My first experiment with free verse:
A man holds cash, seeking transportation
A dealership, stock full of cars, his likely destination
"This cash, you see, for that car there, and let me drive away,"
Says the man to dealers who must want the cash he holds.
"Oh no, good man, your cash, you see, is not the way to pay.
For the products that we truly sell do not go by 'Olds'
But rather notes and loans and leases too,
Relationships that reach beyond
This simple car I'm selling you
Pay with cash and you'll abscond
From whole industries, it's true
Sign this contract by our lawyer Frank
(That's one, in case you're keeping score)
And send monthly payments to our bank,
(That's two, twice more than before)
While slickest brokers write up SIVs
(And three, but wait there's more)
bought by pensions, who wisely do insure
(Holy cow, now we're up to four)
Against losses you may cause them to incur
And so my friend, you see it clear,
With this simple car we may
Keep many fed for many years.
That's how things work today.
Peering at his wad of bills, and knowing well the cost,
He looked upon the dealership, and told them all "get lost"
Professor Russ Roberts, one of my favorite economists and host of EconTalk, makes this point very well: "Self sufficiency is the road to poverty." However, this brings up an inherent question that should occupy the mind of any policy wonk (and, by extension, voter): how much of this mutual dependence should we encourage? What is the right balance between prosperity and robustness, and how does one shape incentives to achieve it?
Right now, violating the system by simply paying cash for a car sounds like a subversive act. As for me, I'm gonna fix by bicycle, change the oil in my car and bake my own pies. Yes, I'm being rebellious by living out an episode of Leave It To Beaver. Stop by for pie and tea, we'll make it a party.
