Mark,
All governments "do not feel that the citizenry is overtaxed" until they see
the blood being given to pay the taxes. All governments over tax and over
spend until they destroy the economy of the country they are trying to
serve.
It is a strange paradox, these governments we create, to maintain
civilizations. They are like fire, they can be good servants as long as
they are kept under control but if left to their own devices they will
consume all that they touch.
It was the U.S. government that created so many restrictions on the auto
industry until Triumph autos could not compete in the market place in the
U.S.A.
Plato in his Republic gave the best example of who is in charge-- Is it the
cow or the farmer?
As long as they let me drive my LBC and allow me the opportunity to fight
the good fight, I'll be happy with my little world.
Jeff Howard
Rayne LA
USA
'69 GT6+
'80 Spit
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Hooper" <mhooper@pixelsystems.com>
To: "'Triumphs Mailing List (E-mail) '" <triumphs@autox.team.net>
Sent: Wednesday, December 04, 2002 8:49 PM
Subject: Inflation - NON LBC
> As is my wont at this time of the year I am having another stab at the
> hopeless task of bringing order to my mountain of unsorted papers. It is
> amazing what one finds in these rummagings.
>
> I found a recent communication to me wherein it was claimed that rise in
the
> cost of living was almost non-existent and that the government did not
feel
> that the citezenry was overtaxed.
>
> As is the nature of piles of paper, right next to it I found a
hand-written
> sheet dated 1986 wherein I attempted to calculate my monthly living
> expenses. This was right as I started my first job after university as a
> research engineer.
>
> The following are my largest expenses while living in a clean but simple
> 4 1/2 apartment in the cheap but not nasty part of town.
>
> Rent $150
> Cable TV with special convertor $15
> Newpaper & magazine subscription $15
> Food $130
> gasoline $45
>
> Now keep in mind that this is only in 1986, not in the depression. No
change
> in cost of living indeed! Try and rent an apartment in Montreal for $150
> today and you had best not count on getting electricity, water or windows.
>
> Mark
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