I guess I should say something about the judge’s ruling in favor of THE CORPORATE SATAN in this space. But the lassie-faire economist side of me is having some problems with the anti-Wal-Mart me right now.

In a perfect world, where employers don’t hold all the power, I’d say that the government should stay the hell out of the affairs of business. Corporations should be allowed to run as they see fit and to make money in the manner that is best suited to them. If people were not happy with the money they were paid or the benefits they were given then those employees would leave for other jobs. Enough employees leaving, and a lack of new employees coming in to the company, would over time force the changes required by the market place. Normally, this is a system that works well and keeps a fairly balanced work force.

THE CORPORATE SATAN however has grown too big to be controlled by the individual market places where it has embedded itself. The overall concept of a store with the lowest prices sounds good to most everyone. The secondary effects of diluting the local market place, killing off traditional businesses, exporting the bulk of its taxable dollars, and other things make having one in your town less attractive. As Americans have come to see the long term damage of THE CORPORATE SATAN in their towns they have attempted to slow its growth.

There is no other single retail force that can stop the spread of THE CORPORATE SATAN without causing many of the same problems. So people have turned to the government for help. After all, we elect our officials to help when our towns have problems. Now that some governments have shown a willingness to respond to the needs of the electorate the activist judiciary is standing in the way.

This is where both sides of my mind can agree to agree with each other. The activist judiciary is missing the bigger issue here. This is not about THE CORPORATE SATAN by itself. This law is about protecting the interests of a state whose people have been quite clear in what they want.

All legislatures are supposed to be activist in nature. Their job is to act as the activist for the people they represent. That is how the system was created. The judiciary is supposed to be above activism and rule only on the legality of the law.

And that class, is your social studies lesson for the day.