I’ve mentioned several times about losing my job, my family and all my material possessions within a 6 month period several years ago.

But I don’t believe I’ve ever written in detail how I got back in the economic wagon to prosperity.

It was the early 1990s and the Iron Curtain had recently fallen. In my neighborhood, we had three Russian families move across the street. There was John’s house and then, going down the street, the next three houses were occupied by Russian immigrants. The two boys, although a few years older than my son, asked to play with us one day when we were outside bouncing on the trampoline. My son and the two Russian boys soon became fast friends.

These neighbors were aware of my being unemployed.

One day, one of the neighbors asked if I would be interested in going into business with him.

I replied, “What do you have in mind?”

“Well,” Jacob replied, “Russians are interested in everything American. American jeans. American wine. American cigarettes and more.”

“OK, so what are you thinking of…”

“Russians can’t get enough of American television. But they have work, they have families and more which are higher priorities than watching the television. So they want video tapes so they can tape the shows and watch them at their leisure.”

“How much money do they have to spend on video tapes?”

Jacob quickly replied, “One million dollars.”

Since most of the jobs I had since leaving college were advanced purchasing jobs, such as for Advanced Technology in aerospace, putting together purchasing deals was second hand to me. Over the next couple of weeks, I sourced European video tapes (they are different than American ones), arranged the shipping from the factory in Hong Kong to Leningrad and turned over the details to Jacob.

Jacob wondered how we would get paid. I replied I had a Letter of Intent drafted which would go to a West German bank along with the million dollars. When the bank received documentation the video tapes had been received in Leningrad, the money would be released to our account to pay the bills and make a gross profit of twenty percent.

Jacob got back to me a couple of weeks later after communicating with our client. He replied they had overstated the amount they had to purchase the videos and I asked what the new number was…

Continued on my blog at https://TedLeithart.com

This weekend was the Fourth of July. Americans for over two centuries have celebrated the Fourth with a number of festivities, from pie eating or water melon eating contests to watching a display of fireworks to grilling out to firing off your own fireworks.

When I was young, I remember Lou and Bobbie Hall coming over to my parents’ house to celebrate. Lou enjoyed lighting small fireworks with his cigar, which seemed to never burn down or burn out.

Putting the dogs inside the house about noon on the Fourth was standard practice as well, so the fireworks were silenced compared to being outdoors. Andy, our Jack Russell was different. He actually enjoyed watching the display once the sun went down.

This year we went to what has become our standard hangout on the Fourth. It is always a good party with hundreds of people attending. And this year was no different.

As we pulled into the compound, we were asked within a couple of minutes to help with the fireworks display (my son has become a favored son to the owners of the compound and they always have some type of volunteer work to do).

We enjoyed talking with several friends, had a portion (or three) of the pig they had roasted, and went back to socializing until dusk. Typically at dusk, paratroopers skydive into the compound with flags or red, white and blue smoke streamers. Unfortunately, the ceiling for the jump was a short 800 feet and the shortest jump allowed by the FAA is 1200 feet. Cancel the paratroopers.

About nine o’clock, an hour until the laser light as well as fireworks display, we had a heavy rain for about 10 minutes. It was enough to wet the fuses of a number of the fireworks, so although the show went on, several did not light.

Someone (not my son) had the brainstorm idea of lighting the entire box of fireworks and let it burn, As the fire got to a drive fuse, it would light, sending the skyrockets to their doom. But, there was no planned timing of ignition, as it depended on when the fire got to a dry wick.

I was across the field from the fireworks and wondered why there were several small campfire-like fires burning near where they were setting off the fireworks. Bottom line – we got our fireworks, but not in a planned fashion as there were lulls of up to a minute before the fire found another dry fuse.

The good thing was no one went home burnt anywhere and everyone went home with the number of fingers they had arrived with.

Quite a bit of life is like that. Your plans get rained on so try as you might, they don’t have the effect they should have.

Let’s face it. We’ve had quite a few plans rained on in early 2020. From the plandemic to turning off the world’s economy to manufacturing money like it was paper to more, many of our desires and plans and work is taking a lot more effort than it did prior to 2020.

