All of cyberspace has been agog with Archon Corp. Treasurer Sue Lowden‘s chickens for health care proposal. Normally we’d chalk up this kind of Green Acres-inspired policy to spring fever and leave it at that — were it not for the fact that Lowden is ostensibly a key executive of a local (albeit obscure) casino company. Does her vision of a chicken-based economy reflect the quality of thought that prevails within the Archon boardroom? Yesterday, whilst stymied by messed-up blog software, S&G mused via Twitter on the implications of “chickenomics” if applied to how Archon does business …
• So if Joe’s HVAC Service is owed $90K by Archon Corp., would Treasurer Lowden pay with chicken dinners, free-play coupons, buffet comps?
• Anybody know where I can get ahold of some chickens to barter for hotel room @ Pioneer Gambling Hall in scenic Laughlin?
• Just remember: If the Pioneer charges you $35/night to stay there, try & haggle it down to $25 or even $15. That oughta work like a charm.
• How many chickens would [developer] Jim Rhodes have accepted in lieu of … Red Rock [Canyon] acreage? Could be new metric of LV land valuation.
• The origins of chicken-based economic theory
• S&G estimates chickens worth +20% dead than alive. All future Archon Corp. transactions to be calculated in poultry value as well as $$.
According to one of the more conservative estimates, chicken by the pound was trending toward $0.84 cents last month. Since the average chicken weighs as much as seven pounds, that’d make one bird worth $5.88. Which means that if Texas-based developer Christopher Milam was willing to pay an above-market price for the Wet ‘n Wild site, he needn’t have offered the Lowdens $618 million but just backed up a fleet of trucks holding 102 million chickens, plus several dozen eggs. Milam’s $22.9/acre offer translates to a poultry-adjusted 3.89 million $PSL (Paul & Sue Lowden).
Ms. Lowden’s political resumé may have credibility but as an executive of an SEC-traded company she paints herself a clueless dilettante. Unless, that is, you can now buy casino chips with produce and livestock at the Pioneer’s casino cage. As for the origins of “chickenomics” in the world’s oldest profession, what could be more apt to a new economic theory hatched right here in Sin City?
I couldn’t get the Newsweek article to load from here, so I did a search. This is the URL:
http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thegaggle/archive/2010/04/22/welcome-to-the-21st-century-sue-lowden.aspx
BTW, I think hers is a great idea, typical of the cutting-edge thinking that has been the hallmark of Republican economic theory since 1897. Maybe we can even extend it to other healthcare areas: If I can’t get an appointment with my doctor for a minor ailment, why can’t I take my 14 chickens to the nearest CVS pharmacy to pay for treatment by its “Minute Clinic” medic?
I don’t want to get into the politics of this (senators and congressman regularly say things just as inane, if not moreso) but I do have to question Ms. Lowden’s qualifications to hold a key gaming license. The former newsreader’s apparent naivete reinforces Archon’s reputation as a bastion of nepotism and favoritism. Still, chicken-based economic theory is more fascinating in its potential ramifications (Grow your own currency!) than most of what comes out of Washington. 🙂
Let me even out the debate, then…
If you dare to grow your own currency, we Democrats will tax your chickens to death, just to further our plans for Collective Chicken Farms. Then we’ll replace the Washington portrait on your dollar bills with Foghorn Leghorn!
(Look for this “fact” to be reported in an email in your mailbox soon.)
🙂
Seriously, David –
Welcome back. I missed your S&G posts. They help make my day.
now we know which came first: the chicken,or the egg on sue lowden’s face, speaking of which, I think she paid 1 chicken too much for that eye lift