Mostly from one side of the political aisle and most of the “mainstream” media, you hear it all the time. Evil oil companies, price gouging, all that.
And while I’m not here to defend oil companies (while the price of gas continues to fall), I’m left wondering why we don’t have the same attitudes about the entertainment industry.
One movie ticket costs ten bucks. Really? But not just movie tickets, the price of entertainment (and the money they make) continues to skyrocket beyond average inflation. Why don’t we hear talk of evil movie or television companies? Oh, yeah, 99% of them vote Democrat and make “documentaries” that support ultra-liberal causes. You get to make as much money as you want, then.
I would personally support major “windfall taxes” on movie and music companies. While we’re at it, let’s throw in professional athletes that rake in millions for fairly useless but impressive skills (throwing a pitch, dunking a basketball, throwing a touchdown, etc.) Entertaining, sure, but otherwise useless for civilization. The prices for sports events have also become outrageous.
Why don’t we talk about a price freeze on a Coke and popcorn at the movie theater?
I would support a tax system that did this: rewarded actual producers. Do you make millions providing an actual service or producing an actual product that enhances people’s lives? We’ll cut your taxes. A lot. Do you make millions in some form of entertainment that waste’s people’s time and money instead of providing a service? We raise your taxes. A lot.
That sounds pretty fair and neighborly to me.
Peace.
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