Changing from a free-market capitalist economy to a centrally controlled economy is one of the largest storms out there, as it began slowly in 1913 when real money became Federal Reserve notes. Whether you like it or not, it is a planned progression to take the liberty which was the foundation of the United States and turn it into an oligarchy.

How do you thrive with these massive changes? How does your family and friends prosper when it seems there’s so many walls to get around, much like an never-ending maze?

I’ve found the way. I detail it in my book, Prospering In A Socialist Society. You’ll learn why socialism is another name from an oligarchy. You’ll see how various individuals thrived in such difficult circumstances. And you’ll recognize the simple truth on how to prevent socialism from crushing your freedom.

It’s all here… https://TedLeithart.com/prospering-in-a-socialist-society/

A few years ago the world was stopped. Almost like the proverbial saying, “Stop the world, I want to get off” or “Beam Me Up, Scotty” the world stopped turning.

Well, at least as far as the economic engines of the world, most of them stopped due to a major catastrophe that would kill us all unless we didn’t ‘followed the science.”

My nephew has been living along the Adriatic for about 5 years now. During the pandemic, his neighbor was arrested by the police. What was his crime? He was standing outside the front door of his apartment building, smoking a cigarette.

His crime? This country allowed people outside for one hour a day, and this arrogant, cocky, damn the world, I want to breathe outside air neighbor was outside during the 23 hours he was not supposed to be.

But then, my wife, ever the independent, hard-headed German woman she is, found a little piece of reality not too far from our house. On this oasis, there were no masks. There was no social distancing. There was wine, women and song (and food). And amazingly, this oasis had followed the government’s protocol in setting up this green space.

Out of 3.5 million square miles of land that is the USA, an oasis of less than 2.5 square miles where you could experience normal behavior. Two point five square miles where freedom continued to exist in the land of the free.

And you don’t think you should understand exactly how to prosper in a socialist society? OK. But when the:

– Thought police
– Mask police
– Vaccine police
– Fake food police

mandate:

– What you should think
– How healthy of air you are allowed to breathe (and when)
– What foreign substances and diseases must be injected into your bloodstream
– What inorganic compounds are to be ingested daily

Remember – I offered to show you how you could be Prospering in a Socialist Society, but you would have none of it.

For the rest of you, go to https://TedLeithart.com/prospering-in-a-socialist-society/ to pick up your copy NOW…

Technology is too politically correct

I ran into a friend, Rod, when I walked into work this morning. As we were speaking, he pulled out his SmartPhone and asked “What will be the temperature at 10 pm this evening?”

True to form (for 2024) the phone replied, “What temperature would you like it to be?”

(Up to this point, this is true and exactly what happened this morning).

What a normal response for 2024. After all, children are being taught all over the country they are not a boy or a girl. Here’s how obscenely illogical the world has become.

To the little boy who asked “Am I not a little boy?”, phones would counter with “Is that what you want to be?”

To the mother who’s child is extremely sick she takes him to the pediatrician. In response to the question “What is it doctor?” the doctor pulls up the Physicians Desk Reference on their phone while asking, “What do you want it to be?”

To the masses around the world asking “How dangerous is Covid?” science replies “Let’s see how dangerous we can make it appear…”

To the proud owner of a new Mazda MX-30, after asking his phone who manufactured his car, the phone replied, “What do you want it to be?” This owner has since bought several silver horse emblems as well as Scuderia decals and lovingly applied them to the car. He now announces to everyone he owns a 2024 Ferrari. (Actually, I had a neighbor who had BMW decals all over his Honda Civic. Amazingly, both had similar lines).

To the woman who visits dress shop after dress shop in search of the illusive perfect dress for the party she’s attending this weekend, the dress is a Balmain. (I use to have an aunt who was married to a missionary – obviously, they didn’t have much money. But she’d scour the used dress stores looking for the labels. When she found the appropriate one, she’d buy the dress, make her own dress, cut out the label from the high-end line and sew it into the homemade dress. Her society friends all over Switzerland ooed and ahhed over the beautiful dress she had purchased).

