Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Sheepish Economics


A rhyme with a reason that shatters the norm. Please excuse this departure from the usual.

Mary had a little lamb
Its fleece was white as snow
Everywhere that Mary went,
The lamb was sure to go.

Mary clipped the lamb
And sold the wool in town.
Her customers loved her wool
And came from miles around.

Her fame grew greater.
Her bank account got healthy.
After a few short years,
Mary became quite wealthy.

But the government saw
That Mary was doing well.
It wanted some of the action
Whenever Mary would sell.

The IRS said she must
Share the bucks in taxes
By giving to the government.
 “Cause other people lacksis” (OK, I’m NOT Longfellow)

One day the lamb growled,
Unusual, you see.
The ATF came to Mary.
Said "you’re living dangerously."

Then the EPA came by.
With language so unguarded
They levied a fine on Mary
Cause her little lamb had farted.

The dear lamb’s wool
Had warmed like a hug,
And the FDA told Mary,
“It’s a cold fighting drug.”

Pay a fee to our bureau
And we’ll issue an approval
In ten years or so
You can market in Loo’ville.

But Mary lived in Cleveland,
And Louisville was miles away.
She couldn’t walk so far
With her lamb on market day.

One by one, the agents came
And took their little piece
‘Till Mary’s lamb was almost gone
Including all the fleece.

“We’re here to help you”
Said Nanny State to Mary.
“We’re not a mean old State.
We are the benefit fairy.”

“We do much good for you.
No need for your fears.
Take back what’s left of your lamb.”
Mary only had the ears.

With her fleece gone now,
And the remainder of her lamb.
Mary lost her house and farm,
And no one gave a damn.

She wanders the streets by day
Covered in grime and tears.
No one gives her any time
‘Cause they’re freaked out by the ears.

The ears are all that’s left
Of Mary’s small enterprise.
The State has taken everything
By filling her with lies.

There is a moral here
If you will pay attention
Head for the hills if you can
And avoid benign intervention.

Big Government is a taker
From those who produce so well.
If IT thinks you’re succeeding,
It’ll make your life a hell.

Now those that once knew Mary
Ask about her woe.
“What is it that you have done
That lost you all your dough?”

“The Nanny took my property away
So now I’m merely leasing.
The Government got the lamb,
And  I received the  fleecing.”

Thanks to Ludwig von Mises, Henry Hazlitt, Friedrich Hayek and Milton Friedman for their inspiration. Charlie Earl



No comments:

Post a Comment