Economic Theory

So the House, at least, has agreed with the President to give each and every one of us a big gob of money.

When I heard this, for some reason I was compelled to look up the following (thanks, Google Books) and type it in:

“Since we decided a few weeks ago to adopt the leaf as legal tender, we have, of course, all become immensely rich.”

Ford stared in disbelief at the crowd who were murmuring appreciatively at this and greedily fingering the wads of leaves with which their track suits were stuffed.

“But we have also,” continued the Management Consultant, “run into a small inflation problem on account of the high level of leaf availability, which means that, I gather, the current going rate has something like three deciduous forests buying one ship's peanut.”

Murmurs of alarm came from the crowd. The Management Consultant waved them down.

“So in order to obviate this problem,” he continued, “and effectively revaluate the leaf, we are about to embark on a massive defoliation campaign, and ... er, burn down the forests. I think you'll all agree that's a sensible move under the circumstances.”

— Douglas Adams, The Restaurant at the end of the Universe