Yep, whatever you want it to be. That’s 2024. Society has finally evolved from “you can’t handle the truth” to “Truth? What’s that?”

Be that as it is, there is truth. My book, Prospering in a Socialist Society, is full of truth, detailing the various forms of government to why socialism is evil to how to prosper in such a society to the reason we do not have to experience 203 generations of tyranny before realizing this liberty idea is a pretty good one. In fact, we can improve where society is quickly. I detail how to do that in my final chapter.

That’s why Prospering in a Socialist Society is mandatory for your personal library. Get it NOW by going to https://TedLeithart.com/prospering-in-a-socialist-society/

Hey #Ohio

ACTION ALERT! * Action needed ASAP – VOTE TOMORROW *

YOUR ELECTRIC BILL IS ABOUT TO EXPLODE!!

Your access to power is going to be greatly restricted as this plan rations power by “modification of your behavior”

CALL and EMAIL THE SOUTHWEST OHIO HOUSE REPRESENTATIVES LISTED AT THE END OF THE ALERT AND TELL THEM TO VOTE NO ON HB79!

IT WILL BE VOTED ON TOMORROW, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26 (SESSION STARTS AT 11:00AM)

SO YOU NEED TO CALL AND EMAIL THE S.W. HOUSE REPS LISTED AT THE END OF THIS ALERT. TELLL THEM TO VOTE NO. BEFORE 11:00AM TOMORROW.

PLEASE CALL TONIGHT OR TOMORROW BEFORE 11:00AM AND LEAVE A MESSAGE.

(Phone and Email contacts at end)

Rep Bill Seitz is back at it. . . .working hard with groups in Ohio to restrict our access to electricity and raise our rates. He took a horrible bill that we defeated last General Assembly (HB389) and made it even worse! How?

The new version, now called HB79, not only forces residential customers into this rationed power, behavior modification with punitive charges for power usage during times when you need it the most . . . they are now forcing small and medium businesses into this billing scheme.

These higher prices will be passed onto the consumers! Haven’t our small/medium businesses been targeted enough already during CoVid? Higher utility rates harms all of us and squashes economic growth, making Ohio less competitive.

