‘Operation Decongestion’
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Prof. Wayne Leeman’s letter (March 15), “Highway Tolls and Congestion,” in which he advocates toll roads, finally explains to me why economics is called the “dismal science.”
Having practiced economies most of my life, I am an economist of sorts and I have a plan for relieving our crowded Southern California highways. My plan, which I call “Operation Decongestant,” is to exhume the tried and proven World War II gas rationing system. Along with new rationing cards, we will divide the population into five groups, each group consisting of 20% of the people.
Group 1--These will be the new generation of bureaucrats who will issue the cards. They will only sit.
Group 2--These will be the applicants for the cards. They will only stand.
Group 3--These will be successful applicants waiting at gas stations. They will only die.
Group 4--These will be unsuccessful applicants who have been denied cards. They will also have lost their jobs and can’t get home anyway. They are the “free choice recipients of welfare cash grants.” They will only walk.
Group 5--Hurray, the system works! These are the 20% who have both cards and gas and will drive the streets and highways. Only they will ride.
Thus we have the solution to gridlock in a nutty-shell. How’s that, Prof. Leeman?
ROY BOYKO
Mentone
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