Free market equinox

Ah, every spring and fall I feel this sense of renewal. What happens at those two times and no other? Yes, that's right, the NPR affiliates, for just a moment in time, suddenly discover the enduring power of the free market. You must enjoy this moment, because you won't hear it the rest of the year in their endless stories on taxes and troubles everywhere that can be alleviated only by, not merely spending, but government spending.

For some reason, buying coffee seems to be a regularly recurring analogy. You'd think every NPR listener spends every day standing in line at Fourbucks. Here's yesterday's fundraising plea, asking you not to freeload:

"You can't just say I'm going to pay 10 cents for this coffee, and you can't turn to the guy in line behind you and ask him to pay for it."

Unless, of course, it's Medicaid, Medicare, education or the environment.

LAGuy notes: But, of course, this isn't your normal free market. They offer their services for nothing and then ask you to pay for them. To quote Monty Python, that's not good business. In fact, let me excerpt a large portion from the "Merchant Banker" sketch:

City Gent: How do you do. I'm a merchant banker.

Mr Ford: How do you do Mr...

City Gent: Er... I forget my name for the moment but I am a merchant banker.

Mr Ford: Oh. I wondered whether you'd like to contribute to the orphan's home. (He rattles the tin.)

City Gent: Well I don't want to show my hand too early, but actually here at Slater Nazi we are quite keen to get into orphans, you know, developing market and all that... what sort of sum did you have in mind?

Mr Ford: Well... er... you're a rich man.

City Gent: Yes, I am. Yes. Yes, very, very rich. Quite phenomenally wealthy. Yes, I do own the most startling quantifies of cash. Yes, quite right... you're rather a smart young lad aren't you.

Mr Ford: Thank you, sir.

City Gent: Now, you were saying. I'm very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very rich.

Mr Ford: So er, how about a pound?

City Gent: A pound. Yes, I see. Now this loan would be secured by the...

Mr Ford: It's not a loan, sir.

City Gent: What?

Mr Ford: It's not a loan.

City Gent: Ah.

Mr Ford: You get one of these, sir. (He gives him a small flag.)

City Gent: It's a bit small for a share certificate isn't it? Look, I think I'd better run this over to our legal department. If you could possibly pop back on Friday.

Mr Ford: Well do you have to do that, couldn't you just give me the pound?

City Gent: Yes, but you see I don't know what it's for.

Mr Ford: It's for the orphans.

City Gent: Yes?

Mr Ford: It's a gift.

City Gent: A what?

Mr Ford: A gift?

City Gent: Oh a gift!

Mr Ford: Yes.

City Gent: A tax dodge.

Mr Ford: No, no, no, no.

City Gent: No? Well, I'm awfully sorry I don't understand. Can you just explain exactly what you want.

Mr Ford: Well, I want you to give me a pound, and then I go away and give it to the orphans.

City Gent: Yes?

Mr Ford: Well, that's it.

City Gent: No, no, no, I don't follow this at all, I mean, I don't want to seem stupid but it looks to me as though I'm a pound down on the whole deal.

Mr Ford: Well, yes you are.

City Gent: I am! Well, what is my incentive to give you the pound?

Mr Ford: Well the incentive is - to make the orphans happy.

City Gent: (genuinely puzzled) Happy?... You quite sure you've got this right?

Mr Ford: Yes, lots of people give me money.

City Gent: What, just like that?

Mr Ford: Yes.

City Gent: Must be sick. I don't suppose you could give me a list of their names and addresses could you?

Mr Ford: No, I just go up to them in the street and ask.

City Gent: Good lord! That's the most exciting new idea I've heard in years! It's so simple it's brilliant! Well, if that idea of yours isn't worth a pound I'd like to know what is. (He takes the tin from Ford.)

Mr Ford: Oh, thank you, sir.

City Gent: The only trouble is, you gave me the idea before I'd given you the pound. And that's not good business.

Mr Ford: Isn't it?

City Gent: No, I'm afraid it isn't. So, um, off you go. (He pulls a lever opening a trap door under Ford's feet and Ford falls through with a yelp.) Nice to do business with you.