mem@sii.UUCP (Mark Mallett) (10/14/83)
b The tendency of people to get all up in arms and band together in an attempt to avoid paying for what they get really disturbs me. In this case, where unlimited local calling for a fixed price has been the standard especially in rural areas, folks seem to assume that there is some 'right' to have this continue. Now, I appreciate all the business and low-volume local users subsidizing my rather heavy use of local lines for modem calls; but I'm not going to claim that I have any reason to demand that this subsidy continue. Our government seems to have this belief (probably tracking that of people in general) that it ought to make people believe it is keeping them from paying money for what they get. I.e., that the government is arranging to keep prices low. We end up with a tax structure that is completely idiotic and many government- ordained pricing systems that are equally ridiculous; with low prices for the so-called consumer which are paid for in hidden taxes and weighting of costs toward "industry". People seem to think that money paid for by "industry" comes from nowhere. Free money. Like all the little tax write-offs. When you deduct your charity contributions and mortgage payments, and keep your churches from paying taxes, you are making other people reimburse you for money you elected to spend. Mark Mallett decvax!sii!mem