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The farmer used “free range” chickens to produce the eggs because “free range” chicken eggs commanded a higher price. Even though it took more labor and space to take care of the “free range” chickens, the higher price more than paid for the extra cost of the eggs. Besides, the farmer knew that his eggs tasted better and were more nutritious than those mass produced eggs marketed by EGGS INC. All was well. The farmer was making a good living providing a quality product. “Free range” chickens forage for food but the major portion of the chickens’ diet was provided by the farmer’s corn crop so the farmer’s expense in producing such a quality product was extremely limited. The farm was very profitable. The farmer and his family were happy even though many hours of labor were required to grow the corn, care for the large flock of “free range “chickens and market the eggs. |
the local markets. The board was especially concerned about farmers using gimmicks like “free range” chickens to give their product an unfair advantage over EGGS INC products. Besides, unregulated egg farmers were clearly a health threat. Why, only last year several people were hospitalized with salmonella poisoning that may have resulted from contaminated eggs. It was incumbent on EGGS INC. to have this health threat removed. A salmonella poisoning epidemic, blamed on contaminated eggs, could be devastating to EGGS INC. |
problem. For years, the Lobbyist had protected the company from legislative and regulatory excesses. Now the Lobbyist must get more aggressive. The Lobbyist met with several Legislators to explain the concern about the probability of contaminated eggs causing an epidemic and the destructive effect of the unfair competition from unregulated farmers on one of the largest employers in their District. EGGS INC. had been a long time supporter of all the Legislators contacted by the lobbyist. Of course, the Legislators sympathized with the Lobbyist and wanted to help their supporter but were concerned about a reaction from farmers who earned extra income from selling eggs and eggs produced by EGGS INC’s caged chickens. Just look at the trouble the ingrates had made over raw milk. It would be both better and faster to use the bureaucracy to achieve the desired results and the Legislators would escape any blame. The Legislators volunteered to arrange a meeting between the Lobbyist and the bureaucracy. The Legislators would request cooperation in the matter from the Bureaucrats. |
Meeting with the bureaucrat, the Lobbyist explains the problems of contaminated eggs and unfair competition to EGGS INC. The bureaucrat was an expert in the desecration of the free market and possessed guile that any “con” man would envy. The bureaucrat knew that it was best to implement new regulations in the smallest increments practical and affecting as few people as possible with each advancing increment. Exploiting his knowledge of the system, the bureaucrat formulates a plan to solve EGG INC’s problems and presents it to the Lobbyist. |
The plan was to create a regulation eliminating the “free range” eggs first. Fewer people were involved in the production of eggs using “free range” chickens and there should be little problem implementing such a regulation and removing the dangerous product from the market. Public hearings would be required, but those hearings would only be publicized and held in Washington DC. Of course there are no “free range” chickens in that city, so only bureaucrats and EGGS INC, testifying for the new regulations, would attend the hearings. There would be no one to object to the new regulations. The victims of the new anti “free range” egg regulations would not even find out about the new regulations until they were cited for the violations. Since the bureaucracy operates on a “guilty until proven innocent” basis, the sanctions would be applied immediately. Fighting the regulations and citations in court would require an expensive and extended legal action that the “mom and pop” farms could never afford. Once the dust is settled from the anti “free range” egg regulations, the operation will be repeated to eliminate the remaining competition, mostly “mom and pop” operations that generally sold their product to friends and neighbors. The new regulations to eliminate the possibility of contaminated eggs would require expensive equipment to prevent the egg contamination. Costly inspections (fees to be determined on a per inspection basis, not per egg basis) to ensure the quality of the eggs would be required. The inspections alone would make the cost of producing small quantities of eggs uneconomical. EGGS INC’s unfair competition would cease to exist voluntarily or be cited for endangering the public and removed from business. |
The plan was implemented and the anti “free range” eggs regulations were imposed. The government inspector learned that the proud, prosperous farmer had “free range” chickens and informed the farmer that his chickens must be caged immediately and the unsafe method of egg production terminated. All the “unsafe eggs” in inventory must be recalled and destroyed. Marketing of eggs will not be allowed until the chickens are caged for 2 weeks to purge the contamination that the chickens were exposed to while foraging for food. The facility would be inspected to ensure that all the dangerous practices had been terminated before marketing the eggs could be resumed. The farmer had to borrow the money to buy cages. The cost of destroying all those “dangerous” eggs and the investment in cages wiped out over a year’s earnings. Egg production was down for 6 weeks and the farmer’s eggs no longer commanded the premium price of the “free range” eggs. In 15 years of producing eggs from “free range” chickens there had never been a problem so the farmer was at a loss to understand why the new regulations were implemented. However, the cost of challenging the bureaucracy in court exceeded the value of his farm. His whole business plan was in jeopardy. This was the first time in his 15 years of operating the farm that he would lose money. If he could just hold on until the new crop came in, perhaps cash flow from the new corn crop and eggs sales would allow him to change his business plan and save the farm. After all, the farm had been in his family for years. |
The incident proved again that the printing of money was not the only cause of inflation. EGGS INC prospered and the hapless consumer had no idea why egg prices increased.
