The "Good" Old Days

[Al Azar]

Things aren’t going well in Venezuela. Inflation is rampant. There is little food or potable water. The drop in the price of oil has exacerbated an already struggling economy.

All Venezuelans are limited to two shopping days a week, based on their state ID number. They line up at what stores are open before dawn, waiting hours to find out if they can buy anything by the time they get inside. Pregnant women and the elderly have their own lines.

It’s a terrible situation, but it reminds me of what things were like here, forty-five years ago. They weren’t anywhere as bad as Venezuela today, but they were pretty damned bad compared to what we were used to.

It was the second term of the Nixon administration. We suffered climbing inflation and unemployment, both. There were federally mandated wage and price controls. The federal government applied a mandatory 55 mph maximum speed limit on the states. We had gas rationing and could buy gas only on certain days, corresponding to the last digit on our license plate.

There were no separate lines for pregnant women or the elderly.

As if that wasn’t enough, there were even rumors that our Republican president might defile our nation’s highest office by resigning in disgrace to avoid criminal prosecution.

I remember those days well. I was home from the war and had just graduated from college. For a fellow looking to start out in life, things weren’t looking too rosy.

But I got by, we all did. We had no choice. We threw the bums out the next election cycle and things began to get back to normal.

I wonder if our schools teach about modern US history, not only what happened, but why.

 

[the_human_being]

Things aren’t going well in Venezuela. Inflation is rampant. There is little food or potable water. The drop in the price of oil has exacerbated an already struggling economy.

All Venezuelans are limited to two shopping days a week, based on their state ID number. They line up at what stores are open before dawn, waiting hours to find out if they can buy anything by the time they get inside. Pregnant women and the elderly have their own lines.

It’s a terrible situation, but it reminds me of what things were like here, forty-five years ago. They weren’t anywhere as bad as Venezuela today, but they were pretty damned bad compared to what we were used to.

It was the second term of the Nixon administration. We suffered climbing inflation and unemployment, both. There were federally mandated wage and price controls. The federal government applied a mandatory 55 mph maximum speed limit on the states. We had gas rationing and could buy gas only on certain days, corresponding to the last digit on our license plate.

There were no separate lines for pregnant women or the elderly.

As if that wasn’t enough, there were even rumors that our Republican president might defile our nation’s highest office by resigning in disgrace to avoid criminal prosecution.

I remember those days well. I was home from the war and had just graduated from college. For a fellow looking to start out in life, things weren’t looking too rosy.

But I got by, we all did. We had no choice. We threw the bums out the next election cycle and things began to get back to normal.

I wonder if our schools teach about modern US history, not only what happened, but why.

I don't know where you lived but I am 73 years of age and have never had to purchase gasoline only on certain days according to my tag number. I really do not recall any type of harsh wage and price controls either. Also I have never seen any separate lines for anyone at all at the gas pumps. I think you are stretching the facts a mite. Are you attempting to impress your grandchildren?

 

[Al Azar]

Things aren’t going well in Venezuela. Inflation is rampant. There is little food or potable water. The drop in the price of oil has exacerbated an already struggling economy.

All Venezuelans are limited to two shopping days a week, based on their state ID number. They line up at what stores are open before dawn, waiting hours to find out if they can buy anything by the time they get inside. Pregnant women and the elderly have their own lines.

It’s a terrible situation, but it reminds me of what things were like here, forty-five years ago. They weren’t anywhere as bad as Venezuela today, but they were pretty damned bad compared to what we were used to.

It was the second term of the Nixon administration. We suffered climbing inflation and unemployment, both. There were federally mandated wage and price controls. The federal government applied a mandatory 55 mph maximum speed limit on the states. We had gas rationing and could buy gas only on certain days, corresponding to the last digit on our license plate.

There were no separate lines for pregnant women or the elderly.

As if that wasn’t enough, there were even rumors that our Republican president might defile our nation’s highest office by resigning in disgrace to avoid criminal prosecution.

I remember those days well. I was home from the war and had just graduated from college. For a fellow looking to start out in life, things weren’t looking too rosy.

But I got by, we all did. We had no choice. We threw the bums out the next election cycle and things began to get back to normal.

I wonder if our schools teach about modern US history, not only what happened, but why.

I don't know where you lived but I am 73 years of age and have never had to purchase gasoline only on certain days according to my tag number. I really do not recall any type of harsh wage and price controls either. Also I have never seen any separate lines for anyone at all at the gas pumps. I think you are stretching the facts a mite. Are you attempting to impress your grandchildren?

I said there were no separate lines. Everything else I related was also true.

Example: my landlord raised my rent from $90/mo to $95/mo. The following month it dropped to $92.25. I asked the apt mgr what the deal was and he reminded me that price increases were capped at 2.5%, by law.

I can't account for what you don't remember, only what I do remember. I was in my mid-twenties and aware of my surroundings.

 

[the_human_being]

Things aren’t going well in Venezuela. Inflation is rampant. There is little food or potable water. The drop in the price of oil has exacerbated an already struggling economy.

All Venezuelans are limited to two shopping days a week, based on their state ID number. They line up at what stores are open before dawn, waiting hours to find out if they can buy anything by the time they get inside. Pregnant women and the elderly have their own lines.

It’s a terrible situation, but it reminds me of what things were like here, forty-five years ago. They weren’t anywhere as bad as Venezuela today, but they were pretty damned bad compared to what we were used to.

It was the second term of the Nixon administration. We suffered climbing inflation and unemployment, both. There were federally mandated wage and price controls. The federal government applied a mandatory 55 mph maximum speed limit on the states. We had gas rationing and could buy gas only on certain days, corresponding to the last digit on our license plate.

There were no separate lines for pregnant women or the elderly.

