The Canadian Autoworkers (Overpriced Sole-Source Subway Contract) Support Act

Oh, God.

Toronto city councillors will debate a controversial proposal Wednesday to award a $700-million subway contract to a Canadian company without seeking any competing bids. The Toronto Transit Commission contract for more than 200 new subway cars is the single largest purchase the City of Toronto has ever considered. Mayor David Miller and members of the TTC have defended a proposal to hand the contract to Montreal-based Bombardier. They say the price is competitive, and that the contract will protect hundreds of jobs at Bombardier's Thunder Bay plant. German company Siemens has also expressed interested in bidding on the contract. Siemens says it can save the city as much as $100 million, in part by building the cars in China... A number of unions agree with Miller, however, and say politicians have a responsibility to protect local industry. "If municipal councillors and legislature cannot support Canadian workers and Canadian business, we'll remove them," said Bob Huget, of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union. "They don't deserve to hold office if they cannot support Canadian manufacturing jobs and Canadian workers."

It's so simple it's brilliant! We overcharge ourselves to prosperity! But why stop there? By paying too much for everything, we can keep everyone employed. Each industry could be assigned to a single company, charging monopoly prices to all the rest. So everyone pays more for their supplies, and everything costs more to consumers. But then we legislate an increase in wages, and ...