Are you ready to SET YOUR ALARM TO GET UP IN MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT! How do you feel about getting up in the middle of the night to run your dishwasher, do laundry and vacuum just so you can afford to pay your utility bill? Yes, customers did this in CA after a similar pricing scheme passed.

~~~~

Take action NOW to STOP Sky-high, Unaffordable Power Bills!

It puts in place a pricing scheme called Demand Response (also known as Peak Demand, Time of Use (TOU), Demand Management etc.)

It forces you to reduce your power usage and pay a premium if you use power during hours they don’t want you to (hint – it’s when you need it most!). Demand Response drives your utility bills through the roof!

How will it work?

Smart meters on your home are already spying on you. Utilities know exactly what you are doing in the privacy of your home at all times. This allows them to “punish” you with higher rates if you don’t modify your behavior on demand. Smart Meter data is collected as often as every 15 seconds. (Smart Meters – Not So Smart) They also catch fire and can blow up your appliance

This plan makes us pay for everyone’s “smart thermostats” and “appliance controllers” so utilities can control your heat/AC and turn off your appliances remotely.

https://www.newstarget.com/2022-09-· We would all be automatically forced into this scheme without our knowledge and can’t escape for 5 long years!

This billing scheme harms the middle class, poverty stricken and those on fixed incomes the most. (The wealthy just pay those higher bills!)

__________________________________

Share your personal concerns or choose from the talking points below:

Power is a necessity, not a luxury.
We demand power that is plentiful, affordable, and reliable.
Do not force taxpayers into a billing scheme that raises our rates if we are in or out of this new pricing scheme.
Don’t vote for a bill that forces ALL residential and small/medium businesses into a scheme that traps us for 5 years if we miss a postcard in the mail to opt out.
This new version of the bill not only forces residents into this dystopian plan but small and medium businesses as well.
These higher prices will be passed onto the consumers! Haven’t our small/ medium businesses been targeted enough already during CoVid?
Higher utility rates harms all of us and squashes economic growth, making Ohio less competitive.

If this is so wonderful – those who want this level of spying and control – require them to sign up for power rationing. FORCED participation is NOT the definition of VOLUNTARY!

We are struggling already and the riders PUCO has already approved are crippling us and making a NECESSITY already unaffordable.

Leave my thermostat and appliances alone! I CONTROL THE TEMPERATURE OF MY HOME and if and when I use MY appliances. (this bill makes us pay for Nest Thermostats and “appliance controllers”. And no, it is unfair for me to pay for SMART THERMOSTATS and APPLICANCE CONTROLERS for my neighbors. Let them fund their own power rationing gizmos.

Leave our OPT-OUT alone! This bill allows for the utility to over ride those paying to opt out of smart meters and prevent from being spied upon. The government in collusion with the utilities with track, log and share ALL information about what you are doing in your home and even share it with 3rd Parties. This is in clear violation of our 4th amendment right to be secure in our houses from unreasonable searches and seizures.

Stand with your constituents and not the power companies and their allies, PUCO, and radical left organizations.

Do not permit electric companies to bill us for power never created in the first place and power we never used! (lost Distribution Revenue)

This bill is a win-win for the utility companies and extremely detrimental to consumers.

This bill kills consumer privacy.

Uses surveillance to modify your behavior and control you and the daily decisions you make every day (when to do laundry, run dishwasher, determine the temperature in your home etc…)

Removes freedom of choice and informed consent. I am forced into this horrible billing/power rationing plan.

HB79 removes the Smart Meter Opt-out. Myself and thousands of Ohioans do not want to be forced into unsafe “Smart Technology”. Residents feel so strongly they are currently paying a $30.oo monthly fee to protect themselves and their families from harm to their health, to protect their home from house fires (there is NO surge protection in Smart Meters), to “buy back” their 4th amendment right to privacy, and prevent from replacing their expensive appliances (again there is no surge protection in smart meters.)

Under the bill these harmful meters are required to deliver the “behavioral energy savings,” (also called “peak demand reduction savings,” and “demand side management” goals of this legislation.

Just like with Smart meters, there is NO benefit to the consumer with HB79, only to the utilities, and this bill is a dystopian nightmare of surveillance and control of all of our energy usage.

*******************************

HERE ARE THE NAMES AND PHONE CONTACTS OF OHIO HOUSE MEMBERS:

House Speaker: Jason Stephens (R-93) 614-466-1366

Rep. Elliot Forhan (D-21) 614-644-5079

