[flashbunny]

And those that ignore the laws of economics in the name of populism are doomed to reap the disasters of their misguided policies.

What's better: Buying gas at $3.50 a gallon, or no gas at $2.50 a gallon?

The free market is the ultimate rationing system. In times of crisis, it forces people to make the hard choices between 'needs' and 'wants', conserving scarce resources for the people who actually need them.

[HiTech RedNeck]

There are other laws, such as the law of memory.

[HiTech RedNeck]

And, if laissez-faire economics is the all saving god, why did there have to be rationing during WWII?? Oooooops, there is this little thing of an army and a navy to feed. Or else there won't BE a nation to worship Economius any more.

Some items are strategic enough to the survival of a nation to be worth the government "meddling" in their economics.

[RavenATB]

"What's better: Buying gas at $3.50 a gallon, or no gas at $2.50 a gallon?"

Exactly right. The real problem here...again...is that price gouging laws are nothing more than an attempt by government to "protect" people from making stupid purchasing choices.

If I buy two generators for $400 each today, and tomorrow a hurricane knocks out the power to your town, are you a moron for paying me $600 to get me to part with one of my generators so you can live in relative comfort, have the use of your television, computer, lights, fans, and refrigerator? Or, is it smarter to have it as we do now, where you have to wait for local retailers who are willing to sell generators at the price they did prior to the hurricane to get shipments of generators in stock?

The first path will have you living in relative comfort, and save you from having to throw out the food in your refrigerator. Somehow, the bureaucrats have come to the conclusion that the second possibility is preferable. Better you sit in the dark, boil your ass off, and let your food rot in the refrigerator, than you be ALLOWED to pay above the previous retail price for a generator. You have it right. In your world...the world of capitalism...the decision to purchase, or not to purchase is left up to you. In the world that is, the decision is often left up to government bureaucrats, who most probably aren't boiling their asses off in the dark while their food rots in the refrigerator.