Hi Hawkmoon,
I like the direction you are taking with the government aiding in the creation of new industries, such as hydrogen fuels via nuclear stations. Very forward thinking on your part. Too bad that the Bush-Cheney team are dominated by their dinosaur fossil-fuel bribers, er, campaign contributors. A review of the Bush Energy Plan indicates that the administration intends to cut all alternative fuel research by 36-50%. Seems really sensible if you want to reward fossil fuel traders.
In doing some research on Sam Insull (not much of use on the Web, since this was so long ago), I ran across the script for a play written in 1937. Here's Scene Nine - Insull's Empire:
iweb.tntech.edu
CHARACTERS
LOUDSPEAKER
SAMUEL J. INSULL
CONSUMER-INVESTOR
LOUDSPEAKER: A lesson in high finance. Presenting Samuel J.
Insull of Chicago.
(Light comes up on INSULL and CONSUMER-INVESTOR, seated
center.)
INSULL: Now, son, just sit still and watch me and I'm going to
show you how to make a lot of money.
CONSUMER-INVESTOR: What do I have to do?
INSULL: Just keep quiet and when I need you I'll let you know.
LOUDSPEAKER: Samuel J. Insull organizes the Middle West Utilities
Company, president, Samuel J. Insull, capitalization
nothing, assets nothing, holdings nothing. Samuel J. Insull
sells the Middle West Utilities Company, president, Samuel
J. Insull, $330,000 worth of securities.
(A projection of a stock certificate appears--as INSULL
takes securities out of his pocket.)
CONSUMER-INVESTOR: Don't be a sucker. They haven't got any dough!
INSULL: Quiet!
(He transfers securities from coat pocket on his right side
to pocket on left side.)
LOUDSPEAKER: To raise the money to pay Samuel J. Insull, the
Middle West Utilities Company issues ten million dollars'
worth of stock, all of which the Middle West Utilities
Company, Samuel J. Insull, president, sells to Samuel J.
Insull for $3,600,000.
CONSUMER-INVESTOR (as INSULL takes stocks from his pants pocket
and transfers them to his coat): There's something funny
going on here.
LOUDSPEAKER: But Samuel Insull hasn't got a nickel in the world
to pay for these stocks.
INSULL (turns to CONSUMER-INVEsTOR, smiling): Now, son, I'd like
to talk to you.
CONSUMER-INVESTOR: Who, me?
INSULL: You know, I've sort of liked you from the first day I
laid eyes on you.
CONSUMER-INVESTOR: What is this, a touch?
INSULL: What kind of car do you drive, son?
CONSUMER-INVESTOR: A Chevrolet. Why?
INSULL: How would you like to own a sixteen-cylinder Cadillac,
all new and shiny, with a footman and a chauffeur?
(CONSUMER-INVESTOR regards him ecstatically.)
INSULL: How would you like to exchange that little house of yours
for a real home on Long Island, with one hundred and
sixty-eight rooms, a string of polo ponies and nine swimming
pools? (During the above, the CONSUMER-INVESTOR becomes more
and more interested; he nods, a big grin on his face.)
INSULL: How would you like to go around the world, Cathay, Mocha
and Java, on your own yacht-the biggest in the world--with
your wife and kids following you, each one with a yacht of
his own, just a wee bit smaller than yours?
(The CONSUMER-INVESTOR nods more eagerly.)
INSULL: HOW WOUld YOU like to go up to your boss and say, "Mr.
Simmons, I quit. I'm tired of being a wage slave for guys
like you to kick around. I invested my money judiciously, I
did, and from now on I'm going to live on the dividends from
my stocks in the Middle West Utilities Company!"
(The CONSUMER-INVESTOR nods as though his head were coming
off)
You're a smart boy, son, and I like you. And I want you to
know I wouldn't cheat you for the world.
LOUDSPEAKER: Samuel J. Insull sells half his shares to the public
for four million dollars, which he hands over to Middle West
Utilities Company.
(CONSUMER-INVESTOR hands INSULL money in exchange for
stocks.)
INSULL (stuffing money in all his pockets as CONSUMER-INVESTOR
regards stocks): That's right, look at the pretty pictures.
CONSUMER-INVESTOR (eagerly): How much is the dividend going to
be, Sam?
INSULL: Well, that depends on how much we make.
CONSUMER-INVESTOR: How do we know how much we make?
INSULL: Why, I write it down in the books.
CONSUMER-INVESTOR: Can anybody look at the books?
INSULL: Oh, no. This is a holding company. We don't have to show
our books to anybody.
CONSUMER-INVESTOR: Who decides how we're going to invest our
money?
INSULL: I do.
CONSUMER-INVESTOR: Who decides how much your salary's going to
be?
INSULL: I do.
CONSUMER-INVESTOR: And who decides if you're going to give
yourself a bonus?
INSULL: I do.
CONSUMER-INVESTOR: Why?
INSULL: Why? Because I still own fifty per cent of the shares in
this company and that gives me a controlling interest.
CONSUMER-INVESTOR: You mean the company that I put into business
with my four million?
INSULL: That's right.
CONSUMER-INVESTOR: Well, how much have you got invested in it?
INSULL: Not one red cent!
La plus ca change, la plus la meme chose!
Best, Ray :) |