Rep. Sedrick Denson (D-26) 614-466-1308

Rep. Rachel Baker (D-27) 614-644-6886

Rep. Cindy Abrams (R-29) 614-466-9091

Rep. Rodney Creech (R-40) 614-466-2960)

Rep. Derek Merrin (R-42) 614-466-1731

Rep. Jennifer Gross (R-45) 614-466-8550

Rep. Thomas Hall (R-46) 614-644-5094

Rep. Sara Carruthers (R-47) 614-644-6721

Rep. Scott Lipps (R-55) 614-644-6023

Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-62) 614-466-8134

Rep. Sharon Ray (R-66) 614-466-8140

Rep. Susan Manchester (R-78) 614-466-6344

Rep. Jena Powell (R-80) 614-466-8114

Rep. Jim Hoops (R-81) 614-466-3760

Here is the list of email addresses. You can copy and paste all to BCC line of your email and then write or paste your talking points which will go to all of them. Easy to do and we hope you’ll take the time.

There is a book written a few years ago – The Doctrine of Lesser Magistrates.

It’s premise is good law is in line with the Bible and the Ten Commandments. Poor or bad law is contrary to God’s word.

The Doctrine says if the government passes bad law, it is up to lesser magistrates to counter that by defying tyranny (such as through nullification).

May I coin a new term. The Doctrine of Salt which is based on the premise that all worthy and meaningful and lasting insight is in line with the Word and any insight which is not in line with God’s word should be thrown out ‘like salt which has lost its saltiness.’

It’s amazin’ how salt permeates the entity which is salted. A little salt on a nice steak or a salt encrusted salmon steak is delicious.

When I was single, I cooked for myself and for my son. Although I can cook, I am not a good cook. I am great at sustenance and building health but terrible at making healthy food tasty. Most of my family and friends would prefer to go ‘out to eat’ when they visited me during my decade of being ‘ecstatically single the second time around’.

When I met my soulmate, I gained some weight and a little fat around my middle, even though I was still working out daily. Why? Because the food I consumed went from being sustenance to being enjoyable.

Getting back to salt, it is amazing how a little pinch of salt changes how my taste buds enjoy a bite of cow or fish. If you prepare it correctly, you don’t need much salt but the salt permeates the entire steak, salad or bowl of fresh roasted vegetables.

By using the DOCTRINE OF SALT in our education, politics, worship, work, play, relaxation and recreation results in God’s word permeating every aspect of our lives. The early Americans did this. In fact, this is why the Pilgrims and many Europeans in the Colonies came here, to allow the salt of God’s word to permeates every corpuscle of their being.

This is why the belief the First Amendment of the United States Constitution separates the Church from the State is totally wrong.

Can you imagine a Pilgrim taking God’s word and the worship of God and putting it in a corner of the room on an end table, only to be picked up for a couple of hours on Sunday mornings when they were headed off to a weekly prayer meeting?  But modern America and modern education would have you believing that is the case.

Such people do this for one reason. They fail to see how salt preserves, protects as well as makes life enjoyable.

Without the Doctrine of Salt, Donald Trump getting re-elected in November is meaningless. In fact, with the DOS (Doctrine of Salt), I’d wager resurrecting George Washington would fail to restore the Constitutional Republic that was the United States of America.

A major news story yesterday was President Trump was convicted on all 34 charges. Talking heads on multiple sides are having their say today, ranging from ‘disgraceful’ to ‘Trump must be stopped at all costs.’

All this buzz, all this hubris on conservative, liberal, Republican, Democrat and Libertarian side is all but a symptom. Chests are puffing up with the words ‘Wait ‘til November’ and ‘We finally got Donald convicted’, but these too are just a symptom.

Dad died five years ago this week from complications of cancer. Yet, some symptoms of cancer were showing more than 12 years earlier. Symptoms were treated but I was never told if there were ever any tests to see how invasive cancer was during these early stages.

When he did finally receive a diagnosis of cancer, he decided not to spend the time and energy to fight it, leaving his care in his Creator’s care.

But, what if Dad had received word he had cancer when he was in his mid-to-late 70s? Would he have made different choices? I can’t answer that for Dad, but for many, the answer is fight the cancer with everything you’ve got.

I’ve known Chachi his whole life. He had two bouts of cancer before he was five years of age. Mom and Dad did everything possible to win the war against cancer and thirty years later, Chachi is living a wonderful life.

This was all because Mom and Dad didn’t wait around. They fought the cancer with everything the doctors could do to save his life.

Isn’t it amazing how Chachi’s parents and many others throw their lives into beating cancer, yet allow the cancer within our society to grow and metastasize. Ball games, weekend parties, vacations and more seem to be more important than fighting the cancer killing the United States of America.

