DC Braces for megastorm

[Kidlicious]

Instead of price gouging laws, why not have the government give people free money during a crisis so that the poor will be able to buy food and gas at higher prices?

Seriously?

[giblets]

Seriously?

What makes it less feasible than having the government track down everybody who sells bread or gasoline above a certain price?

[Hauldren Collider]

Instead of price gouging laws, why not have the government give people free money during a crisis so that the poor will be able to buy food and gas at higher prices?

This would work, but would also have the possibility of them spending that money on something useless instead of food and gas. I think a better system is to have the National Guard use its considerable logistical resources to supplement the private sector--have the government get in the business of supplying these necessities, for the duration of the crisis.

[Kidlicious]

What makes it less feasible than having the government track down everybody who sells bread or gasoline above a certain price?

I'm not thinking about feasibility. People just don't want to give out money so that business owners can price gouge consumers.

[giblets]

I'm not thinking about feasibility. People just don't want to give out money so that business owners can price gouge consumers.

So these laws aren't really about helping the poor cope with a disaster, are they? It's just a knee-jerk reaction against letting anyone profit from a disaster.

[Kidlicious]

So these laws aren't really about helping the poor cope with a disaster, are they? It's just a knee-jerk reaction against letting anyone profit from a disaster.

You keep saying that, but it's not true.

[Imran Siddiqui]

There are a hundred posts filled with counter arguments, all of which you ignored because you think charging money for food is tantamount to murder.

Why is it that DD is only person who actually understood the counter position? Though, of course, he didn't agree with it. Is acknowledging differences in opinion that difficult?

[Felch]

Why is it that DD is only person who actually understood the counter position? Though, of course, he didn't agree with it. Is acknowledging differences in opinion that difficult?

I was referring to MrFun and Dinner's nonsense about holding a gun to your head. I understand your position, I just think that you're ignoring the broader ramifications of your policy.

[DaShi]

This would work, but would also have the possibility of them spending that money on something useless instead of food and gas. I think a better system is to have the National Guard use its considerable logistical resources to supplement the private sector--have the government get in the business of supplying these necessities, for the duration of the crisis.

So you're saying that individuals don't know what is best to do with their money?

[Hauldren Collider]

No, I'm saying that there is a lot of potential for fraud.

[DaShi]

Why did you say this: "This would work, but would also have the possibility of them spending that money on something useless instead of food and gas."?

Why not just say fraud?

[regexcellent]

If you give people money to spend on emergency supplies like food after a storm, the prices for those commodities will rise further.

[Aeson]

Well then what prices are correct? When does it go over the line from "reasonable increase" to "gouging (oh teh noes)"? Let's say there is a drought and the price of corn goes up 500%. I know! Let's mandate that prices stay down because otherwise it's gouging.

Or wait, actually I've got a better idea! Let's use a MARKET to decide the optimal price, just like we've always done and has always worked. But no, say people like MrFun, who despite their obvious lack of intelligence believe that they somehow can divine the optimal distribution of goods and mandate it by government fiat.

You haven't been paying attention in the agricultural debates. We have plenty of direct and indirect price controls (some of which are offsetting absurdly enough) in that sector of the economy.