Not living in America has allowed me to be much more tolerant when keeping up with US politics. As much as I criticize Taiwan (because I care), American politics seem like a joke. Not a good one either in that they keep repeating the same joke that every three months there is a looming financial crisis that can only be avoided if two groups who hate each other agree on something. Doesn't inspire a lot of hope.
I think it was not the latest calamity (the sequester) but rather then previous one (fiscal cliff) which if it had occurred, milk prices would have increased drastically. I believe that the government subsidizes mlik, so it can be cheap for all of us to buy. Which is a shame because here in Taiwan milk is pretty expensive, and I always thought that it was because there are not many cows, and the reason that milk in America is cheap is because we have tons of cows. Alas, I was a fool.
Tying this in to Taiwan, I wonder if there was a fiscal cliff of their own. Why you ask? Because bananas are absurdly expensive now. For the first few years of being in Taiwan, bananas were so cheap as to almost be free. Maybe thirty cents for a bunch. For the last two years, bananas have gone up more than five times the previous price.
Could it be weather? Perhaps. But seeing how governments work, I'm going to go with the government is no longer helping out our dear banana growers. Outrage! The cost of bananas is too high Mr. President!