No, I am not pointing fingers at a person or political party. John Adams said “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” In other words, without a moral and religious people, the freedom given to us by God and guaranteed by the Supreme law of the land cannot exist.

Furthermore, it seems Americans, at least until recently, believe they (and I include myself in this) can live as immorally and areligious as they please with any consequences. History repeats this lesson over and over throughout history.

An ethical, moral government can thrive only when the officials and workers within that government are moral and ethical.

If the United States desires to rid itself of the cancer hollowing out our soul, it must return to its roots. Conversely, prepare your children for Gulag duty if We, the People, do not return to these roots.

Which brings the question – Is it possible to thrive while living in tyranny? Yes. I map out how to do this in my book Prospering in a Socialist Society. Click on the title of the book for a redirect.

Yes. This is the question I have for each American today. Are you smarter than Judge Merchan?

First off, I believe most Americans are. Let me tell you about a friend I worked with a few years ago. When he was born, the doctors diagnosed him with Cerebral Palsy. His parents were told he would live his life in bed and he would be a drain on the family psychologically as well as physically.

Yet today, he’s in his 20s. He has, on a regular basis, performed 6 hour workouts. He has performed 700 chin-ups within an hour. He can do hundreds of push-ups when he desires.

Additionally, he catches virtually all of my sarcastic, cynical humor. Now, from time-to-time, he gives me a questioning look, trying to figure out my ADD thoughts mixed with sarcasm (which typically create a long, deep belly laugh), but within a few seconds, he’s busting a gut as he gets exactly what I was conveying.

Many friends do not. Some see me as mean as they do not connect the multiple points I draw together to make my point.

I’m saying all this because he demonstrates he is smarter than the honorable Juan Merchan on a regular basis.

Why do I say this?

If I was stopped by the police (before May 30) and received a citation for something I believed myself to be innocent, I would have taken it up with the magistrate or judge. If the charge was for a major infraction of the law, I’m sure I would have a lawyer representing my interest.

After May 30, I cannot trust the police. I cannot trust the courts to allow my defense to be presented. I cannot trust the judge to direct a jury to apply the law.

In short, Judge Merchan has broken the judicial system in the USA. A smart governor would call for disbarment thus thwarting the trajectory toward destruction Merchan has set our legal system on. What will be the result? Merchan-like courtrooms throughout the United States.

Paul sang

“Flew in from Miami Beach, B.O.A.C
Didn’t get to bed last night
On the way, the paper bag was on my knee
Man, I had a dreadful flight
I’m back in the U.S.S.R.”

Unfortunately, this time around, ‘Back in the USSR’ is not a parody. Today, it’s reality.​

WOW! The number of times I overhear a conversation, get told something, read an insight in a blog or news article and more is overwhelming. What’s overwhelming is the massive number of viewpoints that get it wrong. TOTALLY get it wrong!

Here we are in the middle of another election year in the USA. It seems everyone has their favorite candidate as well as enjoying pointing their fingers at an opposing candidate.

“My guy’s the guy and the other guy’s in league with Satan,” is a good way of summarizing what I hear from almost every side. And I don’t care who your guy (or gal) is, you are wrong!

“All we gotta do is pass this law and that” is interwoven into conversations on how to rectify unwanted pregnancies or lessen the number of poor and a host of other solutions. Without a glance at what their bill or article says, I can vouch they are wrong as well.

“We just need to print more money so more people have more” is suggested by some – and they are completely wrong as well.

“We need to just let everyone live the way they want to live” Guess what? This thought is wrong as well.

“The United States was an immoral idea since 1619” is another wrong ideology more are parroting today.

“Let the government take care of the problem. After all, they know better than we do” is wrong as well

“Love is the answer” means so many different things to various people. This is about as meaningful as your truth versus my truth. But if all of us have access to “our” form of truth, then any direction should result in a solution. Unfortunately, most ‘truths’ do not as it not ‘the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.”

Truth is exclusive. Otherwise, there should never be any error, no mistakes, and no accidents – as everything is true.

And that is wrong as well.

I could listen to the Presidential debates and every notion proposed by every candidate will be wrong. I guarantee it.

I can hear Rxxx, Mxxxxx, Jxxx and most other friends and family calling me, telling me, knocking on the door to explain how cocky and arrogant I am. I’m sure some would use a paragraph of expletives to convey should pitifully misguided I am. And, guess what? They are all wrong as well.

