Posted on 08/31/2005 6:45:35 PM PDT by kddid
Leave it to Mrs Cookie to bring up a peripheral issue.
Indeed. Gouging is a more complicated phenomenon than most people admit. Sowell in one of his essays recounts the plywood shortages before hurricanes. Before hurricanes hit plywood prices went up to "gouging" levels because people bought it in bulk to board up their property. After anti gouging laws were passed, there was no plywood to be had. Why? Because typically Home Depot and the like do not have enough plywood on hand to board up whole towns and cities. The plywood has to come from somewhere. As it turns out, the plywood was coming from other states where people thought it was worth their while to reroute their plywood supplies to the Gulf for the extra money and to cover the shipping cost out of state. With the anti-gouging laws in effect, the suppliers had no incentive to redirect their resources. Result? Shortage. So instead of paying "gouging" prices for plywood, people suffered massive property damage. And then they repealed the anti-gouging laws.
Don't worry about the prices. Just start gas rationing! Things will settle down fast.
> "I would hope the administration uses the legislative tools at its disposal to make it very clear they're going to prevent any kind of price gouging and profiteering because of this disaster," said Clinton, D-N.Y.
How ironic, that Hillary would advocate Nixonian economics, since she played an instrumental role in unseating him.
I was wondering when Senator Diarrhea would crawl out of her bowl.
He should start by an Executive ORDER lifting all fuel taxes, drilling in ANWR, offshore drilling in CA & FL, the construction of as many strategically located LNG terminals and refineries the industry wants.
Maybe it's time to establish a quasi-national oil/gas/energy company to "strategically" temper commercial markets from supply constraints, natural disasters and/or price gouging?
If we drilled and fully defined every last US oil resource-ocean or land bound, and had fully additional operating refineries, by tommorrow morning-- the production rate would STILL be off-set by trading futures. The market is outpaced by this very moment.
Any chance to bash the President, and or get herself in the spotlight. She has no shame.
The window of time to drill and refine our way out of global politics passed by in the 1950's & '60's, and was secured by 1979. It is not coming back around, my FRiend; at least not without, uninhibited mind-bending culture-rending like we ain't seen before- nuke splashin' Global War.
Bush needs to propose heroic measures, soon.
Drop the fed tax or gasoline and the taxes and regulations on domestic drilling; Bust up the functional monopoly: American gasoline producers make, each, on average of after-tax income, $250,000,000 per hour. 20-30 years ago there were 200 such producers---now there are but four; Build nuclear plants, using modern, safer, technology and mini-nuc plant for rural areas; Promote bio-mass fuels by tax incentives...ad naseum.
These are a few of my ideas... add or critisize, whatever.
I sense were're going to have to toughen up real soon.
I agree with your minimal proposals. Regardless, gettin' tough will happen. Do you really believe there is any US energy producers that are not multinational? These bastards see the world the same way GHW Bush does. A New World Order, right?
Hillary's so used to pushing Bill around
she can't stop herself from nagging the President too!
Amen! I love that picture too!! :)
Probably. I just hope that the Republican nominee has what it takes to defeat her. If not, I would hate to spend 4 years sick to my stomach. Yuck! Or maybe I will just threaten to move to Canada. That would show 'em. :0)
Nah! Canada wouldn't have you...you're a FReeper. :-)
JEDI.
Would some kind Free Dominion resident take me in? (probably not as I've been pretty harsh on our Canadian friends when I really mean their government, but don't always make that distinction.)
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