result of political power and not productivity. The budget of the Lobbyist was increased significantly and campaign contributions to their Legislator friends were enhanced. Members of the Board of Directors and the CEO held fund raisers for the friendly politicians. EGGS INC had found that in a mixed economy political power was ever so much more important than productivity. The bureaucracy had the power to enhance their prosperity or destroy the company and both the Board of Directors and the CEO knew it. EGGS INC settled into a period of prosperity, secure in the knowledge that their political power protected them from any competitor. What could possibility hurt them now? |
Just when the farmer thought that it could not get any worse, the bureaucracy implemented new regulations requiring all egg producers to use equipment conforming to the bureaucracy’s specifications. Periodic inspections would be required and only producers that passed the inspection would be allowed to market eggs. Of course, a short “grace” period was allowed to allow the egg producers to conform to the new regulations. Because of the debt and the losses caused by the earlier regulations, the farmer was unable to obtain a loan to upgrade his operation to conform to the new regulations and loss of the income from egg sales would prevent him from servicing the debt that had already been incurred. Even if capital had been available, the farmer would have been unable to produce eggs at a competitive price. His operation was just too small to compete under the new regulations. Unable to service the debt and pay the taxes, the farm went into foreclosure and was sold at auction. The once proud, prosperous and productive farmer was reduced to a minimum wage job, existing in poverty with little hope of regaining his prosperity.
the consumer soon saw the results in egg prices. Many of the farmers complained to their Legislators but all were told that the new regulations were created by the bureaucracy and there was little Congress could do but they would certainly look into the problem and try to reign in the “out of control” bureaucracy. The new bureaucratic regulation reduced egg production so, naturally, the price of eggs increased. Egg Inc’s profit increased and the Board of Directors looked forward to a bright future. The company held a huge party for all employees and bonuses were paid to the CEO, members of the Board and the Lobbyist. |
The Egg INC Board of Directors met in a panic. How could they possibly compete with such a device? Somehow, they had to stop this madman from destroying their market. Again, they called upon their lobbyist for help. It was a lobbyist and his bureaucrat buddies found that the device emitted carbon dioxide. The bureaucrats outlawed the device because of carbon dioxide emissions and excessive energy use. EGGS INC. was saved again by their Lobbyist and his friends the bureaucrats. The “technology dividend” took another hit from the bureaucracy. The bureaucratic rules and regulations saved EGGS INC but destroyed a device that could have alleviated world hunger. How many times in the past 50 years has bureaucratic, meddling in the free market, destroyed an invention with the capacity to increase our standard of living, for the purpose of maintaining the status quo benefiting the established industry? |
Of course, technology can always be a problem to an established industry and tragedy struck! An inventor developed a device that could produce eggs directly from corn. The cost of eggs produced by the device was estimated to be 95% of the cost of a chicken produced egg. Not only does the egg cost considerably less but it can be produced in a variety of flavors. Strawberry, chocolate, oysters and even egg are just some of the flavors available. If the device advances from the prototype stage to production, EGGS INC will be decimated. All of the EGG INC’s production facilities will be obsolete and the company would be unable to compete with the egg machine. Thousands of their employees would lose their jobs. |
The villain of this fable is not the company, EGGS INC; the villain is the Legislators and its puppet, the bureaucracy that initiates the use of force against the individual. When the government substitutes force for the action of the free market, everyone loses in the long run! |
