That just proves one must be diligent in fact checking.
Cheers and Happy New Year.

Professor Walter E. Williams
George Mason University
Department of Economics
52 posted on 01/01/2004 2:08:39 PM PST by Atlas Sneezed (Police officials view armed citizens like teachers union bosses view homeschoolers.)
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To: Beelzebubba
I got the same message. I'm watching his column to see how he words his retraction.
53 posted on 01/02/2004 12:22:55 PM PST by tjg
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To: orlop9
The version I heard 30 years ago (OPEC oil crisis era) was an Arab sheik who thought the motorhome had auto-pilot.
54 posted on 01/02/2004 12:51:44 PM PST by Atlas Sneezed
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