[cinFLA]

Vans are considered light trucks and so they are roughly equivalent to the SUV in terms of mileage requirements and other regulations. Therefore, I would not say that the difference in fuel milage requirements and safety features alone explains the popularity of the sport utility vehicle. SUVs are more popular than vans not because or in spite of Congress but rather because they offer features people want which vans do not, such as more automobile-like handling.

I stand corrected on the vans. I do not think it is the handling. I found vans to be much more comfortable for trips than SUV's. I bought a SUV because I wanted four wheel drive and I wanted a JEEP! Now we are a culture of SUV's of all sizes. Go figure!

[Liberal Classic]

In sum my point is that the invisible hand was at work the same in Smith's day as it does today. And yes, government meddling can and does affect the market, sometimes in unpredictable ways.

That's why I am against city ordinances banning smoking in all restaurants and bars. It isn't that cigarettes are bad for you, they are. It isn't that other people can't smell the smoke, they can. The point is "Is this trip really necessary?" There are already laws that mandate non-smoking areas, no smoking in elevators, etc. If the bar patroning public really wanted non-smoking bars, there would have already been supply to rise up to meet the demand. There is no law against running a bar or restaurtant as an all non-smoking establishment. I know that some exist already. Why do we really need a law to mandate all establishments be non-smoking?