Comment 31851

By mikeonthemountain (registered) | Posted June 17, 2009 at 17:45:05

A Smith : not disagreeing with you within the typically accepted definition of wealth. Building a bike and providing spare parts does not create as much factory employment and throughput as a vehicle assembly and subsequent maintenance. It does not require as much raw material transported, or as much energy consumed, or as much toxic waste disposed of. An automobile does indeed create more jobs in that sense.

However, let me be clear, with no change in income (actually a pay cut, we are in a recession) I feel MUCH wealthier since selling the car a year ago when gas was at 1.40. Do not forget that all of the money I am not spending on a vehicle is still being spent or saved (which means spent later). It means better food, more dinners out, more disposable income for clothing, etc. I am spending more money at Hamilton businesses, large and small. Not making payments into the automotive economy does not make my productivity or participation in the economy vanish. Quite the contrary. Riding a bike HAS ALREADY made my tiny little corner of hamilton more prosperous sans car payments, insurance, repairs, etc.

It may be beneficial to more carefully qualify what the definition of 'wealth' is. Seriously! This reply does not address taxes but I'm not going there in this forum :)

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