They're Closing In

The guvmint is moving in more and more on its citizens. Used to be that I had to show a picture ID only at the airport. Today, danged if I didn’t have to show one at my doctor’s office. My doctor buddy tells me that this is now the law, that physicians are required to put a copy in your file. Why? I see no real reason except that the guvmint wants more and more control of all of us. Aviation, of course, is more inconvenienced than most industries, and it costs. Years ago—decades ago, to be honest—the Piper dealer in Montgomery, Alabama sold a new airplane to a guy who paid for it in hard funds. That was a bit unusual, but pretty nice. The next week the sheriff from the buyer’s county showed up wanting to know if the salesman—who was honest as the day is long, by the way—had checked the buyer’s background. “Hell no,†he told them, “I didn’t need to. He had the money.†The sheriff said, “Would you sell an airplane to just anyone who showed up with the money?†“Yep,†the salesman answered, “in a skinny minute.†Do you suppose a salesman could get away with that today? Seems to me that today the businessperson is responsible for most everything, particularly in aviation.  We collect taxes for the guvmint, we go by their rules, we collect information for them, and it just gets worse and worse. Now we are required to screen our customers to some extent. I still remember from way back in the '70s when I first learned that if we had customers who participated in a leaseback agreement, we had to notify the guvmint. That was more’n three decades ago, and I swear it has gotten worse ever since. There was also the day that the property tax people called me to see what Dr. Whathisname’s airplane was worth. I told the lady that was not my job, but I soon found out that it was. Within two hours we received a thinly disguised threat. They reminded us that they could come check our inventory every week. It is my belief that the guvmint is incapable of not using information they have to bully people. Anyone who doubts this is invited to read his history on J. Edgar Hoover. Somebody should run for office on one campaign promise—I promise to vote against anything that gives guvmint more power. We'd love to post your comments. Please click the comment tab at the top.