Because I have the solution to all this. In fact, I spelled out the answer in my book Prospering in a Socialist Society.

I spent quite a bit of the book arguing from several viewpoints why socialism would be a mistake in the United States. It currently is (to the extent it is) and will continue to be so  the more it is implemented. Why? Because socialism is based on a false premise.

Next, I provide several stories of individuals who thrived while living in tyranny. In these stories I also give reasons and strategies on why these individuals did so well.

Lastly, I give an understanding of why Joe Schmo or the Donald or RFK or anyone else doesn’t have to be elected in order to fix America. Nor do we have to replace members of the Supreme Court, get Congress out of our lives, or condemn Judge Merchan to live under a ruler whose mind functions similarly to his own.

But, yes, there still is a solution. A singular, profound, do-able solution. I spell it out very directly in the book, which is available here…

Some friends and relatives will call me old. I disagree as age is a comparison to something else. Having said that, I do remember when:

Mr. Mangia (we called him the grocery man) would show up at our house with his truck full of meat, veggies and fruit. He had installed a freezer or two in his Step-Van so the meat we’d buy from him was butchered. More specifically, he would take our meat order and show up 1-2 days afterwards with the cut of meat we wanted.

But Mr. Mangia also sold Bazooka bubble gum from his truck. His price was 2 pieces for a penny.

Dad was a doctor with a very low overhead. He had majored in accounting in business school before attending college before attending pre-med school before attending med school. So he did his own books.

At the end of every month, Mom would assemble the daily journal into monthly bills and write them out. We three boys got to fold the bills, stuff the envelopes, seal the envelopes, stamp the envelopes with (I believe I began stamping the bills with $0.04 stamps). Next we sorted the bills by zip code for the post office and Mom or Dad would drive the bills to the post office.

Each of us boys received $1 per month for our services.

When I turned 12, I began a newspaper route. It was a small route consisting of 30-40 customers. As I recall, I netted about $0.50 per week per customer. At the time I thought I was wealthy.

At sixteen, I began working for Bill Koch at Sports Car Forum. This was a Jaguar, MG, Austin, and Fiat dealership on the East side of Columbus. I was paid $2 per hour for cleaning the cars (both new as well as used). From time to time, I drove a brand-new Jaguar XJ-12 to West Virginia and traded it for a new Jaguar XK-E, which I drove back to Columbus. I also did this with MGs, Austins and Fiats.

By the time I graduated from high school, I had accumulated enough savings to pay full-time tuition at The Ohio State University for four years. As I recall, three quarters per year was $800 if you were attending full-time.

Many ways we interact and conduct business have changed over the past several decades. As a result, comparing prices is difficult in many cases. But here’s some prices from the early 1970s to give you an understanding of how much inflation has taken from you. When I was in high school, I missed buying the following cars (I graduated in 1975). The car, the price I negotiated and today’s price are:

1962 Jaguar XK-E                                              $1500                    $105,000

Aston Martin DB4GT                                       $2000                    $382,000
(for a DB4, not a DB4GT. The last price I saw for a DB4GT was $1.4M)

Jaguar C-type                                                    $2500                    $3,100,000

In 1985, I purchased a Ferrari Dino 246 GT for $22,000. I did this as a Porsche 944 turbo sold for close to the same figure and my opinion of Porsche was they were a liability, not an asset (most vintage Ferraris increase in value over time). Today’s price for the same car is $425,000.

Now I realize supply and demand has a lot to do with the increase of these cars, as they have gone from older, used, quirky cars to collectible art.

Here’s another price you may be able to identify with better. College tuition. From $800 a year for a full-time, in-state student to $31,000. That’s a 3775% increase or an 86% increase per year, on average.

You may argue I went to college when the only computers were mainframe or there was little technology compared to todays. But left to the marketplace, that is, allowing capitalism to work its wonders without outside interference, a price for the same product should go down over time due to competition as well as better and newer technology lessens the value of older technology.

Why the HUGE difference?

I would argue there’s only two entities which have worked to increase tuition so greatly. Inflation and the national government getting involved in education to a much greater level are the two factors.

Thanks to these two factors, of which Bidenomics is a symptom, $20 is the new $1.