The Time Machine:
a peek into the future U.S.S.A.
by Carl V. Bibeau

Americans are probably the least patient people on earth. That's why one has to wonder how they will cope with the Socialism they are seeking, once it is completely in place. Technology has helped to shorten their attention spans, particularly the youth who seek the Socialist State as a Utopia. The electronic gizmos are an end in themselves to keep them amused. Capitalist destinations like Disneyworld have enticed people with spectacular payoffs at the end of long lines. Some can rationalize the waiting as worth it, for the techno-thrill, or the physical rush received in return for delayed gratification.

But how will they react when long lines are the norm for everything, even the mundane? Video footage and stories of long lines in the former Soviet bloc are distant memories. The latest generation may not even be aware of that reality. If anyone, young or old, would like a glimpse of the past as it was on that continent, or a peek into the future of Socialism in the United States, it can be had quite readily in the present.

Take a field trip to your local Post Office. It's the butt of savvy jokes. Ever wonder why it's the archetype of frustration in our society? I'm sure you've heard of the slang, "going postal." People wonder why the cost of postage keeps going up for slower service rendered. Well, it can be summed up in two words. NO INCENTIVE. When a business enjoys a monopoly, there's no reason to serve better. It becomes even more profound when the workers are "protected" by a union. The seductive lure of protection ensnares just as readily as "unbridled capitalism." If you want to see the blue-collar equivalent of private sector CEO decadence, bring a snack, and show up at any post office around noon.

The speed of the workers is indirectly proportional to the length of the line. In the private sector - say at a restaurant - when they get "slammed" at lunch, you can still at least see the employees try to accommodate the increased demand and/or congestion. At the post office, the opposite is true. It doesn't matter how long the line gets, or the patrons fidget, the movements of the workers get more deliberate with every increase of inpatient tension in the room. It is not atypical for them to flagrantly close a window, just as the line lengthens and announce casually to the other clerks, "I'm going on break." If there are two clerks handling the crowd, you can almost bet that one will disappear from the lobby for a leisurely walk to the unseen bowels of the building to either check on something or carry one package to the back. Each clerk makes a point of being chatty with the patrons, in a passive-aggressive politeness, as everyone in line contemplates how surreal the scene presents.

Woe to the "irrationally" impatient. They will feel the full wrath of the "federal" aspect of this socialized monopoly. The uniformed immunity will suddenly rear its ugly face to coerce, with the enthusiasm of the Gestapo. Even though identity thieves and teenagers with baseball bats ravage individual rural mailboxes, expect a S.W.A.T. team to be scrambled for any perceived breach of onsite "security," such as... a complaint.

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