Here is my normal "around town" transportation.My daughter and groceries ride in the trailer. I provide the power.
I certainly don't mind riding this, but I resent- with a growing hatred- the Acts of State that make this more and more necessary. Taxation and regulation that inflates prices along with fiat "money" that evaporates before your eyes. Plus the proliferation of "laws" that make it hard for a person to earn money without violating principles.
It's partly my fault that I can't afford gasoline, nor to do some rather pressing car maintenance. But, without the interference of The State I would have more opportunities to make money and things would most likely cost much less. Most days I simply don't have the ambition to do what is necessary under The State to improve my financial situation.
In a way, this is good. I avoid most taxation. In other ways, it makes me grumpy. Add this to the fact that I just haven't been feeling great recently- it puts me in a bad mood. Sorry.
.
What's happening, Kent? You maintaining good nutrition, I hope. That can make a big difference. Stress requires increased amounts of essential nutrients.
ReplyDeleteI just don't know. There are just a lot of problems and stresses right now that have me completely drained. It's hard to recharge the batteries when there's no charger and the load keeps increasing.
ReplyDeleteSo I once estimated that without taxes everything would be 4-5 times cheaper.
ReplyDeleteTurns out, adjusted for buying power, a physical in Somalia costs $30 and a physical in America costs $150.
Method: I took the $1 a day for Somalia's minimum wage and $8/hour for America's and assumed that Americans should be able to buy at least as much stuff as Somalians.
I wished I could have that as my transportation for most stuff and just sell my motor vehicles. The cost of gasoline, diesel, repairs, plates, insurances maintaining a license and etc. is a giant part of my budget and one I would happily dispense with.
ReplyDeleteAlrenous- And when you consider that taxation takes away half (or so) of your money, removing that theft doubles your buying power and makes that "4-5 times cheaper" 8-10 times more buying power. Which is similar to what L. Neil Smith has been claiming for a long time.
ReplyDeleteKenK- Unfortunately, for "most stuff" I have to drive to the next town over (which is also in another state)- about 8 to 10 miles, depending on where I am going. So I still have the expenses. I do save a lot of money on gas by using the bike for most in-town trips, but those are only about half of the trips. The bike trailer has paid for itself several times over.
I wonder how long until bike riders are "required" to get a license and plates for the bike.
I took that into account, actually. And the fact I could have predicted a real-world example makes me think my ballparking wasn't missing anything crucial. Which is honestly pretty surprising considering how simple my original estimate was.
ReplyDeleteThough I just checked, apparently I was confusing two separate estimates that I did, and I can't find the original one that got 4-5. I only got 2.5, and then promptly forgot it and went with 4-5. Though I was obviously lowballing - no regulation, for example.
The thing is, if all taxes ended tomorrow, your wages would stick but your buying power would skyrocket. However, at some point your wages would start dropping, correcting downward. In week one everyone's still in shock. By week two or three, competition on price has increased your buying power tenfold. In month three to five, competition on prices reduces your wages, estimate by about half. You end up way ahead but not that far ahead.