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Started By
Message
re: Price gouging laws predictably lead to shortages
Posted on 8/31/17 at 8:17 am to ibleedprplngld
Posted on 8/31/17 at 8:17 am to ibleedprplngld
quote:
I can recall after Katrina some gas stations raising prices to as much as $5.00 a gallon (the average was around $1.5 at the time I think). When people are hit at their most trying time and have just lost everything, the last thing one should do is force them to pay a premium for something as essential in the aftermath of a storm as gas.
Except it is more expensive / takes more effort for companies to move new supplies of gas into an area of disaster. If you were running those companies would you just take a loss or not ship the fuel in at all? How do the residents beneift if NO fuel is available?
2
Posted on 8/31/17 at 8:18 am to TBoy
quote:
Price gouging interrupts the market distribution of goods. Having water sitting on the shelf, priced higher than liquid gold, prevents distribution. Price gouging destroys the natural market.
Wrong. You think those in charge of prices are going to willingly price themselves were people WON'T buy their product/services. Does this make sense to you?
Posted on 8/31/17 at 8:18 am to weagle99
Because compassion exists, and should.
And if your religion hasn't taught you that well enough, the government will.
And if your religion hasn't taught you that well enough, the government will.
Posted on 8/31/17 at 8:18 am to tigerfoot
That doesn't address the added expense incurred to get supplies and items into a disaster zone.
Is it cheaper to get water to a normal city or a city devastated by a hurricane?
Is it cheaper to get water to a normal city or a city devastated by a hurricane?
Posted on 8/31/17 at 8:19 am to weagle99
quote:How many hoarders do you think there are in Houston right now? Should doctors force you to sign over the deed to your house for medical services? Should the Cajun Navy charge people they are saving? Maybe that mattress guy should make people pay for a new mattress if they want to sleep there.
Allowing a small number of people to hoard a needed item
Posted on 8/31/17 at 8:20 am to HeyHeyHogsAllTheWay
quote:
Like when gas goes from $2.25 a gallon to $20 a gallon between Friday and Monday. Yeah that's the free market at work is it?
Actually that is exactly how the free market works.
Posted on 8/31/17 at 8:21 am to mmcgrath
So you don't have a logical reply. 
Posted on 8/31/17 at 8:23 am to weagle99
quote:not significantly different If they have remained viable. I distribute medical supplies to Nursing homes, hospitals and others. We MUST deliver and if the roads are open we don't see any difference in our costs nor do we increase prices
it cheaper to get water to a normal city or a city devastated by a hurricane?
Posted on 8/31/17 at 8:24 am to FT
Okay, but the government is mandating that private citizens pay for compassion with these laws.
Posted on 8/31/17 at 8:25 am to weagle99
quote:
That doesn't address the added expense incurred to get supplies and items into a disaster zone.
The fact that we live in a world where some of you worry more about how much it costs a multi-trillion dollar industry to move into a disaster area than how much it costs thousands of people - who just lost their homes - is very troubling.
Posted on 8/31/17 at 8:26 am to mmcgrath
quote:
How many hoarders do you think there are in Houston right now? Should doctors force you to sign over the deed to your house for medical services? Should the Cajun Navy charge people they are saving? Maybe that mattress guy should make people pay for a new mattress if they want to sleep there.
The free market has a way of filling in the gaps nicely. As you can see the individual's mans compassion is on full display during times of crisis. The compassion of the volunteers in their boats, the churches, the shelters, etc takes care of this. You simply don't need the price gouging and laws and its unintended consequences. I don't understand why people think the government has to take care and "protect" every aspect of life.
Posted on 8/31/17 at 8:30 am to weagle99
quote:
Is it cheaper to get water to a normal city or a city devastated by a hurricane?
There's no problem getting anything anywhere in Houston other than flooded neighborhoods, which no longer have customers. The issue is so temporary that market forces don't even have time to work as you imagine. Charging $20/gal of gas is not a market reaction, it's a gouge.
Posted on 8/31/17 at 8:31 am to TBoy
quote:
This makes no sense whatsoever. Price gouging interrupts the market distribution of goods. Having water sitting on the shelf, priced higher than liquid gold, prevents distribution. Price gouging destroys the natural market.
True story I often tell. Friend of family is preparing for Katrina. Has medical device that runs on batteries. Goes to Wally World. Battery bin has regular price posted over empty bin. Most people walked past took them "just in case".
Same thing at numerous other stores. Finally they decide to gas and evacuate. In gas station manned by Middle Easterners they have batteries behind the counter for 10X normal prices! She's outraged but buys them. Turns out she didn't need them.
To this day she loves her some Wal Mart that failed her in her time of need, but rants and raves against those evil, thieving, foreign profiteers who had her life sustaining batteries. She always gets angry with me when I point out reality to her!
Price= supply and demand! This is how the natural market works.
When you pass stupid laws you just change the natural market's name to the black market.
Posted on 8/31/17 at 8:31 am to elposter
quote:
The free market has a way of filling in the gaps nicely
quote:
As you can see the individual's mans compassion is on full display during times of crisis. The compassion of the volunteers in their boats, the churches, the shelters, etc takes care of this.
Does not compute. Are you giving credit to the free market for the compassion of the individual?
Sounds like a sociopathic business owners way of explaining why he didn't need to help
Posted on 8/31/17 at 8:33 am to cwill
quote:
Charging $20/gal of gas is not a market reaction, it's a gouge.
There is no such thing as gouging, only the invisible hand. The next guy can charge $10 and the $20 guy will sit there on his stock. Let the market work.
Posted on 8/31/17 at 8:34 am to Ebbandflow
quote:
Sounds like a sociopathic business owners way of explaining why he didn't need to help
What gives anyone a right to a business owner's wares at an artificially lowered price?
Posted on 8/31/17 at 8:35 am to Gaspergou202
quote:
She always gets angry with me when I point out reality to her!
She probably gets mad because you're intentionally being an a-hole.
Posted on 8/31/17 at 8:38 am to weagle99
quote:
What gives anyone a right to a business owner's wares at an artificially lowered price?
Well that's a straw man argument I've ever heard one. I don't think anybody was talking about artificially lowering any prices. What's weird is that you would actually go to this defense for someone who doesn't care about raising the prices on you in a disaster situation. Really weird how people are so indoctrinated to the needs of mother Corporation
Posted on 8/31/17 at 8:40 am to tigerfoot
quote:
Wouldn't limiting quantities per customer work. Like the gas stations always put in place?
i think people argue about price gouging, when we should be talking about rationing.
i'm not saying i'm smart enough to know all the answers, but it should be pretty settled that we cant gouge water, milk, formula, matches, batteries, flashlights, and essentials to live on, but we should be able to ration them.
maybe the answer is that EBT items cannot be gouged, but they can be rationed. if the supermarket wants to upcharge 20x for organic jicama, go ahead.
Posted on 8/31/17 at 8:41 am to weagle99
quote:point two, it is possibly cheaper. There are feeer delivery points. They aren't delivering by boat. The stores that are open are accessible.
doesn't address the added expense incurred to get supplies and items
Is it cheaper to deliver 1000 cases to 1 location or 10 cases to 100. The store owner can now sell 100 times as much. Do you not acct for thst?
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