Horse and Buggy Bailout
2008-12-04
Category: politicsCongress heard once again today from corporate leaders in the Horse and Buggy industry. The corporate leaders asked Congress to include them in an economic bail out plan. They said that without the plan, most American jobs related to the Horse and Buggy industry would be lost.
Ezekiel MacTavish, president of MacTavish Buggy Purveyor, noted a sharp decline in buggy sales since the early twentieth century. He has had to lay off almost all of his employees. "These were hard working folks," said MacTavish, "It was hard for me to let them go, but I just couldn't afford to pay that two dollars a week to keep them."
Related industries have been affected too. Timothy Mathild Dervisher, of Old Tim's Hitching Posts, claims that he hasn't been able to sell a new hitching post in quite some time. He has only been able to keep one hitching post installer on staff. They others were laid off.
Those involved in the industry say that without the influx of billions of dollars in government money, the Horse and Buggy industry will shrivel up. Says MacTavish, "If people aren't riding horses and buggies, then how will they get around? How will they move freight? This will tear apart the whole of American economy."
Opponents of the bail out have suggested the economy will recover on its own and the new modes of transportation, possibly using cheaper, imported horses, will fill the needs. Said one economist, "Perhaps the buggy makers can put their skills to use making other products."
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