Eventually they spend it or invest it and the money reappears in the economy. It is a wash.
"If all the imprisoned drug dealers reverted to trafficking in the other three things the supply would be so overwhelming that prices would plummet and thus eliminate the easy high profits."
It would happen in those three areas, huh? Why hasn't that happened with drugs? Talk about a poor grasp of the fundamentals!
Eventually they spend it or invest it and the money reappears in the economy. It is a wash.
Half right.. Aside from the largest payments that go to the drug cartels where they spend the money in Central America, South America and the poppy producing countries. Also, aside from the drug money the government confiscates and spends on fighting the WOD failure.
It [over supply] would happen in those three areas, huh?
The demand for drugs is so high that for every drug dealer arrested there's ten wanabe drug dealers prepared to jump in and take over. For them, arresting a drug dealer is a job opportunity. The demand for drug dealers is nearly full. The demand for prostitutes, low cost tobacco dealers and illicit gun dealers/traffickers is nearly full.
Why hasn't that happened with drugs?
To some extent it has as seen by lower prices. Government creates the set up and facilitation of black market tobacco, prostitution, guns and drugs. The government does that by imposition of taxes, violations of the second amendment and prohibition against certain liberties.
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Law Enforcement Against Prohibition -- LEAP. Their member ship is strictly persons that are or have careers in the justice system and fought the war on drugs. Judges, prosecutors, LEOs, DEA, etc.