As if that wasn’t enough, there were even rumors that our Republican president might defile our nation’s highest office by resigning in disgrace to avoid criminal prosecution.

I remember those days well. I was home from the war and had just graduated from college. For a fellow looking to start out in life, things weren’t looking too rosy.

But I got by, we all did. We had no choice. We threw the bums out the next election cycle and things began to get back to normal.

I wonder if our schools teach about modern US history, not only what happened, but why.

I don't know where you lived but I am 73 years of age and have never had to purchase gasoline only on certain days according to my tag number. I really do not recall any type of harsh wage and price controls either. Also I have never seen any separate lines for anyone at all at the gas pumps. I think you are stretching the facts a mite. Are you attempting to impress your grandchildren?

I said there were no separate lines. Everything else I related was also true.

Example: my landlord raised my rent from $90/mo to $95/mo. The following month it dropped to $92.25. I asked the apt mgr what the deal was and he reminded me that price increases were capped at 2.5%, by law.

I can't account for what you don't remember, only what I do remember. I was in my mid-twenties and aware of my surroundings.

Well, I admit I don't know about rent because I owned my own home but there were no special days in which to buy gas. Now, back during Jimmy Carter's days we had gas shortages where the stations would run out of gas due to the shortage of supply. There were also long line during Carter's time because the stations would be out of gas for a couple of days and even then, some stations would get a supply of gas while others didn't. That was under the Democrat Jimmy Carter, not under Nixon. There were no gas shortages, long lines, or limited days one could purchase gas under the Nixon Administration.

 

[Sunni Man]

It was the second term of the Nixon administration. We suffered climbing inflation and unemployment, both. There were federally mandated wage and price controls. The federal government applied a mandatory 55 mph maximum speed limit on the states. We had gas rationing and could buy gas only on certain days, corresponding to the last digit on our license plate.
I remember those days well. I was home from the war and had just graduated from college. For a fellow looking to start out in life, things weren’t looking too rosy.

I think your memory is a little askew, or you were just a loser.

I also had recently been Honorable discharged from the Army, and was attending college on the G.I. Bill, while working at my father's Texaco gas station part time. We pumped gas on a first come, first serve basis, until we ran out. Then closed down for a day or two until a tanker truck showed up and filled up the in-ground storage tanks.

I earned my degree, land a career job, and the rest was history.

All during the time you claim everybody and everything was in dire straits. .......

 

[Al Azar]

Things aren’t going well in Venezuela. Inflation is rampant. There is little food or potable water. The drop in the price of oil has exacerbated an already struggling economy.

All Venezuelans are limited to two shopping days a week, based on their state ID number. They line up at what stores are open before dawn, waiting hours to find out if they can buy anything by the time they get inside. Pregnant women and the elderly have their own lines.

It’s a terrible situation, but it reminds me of what things were like here, forty-five years ago. They weren’t anywhere as bad as Venezuela today, but they were pretty damned bad compared to what we were used to.

It was the second term of the Nixon administration. We suffered climbing inflation and unemployment, both. There were federally mandated wage and price controls. The federal government applied a mandatory 55 mph maximum speed limit on the states. We had gas rationing and could buy gas only on certain days, corresponding to the last digit on our license plate.

There were no separate lines for pregnant women or the elderly.

As if that wasn’t enough, there were even rumors that our Republican president might defile our nation’s highest office by resigning in disgrace to avoid criminal prosecution.

I remember those days well. I was home from the war and had just graduated from college. For a fellow looking to start out in life, things weren’t looking too rosy.

But I got by, we all did. We had no choice. We threw the bums out the next election cycle and things began to get back to normal.

I wonder if our schools teach about modern US history, not only what happened, but why.

I don't know where you lived but I am 73 years of age and have never had to purchase gasoline only on certain days according to my tag number. I really do not recall any type of harsh wage and price controls either. Also I have never seen any separate lines for anyone at all at the gas pumps. I think you are stretching the facts a mite. Are you attempting to impress your grandchildren?

I said there were no separate lines. Everything else I related was also true.

Example: my landlord raised my rent from $90/mo to $95/mo. The following month it dropped to $92.25. I asked the apt mgr what the deal was and he reminded me that price increases were capped at 2.5%, by law.

I can't account for what you don't remember, only what I do remember. I was in my mid-twenties and aware of my surroundings.

Well, I admit I don't know about rent because I owned my own home but there were no special days in which to buy gas. Now, back during Jimmy Carter's days we had gas shortages where the stations would run out of gas due to the shortage of supply. There were also long line during Carter's time because the stations would be out of gas for a couple of days and even then, some stations would get a supply of gas while others didn't. That was under the Democrat Jimmy Carter, not under Nixon. There were no gas shortages, long lines, or limited days one could purchase gas under the Nixon Administration.

Then it must have been a local requirement. I was living in Nevada in '73 and during the rationing I could buy gas only on odd dates of the month because my license plate number ended with a 1.

I didn't experience any inconvenience in '79, so either my locale wasn't affected or I had other things going that were more inconvenient and I don't remember waiting in line to gas up.

 

[Al Azar]

I think your memory is a little askew, or you were just a loser.

I also had recently been Honorable discharged from the Army, and was attending college on the G.I. Bill, while working at my father's Texaco gas station part time. We pumped gas on a first come, first serve basis, until we ran out. Then closed down for a day or two until a tanker truck showed up and filled up the in-ground storage tanks.

I earned my degree, land a career job, and the rest was history.

All during the time you claim everybody and everything was in dire straits. .......

No need to be rude.

If you got through that period without rationing, good for you. Not everyone shared your good fortune in that respect.

As I said, we got by. The company I was employed by while working myself through college converted me to full-time after I graduated and started me on my way in my first career. By the time I was ready to try something different times had changed for the better.