Tuesday, February 24, 2015

How Much Would You Pay for A Pen???

Would you pay $1000 for a pen???  I have, and I just might do it again.  Back in the 1980's when I considered myself a "young up and comer".  It seemed there were a few things us "young up and comers needed".  These basics included a Rolex Watch (aka....the Texas Timex) Ronald Reagan Bumper Stickers, and a Monte Blanc Pen Set. As you might guess......I had it all....and more!  Further, disguised with my collection of tailored Hart, Shaffner & Marx Suits plus my power tie collection I could pass myself off as budding young executive in almost any Board Room. I even voted for Ronald Reagan (3 times)  But there were issues and problems in keeping this act up.....

I could normally keep my suits clean and pressed, and I was very careful with the Rolex.  Reagan / Bush stickers were free and plastered all over every car in the executive parking lot.  But the Monte Blanc pens, yeah the Monte Blanc pens... were a nightmare for me.   The Monte Blanc Meisterstuck of that era sold for about $200 bucks in the roaring '80's.  I know I lost at least a half dozen of these little gems.  I guess I must have lost some of them in meetings, some I probably loaned to someone who never returned it, and a few may
Pictured above Mont Blanc Meiserstuck
have been stolen.  The only one I ever knew for sure what happened to was when my Secretary Judy dropped one on the concrete floor and it splintered into 1000 pieces on the shop floor. She was starting to tear up when I bravely said, "Don't worry about it Judy, its just pen.  I can pick one up at the office supply store on the way home.  It was about out of ink anyway".  I swallowed hard and walked away quickly.

Yes, these German-made pens were an expensive accessory for me back in those days.....but today they are relatively cheap compared to some of the more expensive ink slingers you can buy.  Consider with me, if you will, the cost of all of 314 ink signatures of the Congressman and Senators who recently approved the TransCanadian Keystone Pipeline Bill.  

According to figures, I picked up from the U.S. News and World Report, a combined figure of over $150 million spent to lobby our  Senators and Congressman in support of the TransCanada Keystone XL Pipeline.  If you count the favorable votes (mostly Republican) there were 314 Senators and Congressman who supported the bill.  So for each signature / vote.....the lobbyist ponied up almost a half million dollars per favorable vote.   (BTW, my old Texas Congressman, Ralph Hall, didn't even bother to vote....I guess he's been in office so long he didn't need the money) And the TransCanada Keystone XL Pipeline Bill passed both the House and the Senate.   Now you can buy a whole lot of "Mont Blanc Pens" for that kind of money.  And obviously, you can buy U.S. elected officials, if you have the money, in fact, like so many Monte Blanc pens you can buy all you want or need.

Sadly, the lobbyist have not bought the last pen they need to get the job done.  And I am not sure that pen is even for sale.  Sadly...in looking at the pen...that is the envy of many corporations, lobbyist, and causing them great concern doesn't even look to me like a "real Mont Blanc"  To me they look more like the  "Pilot Precise Rolling
President Obama's Veto Pen Collection.  
Ball Pens" that you get at the office supply store.  Last I knew you could get a dozen of the nice ones for about $14.95.  But our President pulled out his "Big Chief Veto Pen"  and put a stop to this mighty effort build a Foreign Owned Pipeline across the entire United States.  

I know a pen this powerful will rapidly become a collector's item.....and I know I can't afford to own expensive pens like this anymore, as I am retired and on a fixed income.  But I want to be the first to offer President Barack Obama a bid of $1000 if he will personally and officially sell me the TransCanada Keystone Pipeline VETO Pen".  I know it's a low bid.....but I am truly willing to at least get the bidding started. Another bargaining point, Mr. President, it looks to me like you will need at least another dozen of these before the next two years are up (so you almost surely have more to sell). Finally, Sir, if you agree to sell me this pen....I promise I won't sell it or ever let any fumble fingered persons handle it.

Sincerely,

Michael W. Roberts
303 Big League Bend
Naples / Omaha, Texas
(903) 806-6576   



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