Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Does Atlas have to shrug for the world to get better?

I have to admit, I spend more of my time these days trying to find ways to limit my productivity, than trying to make extra money. If I don't get to keep it - why bother. People are kind of funny that way. This is usually the reason tax increases are not very successful.

I think most people work under a fairness doctrine. When they feel things aren't fair - they just change their behaviour.

The reason I bring this up is because a couple of epic things are going on right now. Remember a few days ago I talked about how L.A. wanted to raise their electricity rates 28% for residential, and 21% for businesses? Well, apparently (they claim) if the city doesn't get those increases - it will go bankrupt.

Well, maybe things went a little more like "don't tell people we are going bankrupt - you are scaring them. And anyway - running out of cash doesn't equal bankruptcy".

Oh yes, that last part they actually said. You should watch the video at the bottom.

I don't know if the bonds for all those "green projects" are coming due or what. The whole thing is really perplexing for a city the size of L.A. to be 73 million away from going bust. At any rate - I doubt businesses are going to put up with that kind of increase. They will disappear. They will do what I'm doing. Putting in only enough effort to not get penalised. Where ever they raise taxes - I avoid. For the moment, I think I can hold out longer than they can.

Mr S. pointed out last night that what is happening is exactly like what happened in the book Atlas Shrugged. He doesn't see any way to get past this mess without bankruptcy. I was always sure we could fix it without that. Now I think I am finally starting to accept the idea - that is really what needs to happen.

All I know is that it's a really awkward time for President Money Bags's agenda when so many cities are that close to the edge. It's perplexing how he thinks he can keep this up.

1 comment:

  1. You don't really think that "progressives" care about practical considerations, do you? That would imply some sort of understanding of how "the real world works," which is the furthest thought from their minds.

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