rob bacovin blog post

I agree with Sandel’s idea that there is too much for sale in our society but I do think that there is a reason for some things being on sale as long as the line in not crossed.  I think that the line is crossed with these things if someone or something is hurt by the ability to buy these things or if it targets the poor in a degrading or harmful fashion.  Like when it comes to upgrading your jail cell for a nightly rate for a nonviolent offender.  This does not cause harm to any other person and does not target the poor.  This creates revenue and targets the rich so I do not see a problem with this.  When it comes to getting paid to be a human guinea pig for a pharmaceutical company, I think that is wrong and should not be for sale.  This targets the poor because no middle class or upper class person will be signing up to be tested on.   But I think it is fine in the example of people being paid to stand in line for lobbyists, typically poor people, because this gives money to people for doing something that is as simple as standing in line.  I think it is not okay for admission to good colleges to be sold to a kid with very wealthy parents because that harms the middle or lower class kid who worked hard for admission to a good college.  The idea that everything can be sold is sometimes good but also it can hurt people or the environment.