This fable is a fictional account of how the bureaucracy works and the havoc, it can, and has caused to our economy. Much of inflation is caused by the use of bureaucratic force to artificially increase the cost of almost everything we buy. The covertly outlawing an invention that could enhance our productivity is the normal operation of the bureaucracy. It has a devastating effect on real economic growth. This article may not be all fiction, when was the last time you saw an “EGGS FOR SALE” sign on a farmer’s lawn? |
| Of course, the Bureaucratic enforcement of Tyranny is nothing new! Why do you think over 1000 years elapsed between the design of a steam engine and a practical application of steam power. |
This webpage is the final chapter of the book "THE TEA PARTY AND THE TYRANT LIBERTY V/S TYRANNY". There have been some modifications to adapt it to a webpage. This final chapter is the only fiction in the book. The remainder of the book (with 79 outrageous illustrations) consists of comments on the recent news and the conflict between the TEA PARTY AND THE TYRANT. The 79 outrageous illustrations add to the reader’s enjoyment and understanding. "THE TEA PARTY AND THE TYRANT LIBERTY V/S TYRANNY" is available in paperback and Kindle editions bookstores and Amazon.com. The Kindle edition ($2.99) is an easy read on your computer and the illustrations appear in color. The book is only 104 pages long and with the 79 illustrations. There are no long sections of text. Amazon provides free software to read Kindle editions on your computer. |
KINDLE EDITION "THE TEA PARTY & THE TYRANT LIBERTY V/S TYRANNY" only $2.99 CLICK ON ABOVE LINK |
| A TOBY’S FABLE: EGGS INC, THE FARMER AND THE BUREAUCRACY |
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| WHEN YOU BUY THE KINDLE EDITION BE SURE TO DOWNLOAD THE KINDLE COMPUTER SOFTWARE ILLUSTRATIONS APPEAR IN COLOR ON YOUR COMPUTER |
SENSE” the“KING” and his “PEERS” were easy to identify. They made no effort to hide their identity as they went about the business of oppressing the “COMMONS”. Click here to finish reading the Introduction to "21st CENTURY COMMON SENSE" A pdf file will be opened in a new window, when finished just close the window. |
| FRONT COVER |
| THE KINDLE EDITION OF "21st COMMON SENSE" IS AVAILABLE FROM AMAZON.COM FOR $2.99 JUST CLICK ON THE ABOVE ICON. |
Pure capitalism has never existed; it is similar to absolute zero in physics. Like absolute zero, Capitalism has been approached but never actually achieved. The United States Constitution, perhaps, produced the closest thing to Capitalism that the world has ever seen. Even though our Capitalism was flawed, it produced unprecedented prosperity and undreamed of technological achievements. Under a mostly Capitalistic society, the steam engine, whose design dated back over 1000 years before the emergence of Capitalism, became a practical labor saving tool. The steam engine and subsequent innovation improved man's productivity and created a prosperity and well-being for the average citizen that is unique in all recorded history. Entrepreneurs exploited innovation and created the industries that increased our productivity and reduced the cost of almost all goods and services required to sustain and enhance our lives. Envy of the wealth accumulated by these entrepreneurs caused society to move away from its capitalistic roots. In 1888, the Congress created the ICC (Interstate Commerce Commission). Two years later the Congress passed the Sherman Antitrust Act. Capitalism became quite ill; contracting a fatal disease after Congress enacted these two laws. Around the turn of the Century the Wannabe Tyrants enforced and strengthened these laws, and Capitalism lay down on its death bed, never to rise again. On its death bed, Capitalism was slowly replaced by Cronyism. Few even acknowledged its demise when Capitalism passed away in the mid-1930s. Capitalism had been completely replaced by Cronyism. Even though Capitalism has passed away, Wannabe Tyrants ignored its demise and continued to blame the corpse for the economic failures of Cronyism. Cronyism, continued to degenerate into Tyranny. Of course, Cronyism is simply the transition between Capitalism and Tyranny. The evolution of cronyism to tyranny is almost complete. How did it happen? Read the book “21st Century Common Sense”. |
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