Path: utzoo!dciem!client1!kevin
From: kevin@client1.DRETOR.UUCP (Socrates)
Newsgroups: can.general
Subject: Discretionary Expenditures (was Re: Tax Revolt Now!!)
Summary: Spend less money?  Are you crazy?
Message-ID: <2409@client1.DRETOR.UUCP>
Date: 16 Aug 89 16:45:30 GMT
References: 
Reply-To: kevin@client1.dciem.dnd.ca (Socrates)
Organization: NTT SYSTEMS INC.
Lines: 25

In article  kim@watsup.waterloo.edu (T. Kim Nguyen) writes:
>The FST will indeed slow the slowing economy, but I fail to see how
>that will boost inflation.  Oh, OK, maybe I do.  Costs will rise, so
>there might be some inflationary pressure to increase wages, however
>isn't it likelier that people will reduce their discretionary
>expenditures? 

Hee, hee, that's a good one Kim.  You almost had me believing it for a
moment there.  The sad fact of the matter is that people will always live
beyond their means until something is done to demonstrate to them that this
is not a wise thing.  A depression would do it, but that is not a good
thing.  Bankruptcy might do it, but it's not serious enough.  Higher prices
will certainly not do it.  It didn't work that well before, and now the
credit card companies practically beg you to spend money you don't have.

No, the only thing likely to make people reduce their discretionary
expenditures is financial responsibility.  But, we don't get it from our
businesses or even our government, so why should we expect it from our
people?  Maybe by making credit illegal :-) ?

-- 
--- Kevin Picott   NTT Systems, Inc., Toronto, Ontario
    "There can be no offense where none is taken" - Japanese Proverb

    kevin@zorac.dciem.dnd.ca, or on some sites kevin@zorac.ARPA