The Coca-Cola Analogy.

By Lewis A. Mettler, Esq.

Let me tell you a story. (Actually, you already know the story and all of the facts.)

Mike was an 8 year old. He lived with his parents in a small town not far from the State Capitol. His dad was a lawyer and was pretty smart too. Since the town was small and most people who lived there were poor, Mike's dad built a gym set big enough for all of the kids in the neighborhood to play on. Slides, bars, platforms, tunnels, it had everything. And, all the kids in town wanted to play. Mike was pretty popular. Mike and his dad figured that the gym set was so good and the absence of a public park in the town so obvious that they decided to charge $.25 for each kid each day that they wanted to play. Well. You guessed it. Mike became rich. It was a good gym set. It was worth the $.25 per day. (Mike even started to earn more money than his dad)

But, a new kid moved to town. His name was Ned. Ned was 6 years old. And, of course, Ned's dad could only mow lawns and do odd jobs around town. So, Ned like every other kid had to pay $.25 per day to use Mike's gym set.

One day, Ned had an idea. Ned was pretty smart. Ned would go down to the grocery store, buy a six pack of Pepsi-Colas and set up a small stand out in front of his house and sell Pepsi by the glass. Now, all the neighborhood kids using the gym set would get pretty thirsty. Soon most of the kids would also buy a glass of Pepsi each time they would play with the gym set. Now, Ned too was making more money than his dad. (In fact, he was making more money that Mike's dad.)

Mike was not going to stand for another kid in town making more money than his own dad, so he had to do something. Mike and his dad came up with a plan. They decided to triple the cost of the play privileges to $.75 by bundling a glass of Coca-Cola. Now, every kid has to pay more but they also get refreshment too. Mike and his dad wondered if the kids would go for the deal. Maybe $.75 was too much money to play on the gym set. (after all some screws were coming loose and some kids were getting injured) No problem, Mike decided. We will just tell all the kids that the Cola-Cola is free. They would never turn down a free Coca-Cola, would they? So, the plan is approved.

Mike jacks up the price of the daily gym privileges to $.75 and advertises that every kid gets a "free" glass of Coca-Cola each day they play. (and Mike tightened up those 3 loose screws too...heck he even added a universal swing balance device - USB).

Guess what happens to Ned's Pepsi business? Ned tries real hard to convince some kids that Pepsi tastes better than Coke. Some kids even prefer Pepsi over Coke. But, they have to buy the glass of Coca-Cola. (they don't have to drink it, they can toss it out) But, they have to pay for it anyway since that is the only option that Mike offers.

Ned can no longer sell his Pepsi. And may be forced to move away with his family. Ned's dad became ill and only Ned's income was supporting the family.

So, all the neighborhood kids including Mike and Ned go to the town meeting. Lots of the kids say they don't want to have to drink Cola-Cola all the time. Lots of the kids say they can't drink carbonated beverages. And, lots of the kids say they don't have $.75 to spend every day. So, the city council will have to come up with some solutions.

First alternative is to do nothing. But, almost no one in town but Mike thinks that is fair. Second alternative is to prevent Mike from bundling the use of the gym set with the Coca Cola. The third alternative is to require every kid to pay for two glasses of cola (one Pepsi and one Coke).

But, Mike immediately jumps up and says "I should not have to put both Pepsi and Coca-Cola in the glasses". "You can not tell me what to do", says Mike.

Well the city council is not so sure. A lot of citizens are complaining. That gym set is the only place in town for the kids to play and most kids are not happy.

So, the town council decides to put the issue on the ballot.

Three choices are available:

1. Not allow Mike to force every kid to buy any refreshment with the gym set privileges. (return the daily toll fee to $.25)

2. Do nothing. (Mike gets all of the money, Ned must move out of town, and any kid who does not like Coco-Cola or can not afford to buy refreshments and the gym pass we just have to stay home)

3. Raise the price of the gym pass to $1.25 and include a glass each of Pepsi and Coca-cola with every gym pass. (that choice doubles the free refreshments)

How do you vote?

Do not tell any other citizen what is good for them or how they should vote.

If you want to advertise for Mike that the Coca-cola is free under plan #2, go ahead. Political advertisements are okay.

But, your opinions are open to the public. And, yes they do want to hear from you on what you think is fair.

Election day is sometime in June. (nobody really knows when, but Mike is sure to announce it with a big advertisement...after all Mike's dad is a lawyer and can help pick a good day to vote)

Lewis A. Mettler, Esq.(Attorney and Software Developer)

P.S. The use of any trademarks held by Coca-Cola and Pepsi Cola is strictly for illustration purposes and does not indicate any position the holders of those trademarks may be taking on the ballot measure. (But, if Bill Gates can claim to have Coca-Colas endorsement in this analogy, it is only fair to continue the charade)