The problem with Spain is, well, Spanish people.
They’re warm, generous, creative, and wild.
They’re also terrible at managing their economy.
One of the signs of a failing and greedy society is how much they pursue simple actions of revenue, like giving out and collecting speeding and traffic tickets.
In California, specifically LA, I’ve watched those actions increase nearly 300% in the past few months. Cops are stationed in full force to get revenue. Parking enforcement gives you a ticket before the meter is expired and is enforcing the most Lilliputian of rules to make a quick buck.
And in Spain you see this too. Mercedes, for example, has a history of using the beautiful Spanish countryside and coastline as places to photograph and test their vehicles (most recently the A-Class).
But when a group of reporters were testing their new E63 AMG, the cars were pulled over and impounded.
Why? Because the authorities could. Because they knew Mercedes would be wealthy enough of a company to pay the fines to be on their way.
On the same token, you see cops not pulling over jalopies and piles of crap but BMWs and Lexuses and higher-end vehicles. And while a point could be made that those cars are more likely to be driven quickly, they’re also more likely to have older, wealthier, and more responsible drivers.
So it’s a double-edged sword. Of course the state needs revenue. But in another fashion, they simply want to target only those who can pay it, furthering a gap of inequality.
Whose door will they knock on when no one who can pay remains?