Too soon.

Sorry, I herby give you the right to poke fun at me the next time a hurricane threatens my island abode.

That discussion on currency was riveting. Too bad it doesn't matter because fiat currency is worthless.

</Austrian economics trolling>

Shock trooper, I dare say that the counterfeiters lobby isn't very strong, unless we see a new Tea Party style group led by Karl Markovics.

who cares about counterfeit? the government prints way too much money as it is, it's not gonna really hurt things to add a couple million for me... ;)

Re: If they are so convenient, why don't people use them more? (paraphrase)

They are convenient to use, IMHO. But they are not convenient to get. Resolve that and you've only got one more major hurdle. People are comfortable with what they are used to even if it isn't as good as an alternative.

largeham, while the counterfeiters lobby is not very strong, the government would gain no support from any other lobby for introducing polymer notes so the decision to waste money on paper notes seems quite straightforward.

People think that because Toyota and Honda make some cars here, they're American made. It's not the same as a Chevy or Ford. 80% of the profits go back to Japan.

@dDST, I was going to say, while the counterfeiters lobby is not very strong, they contribute a LOT to political campaigns!

@Gunfighter06, profits aren't everything. Profits are only the bottom line. What happens between the top line and bottom line can be quite important. For example, the company I work for spends most of its money on employees and that amount of money is much higher than the amount of profit sent to stockholders.

What I think would be useful to know would be the percentage of the upper line, the gross income, that goes into U.S. hands via paychecks, taxes, and such. If I buy a Toyota for $10,000, it isn't like $8,000 goes back to Japan. The question is, how much of that cost of the vehicle does go back?

Who cares which capitalists it goes to? What's more important is how much these companies invest in and care about the American workers who work for them. Honda and Toyota's disdain for US workers is legendary.

Who said anything about which capitalists? I said how much money is going to the workers and the U.S. government. If buying a Toyota puts more money in U.S. workers hands than buying a Chevy, then buying a Toyota is better from that perspective. There are of course other factors to consider. But if you are talking about buying American, then the part I care about is how much goes to U.S. workers.

Yeah well the answer to that is clear. About half the workforce of Toyota are temps who get paid maybe $11/hr and get no benefits. They're hired on for 2 years and then most of them are laid off so another batch can come through and make these scab wages. Honda has the same model.

Anyway we ought to cut down on the number of cars on the road. In the next 10 years I predict that owning more than one car will be considered in the same light as smoking is today. Maybe we could model the policy after China's one-child policy.

I buy the car that is the best value for me considering fuel economy, safety, and room. I could care less who it is that gives me the most car for the dollar. Dogs and kids demand a van. Honda Odyssey is the best value out there IMO.

What we need to do is start practicing safe driving so we don't get so many cars "totaled", as well as people injured or dead. Think of all the money saved on not having to buy so many damned replacement cars as well as decreased medical costs.

"In the next 10 years I predict that owning more than one car will be considered in the same light as smoking is today."

I'm with you in general here, Putin, but... I gotta say I highly doubt this one. Car ownership is a point of pride in America, just like house ownership has been.

Maybe I'm biased, being from the South -- our public transportation in Louisiana in particular, ESPECIALLY Baton Rouge, is absolutely horrific, with one rundown shoddy busing system and a couple taxis at best. Car ownership here is a necessity. I just can't see that drastic a reversal in 10 years.

That's going to change as the price of oil keeps going up, even without speculation driving up the price. My city doesn't have much of a public transportation system either, and I realize Americans have a sense of entitlement and individualism and that this outweighs any interest in the public good, but our present course is not sustainable. Our wishes are going to confront what is possible to maintain, and this unfettered commitment to motorism is not going to be possible. Ditto home ownership, which we saw with the complete collapse of the housing industry. Why does everyone *need* to own their own home? Why just because we have lots of land, do we need to eat every inch of it up with homes, strip malls and parking lots? Suburbanization is an abomination and has caused a great number of problems for creating sensible city planning in this country. Our cities are rotted out, or at least many of them are, and yet most of them are fairly new compared to the vibrant cities of Europe. That's a direct result of the automobile, suburbanization and this insatiable need for home ownership.

Households do not need more than one car. If you live so far away from where you work then maybe you should consider moving.

"Think of all the money saved on not having to buy so many damned replacement cars as well as decreased medical costs."

Agreed. Penalties should be increased for reckless driving. Everyone likes to point out the vast numbers of injuries and deaths caused by car accidents and I quite agree. Fines for speeding should be vastly increased and drunk drivers who get in accidents should be given mandatory sentences, have their license permanently revoked, and their cars repossessed. Penalties for drunk driving are a joke, and people don't take them seriously. I know someone who got a one year suspension and a small fine for a DUI, even though they were *underage* at the time.

Oh, I don't disagree at all, don't get me wrong. I'm right with you and the point behind your questions. I'm just saying that I doubt that in ten years people will look down upon owning multiple automobiles like they do smoking now.

@Puttin

Growing up, it would have been impossible to have fewer than 2 cars. Both my parents worked at good jobs about 1/2hr away from the house but in different directions. We were located about as good as we could be, but it would still be impossible for them to get by with 1 car. And, neither could practically just get another job, as they had both worked there for some time and would have taken pay cuts or not gotten as good of benefits if they started at new companies. I suspect many people who live in rural areas face similar situations.

In fact, even when my mother went part time, she still needed a car, as she spent all day doing errands or taking us kids to do stuff. I don't think you quite understand the (practical) importance of cars in certain types of places in America.

@ Putin33

I agree with you. Not the one-car thing, but the Toyota-and-Honda-treat-their-workers-like-crap thing.

The Big Three are getting screwed by the UAW. It costs the Americans $5,000 more to make a car than Toyota. It's a miracle that the Americans are still competing effectively.

I would rebel against a one-car policy. I want a late 60's or early 70's muscle car AND a huge pickup truck. Fuck the environment.

You make Americans look bad.