1699 1% Change

Weird economic factoids in the news lately. Like recently when I read that if it were a country, the revenues of a certain company would make it the 65th largest economy in the world.
That company is Costco.
Wow, can you imagine what it would be like to be Country 66? Just the whole aspirational factor alone. "We have to pull our country together so one day we can be like Costco.
"You, you will be the Minister of Aisle-end Sampling. Prepare the salty and cheesy foods in small size bites.
"You, you will be the Minister of Shrink-wrapping. Package things in large bundles and wrap them in numbers of three or more.
"You, you will be in charge of finding the magic land of Kirkland from which all generic products spring forth.
"You, you will be the Minister of Rebates—in charge of giving 1% cash back on every qualifying purchase with a card issued in the name of our country."
That old 1%. It keeps coming up. Like recently I read that of the $1.26 trillion spent on health care in 2009, 22 percent of it was accounted for by only 1% of Americans. That's about $90,000 a person. That darn 1%. But it was bipartisan one percentary. On the right, coronary bypass surgery for Type A CEOs and elective plastic surgery for their trophy wives.
On the left, Hollywood face-lifts shot up the curve.
Lastly, as the government struggles with revenue sources, one department has come through. The Transportation Safety Administration. Last year, passengers left behind a total of $409,085 in change when they passed through airport scanners. The unclaimed money goes to the TSA.
Hmm... Forget 1%. Let's make it 15%. No more taxes. Run the government on tipping. Almost sounds like a campaign slogan.
Keep the Change.
America ya gotta love it.