Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Florida also restricts price gouging during disasters.
Increasing the price of gas tenfold could cause people that are trying to flee --to be unable to afford gas. And they could die due to being stuck in the storm because gas went up to $25/gallon. Then the people that are stuck on the road after running out of gas would cause road blockages for others.
Same thing with price gouging at hotels. If the hotel price increased to $1000/nite, then people would be sleeping in the streets or their cars, in harms way, getting rained on and going to the bathroom in the streets because they have nowhere to go. These things cause a public health hazard.
If water prices went up to $20 for a bottle of water, some people would so desperate that they might drink rain water and get sick, spreading disease.
At a conceptual level, not letting prices of scarce goods adjust during periods of high demand just means, in an effort to be "fair," you're favoring "first come first served" or "might makes right" as your rationing device instead of "price."
The real world is a little messier, and things have to be balanced, but that's ^ kind of incontrovertible.
How do you want to determine who doesn't get what? Who can say what is more "fair?"
There is nothing wrong with making a profit. Most items are priced so the seller will make a profit. That's how retail works. But jacking up the prices to take advantage of people who are already suffering, perhaps dying, is criminal, and should be treated as such.
There are some things that the libertarians here are ignoring.
Price control as a result of disaster usually comes with other restrictions, most notably, rationing. One person can't show up and buy all the water that's price has been frozen despite the issue of supply. The emergency policy put in place is done to best maximize the number of people who can get access to basic needs. It's done to maintain stability for as long as possible before relief effort, which is going to give away things like after for free, arrives.
The world in which everyone is always looking to turn a profit simply doesn't exist. I don't understand why economic liberals cling to it so tightly.
edit: since it using political terms correctly always have a chance of derailing threads "economic liberalism" refers to the more 'laissez-faire' type of thinking. You could call it "classical liberal economics" if you want. "Liberals economics" as it applies to the Democratic party, would be better described as Keynesian economics. It's capitalism with public policy to stabilize it (in theory; as with any economic policy, it has its flaws). Just so people know...
Well I guess this is where any tiny remains of "lefty" come out in me, since that's what people call me when I say I do not support price gouging.
If you've ever seen just how badly these people gouge those in need, you may not think the same way. Or maybe you would and while I totally understand business is in it for profit, I do not support spitting on people and acting like a greedy f-en pig just because a hurricane is coming or a tornado hit.
When it's not controlled, there's nothing stopping a station from charging $20 a gallon for gas, or $30 for a case of water, or $25 for 2 batteries for a flashlight, etc.
Yes, yes, we know, "people should have bought all that beforehand" but the fact is, you don't take in to account the following:
1) People who just moved to the area and don't know any better.
2) People who didn't have the money to get everything that they needed beforehand.
3) People who simply do not believe anything bad is ever going to happen.
4) People who underestimate just how disastrous it will actually get - different from #3, they know it will be bad, they dont' realize how bad.
5) People who are oblivious to the world around them unless someone tells them to go do this, then go do that, then go do the next thing - holding their hands every step of the way.
I will never get behind anyone who supports the price gouging that businesses try to put on people when it comes to natural disasters.
YThe only thing 'harmed' with the controls you are upset about are the potential profits made possible by suffering and desperation.
Actually, the harm is people not being able to find necessary goods.
It's illogical, but people apparently prefer not to have goods at a high price instead opting for no goods at any price.
The people selling cases of water for $99 are idiots, but in the US just like free speech people should be allowed to charge whatever they want for their inventory or we're basically no better than third world socialist countries
Location: Live:Downtown Phoenix, AZ/Work:Greater Los Angeles, CA
27,606 posts, read 14,585,101 times
Reputation: 9169
Quote:
Originally Posted by Volobjectitarian
By doing so, that water and gasoline was available where once there was shortage. If water was available at the store for $1 a bottle, you wouldn't buy it for $5. You buy it at $5 because it's the ONLY WATER AVAILABLE. If you are buying gasoline for $10 a gallon it;s because there is no gasoline available anywhere around for less, and also because you failed to buy enough reserve when it was $2 per gallon. So you pay $10 a gallon, or you don't purchase. Point is, the $10 stuff is there, for sale, if you are that in need and have the funds.
The operative thing. Most people don't have money falling out their a***h*le, so when prices are jacked, only the well to do will be able to afford anything, whether they even need it or not. You could have people who are in plenty need but DON'T HAVE the money to pay the higher prices.
Nobody is going to buy your jacked-up milk for $9 a gallon, when their refrigerator is floating on it's side in their kitchen...
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
