[DugwayDuke]

I'm glad to see someone besides myself arguing that the 'fair trade' crowd (and walmart bashing is just a form of that) are really promoting a govenment controlled wealth transfer scheme.

[Jaysun]

I'm glad to see someone besides myself arguing that the 'fair trade' crowd (and walmart bashing is just a form of that) are really promoting a govenment controlled wealth transfer scheme.

A fellow Alabamian as well. My views on the subject would be considered "crazy" by most. I don't even agree with anti-monopoly legislation. Look at the company that was first attacked as one, Standard Oil. John took black goo from the ground in Pennsylvania and figured out how to light lamps with it. They provided kerosene at a much cheaper price than whale oil, and continued to drive prices down.

The industry is the most important in the world today, and every damned thing we've got (from our war machines to our electricity generation) depends on it. I don't suppose any of that would have been possible if the oil industry were composed of separate little "Ma and Pa" shops each discovering - or not - oil's usefulness in their own time.

Have you ever known a company to grow into a "monopoly" and then raise prices? No. The fact of the matter is that they have to please the consumer or die. That's regulation enough for me.