Subj : Re: Larry King To : alt.tv.farscape From : Steve Brooks Date : Thu Sep 01 2005 20:03:06 From Newsgroup: alt.tv.farscape John I wrote: > Steve Brooks wrote: >> Rick Savoia wrote: >>> Chaya wrote in >> >> >> >>>> We were at $3.33 this morning. >>> >>> Same here. >>> >>> >>> This is one of those things that drives me nuts. One gas station >>> went from $2.89 to $3.33 in the same day. That's price gouging. >>> They've already paid for the gas in their tanks, they shouldn't be >>> allowed ot raise prices like that. >> >> ( Warning - Old leftie stirring it again.) >> >> I thought you people believed in a free market. If people are >> willing to pay that price why shouldn't the stations charge it? >> >> Of course, I don't believe that myself. But this whole situation is >> reminding me of the attitudes of smug monetarists in the 80s. >> > > I believe in a REGULATED free market. Now you see - I believe that *all* markets are regulated. If they're not regulated politically ( hopefully for the benefit of everyone) they will be regulated by the biggest players ( or possibly organised crime ) for altogether different reasons. > 3 dollars is probably not bad > for short-term shortages, however I don't think it is too soon to > start talking about price caps or wind-fall profit taxes. But > rationing is not far away. Probably next week. There's no mention of rationing here yet - though prices are rising. In fact they're higher than they've ever been - though possibly not in real terms. Ironically the large percentage of tax we pay here shields us from the shock of the worst market swings. -- SB .