Inflation Threatens Monopoly Dollar, Other Currencies Shaky

GO, Corner of the Board - A meeting of the world's greatest bankers at the famed Monopoly starting place has been a less then joyous affair. Go brings up thoughts of collecting $200, but recent economic failures have made that place worth a lot less than before.

The fall of home real estate market made the little green house completely worthless and now a second bubble in commercial real estate threatens the rest of the board. Hotels and commercial properties from Mediterranean Avenue to Boardwalk have dropped in value since the beginning of the recession. This has people questioning whether the Monopoly dollar should remain as the standard board game world currency.

Since being bailed out by US government Monopoly and its bank face several restrictions, including a 90% cut in pay, making GO only pay $20 each time it it passed or landed on. Special perks, like collecting all the Community Chest money for landing on free parking, have also been eliminated.

The government tried to stimulate the market by offering an income tax credit for buying up property, lowering it to $100 or 8%. They also tried to improve manufacturing by trading in the game's 1930's vehicle for a newly manufactured one.

Some people advocate a switch to the Game of Life currency, arguing the game is more diversified than Monopoly. They cite that Life contains more cars and stimulates more domestic spending for kids, rather than Monopoly's simple investment spending. Others question the Life, stating that the game relies too much on the spin of the dial and there is no social safety net for retirement if people end up with little at the end of the game.

"What of the poor people that will be left over? That could cause social unrest like we saw in the Great Depression. This is merely a game of chance and laissez-faire economics," claims AARP spokeman Ari Forth.

Others support the Life currency, especially the CATO institute.

"The Game of Life is not some strict square of predetermined paths. It has choices such as a variety of careers and houses, whether to go to college or straight to the job force, and where to retire," said a CATO report that came out in September.

Another big question hovering over the conference was the state of health care reform. Physicians of the Operation board questioned whether the health reform will cost them their fees in surgery and other aspects of the current bills.

"The biggest fear we have is that nothing will be done on malpractice reform," said Dr. Jame Pivot, a Writer's Cramp specialist, "Some of our jobs are just dang hard and we'll occasionally set off the alarm. But we shouldn't have to pay out exorbitant insurance fees or settlements."

The Democrat's threats of ending insurers' monopolies has special resonance at the conference, for obvious reasons.

This is considered to be the biggest conference of Board Games this year, though President Obama has hinted at a military strategy conference of Battleship, Risk and Axis and Allies.