Everyone who has seen the movie To Kill A Mockingbird knows the deeply humane scene where Atticus not only accepts payment for his services in barter, but teaches his children an important lesson about the dignity of working men who pay their way. In the Depression South, people needed legal services. Even a fairly well-off family very often had no cash. So they paid Lawyer Finch in hickory nuts, produce, or...yes...chickens for his services.
Effete little urban punks never learn stuff like that, I suppose. So, Josh, let me introduce you to Atticus, my friend and fellow attorney, and the wonderful economic Law Of Substitution.
The Law Of Substitution tells us (among other things) that when you make something too expensive for people who continue to demand it...say like health care under Obamacare...they will OFTEN find a way to wire around the problem. They will substitute the thing they were demanding with something else. Like, for instance, when they find going to their doctor under Obamacare too costly in terms of privacy, their freedoms, or their money. Doctors and patients will find a way...kind of like "Life will find a way..." in Jurassic Park.
See, Josh, Obamacare...I predict and VERY much hope...is set to be one of the most disobeyed laws in American history. Think of it as millions of little acts of civil disobedience. "We aren't going to take it...never did, and never will..."
So, we'll barter, like lots of people and businesses out there that you are just
Atticus and his clients were just practicing good economics. Cash was in short supply, so they just substituted cash for other things, the value of which they agreed; legal service for hickory nuts. Free people will do that kind of thing in defiance of Obamacare.
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Oooh! Don't forget about the black markets!
ReplyDeleteCan we say "black market"...???
ReplyDeleteBut, yeah...at some point "fiddling" the tax man becomes a patriotic duty...!