But this is a nation of professing Christians and the Bible forbids any such thing. See Book of Amos. On that basis, all forum right wingers who claim to worship the Prince of Peace should object to price gouging.
It's not inflation. Essential commodities cost more after a disaster when the supply lines have been cut off. What it really is, people were not prepared. They thought those essentials would always be available for them at a cheap price at the store. People tend to think that what's happening now will go on forever. That's not the case. Supermarkets and many retail stores actually operate on tight margins with the just-in-time inventory model. A tiny little snag could severely throw the system off. Having a reliable supply costs money. If you want a reliable supply, you're going to have to pay for it. Maybe in disaster-prone regions there should be special regulation affecting the inventory/supply methods businesses can use. That's also going to drive up prices.
It is local inflation, similar to what the gold miners experienced when they needed supplies many years ago. The demand for limited supplies allows the seller to raise the price until other sellers bring it down through competition or the demand results in no sales at the higher price.
Price gouging, no. I think that govt should be able to ration certain items during a declared crisis though. Those that choose to violate the rationing should be punished stiffly, including the loss of a busiiness license.
Raising the price results in a form of rationing as few are going to buy more than what they need immediately as a result, especially when the shortage is not going to be long lived.
The problem is that not everyone will.be able to afford those rising prices. Rationing still works better for everyone.
Has little to do with ethics. Prices must go up to encourage suppliers to supply in a hurricane. Do you understand?
soviets tried that and 60 million starved to death. Red Chinese tried that and another 60 million starved to death.
there is always a declared crisis when people are living at or near starvation. Rationing is how soviets and Red Chinese slowly starved 120 million to death. Do you understand now?
that's a joke right? If demand quadruples for gas during a severe hurricane we could require every gas station in Florida to quadruple its property size for gas storage and charge higher prices for 10 years until the next hurricane, and we could have a new soviet bureau to regularly inspect the storage tanks!!
If the problem was going to last for a long time, perhaps rationing should be employed but for a short term problem I have no problem with allowing large price increases. Perhaps some of the poor took advantage of the situation and stocked up on things that would be in high demand and are then able to sell to the more affluent who in the case of the hurricane are more likely the ones who remain to protect their property from looters, etc. As often there will be those who take advantage afterwards doing roof repairs and other functions necessary to clean up and repair the damages quickly.
Unless it results in peoples death due to being unable to afford. We know price goudging goes on now, how many of those businesses go out of business? That's what we call an "appeal to nature fallacy"
100% absurd and liberal of course!!!! price gouging will discourage hoarding and encourage greater supply so less chance of someone dying from lack of supply!!
why would they go out of business if thanks to high prices they can keep some inventory in stock for true emergency uses and encourage suppliers to keep supplying despite danger and costs?
take advantage??? Do you mean incur the huge cost and inconvenience of moving to Florida and Texas to supply the demanded services?
Price gouging by taking advantage if a human crisis is despicable, immoral, greedy, sociopathic, and is normal within capitalist "free market" practice. Only under true socialism will such practice be resisted and absent.
You forgot to say why??? If you want people to move to Florida and set up businesses there to help them rebuilt of course they will want to get paid extra for it. Do you want a libNazi govt to force them to move there and not get compensated for leaving home and moving?
true enough, there was no price gouging while Stalin and Mao were slowly starving 120 million to death. Prices were rock bottom but there was nothing to buy at those prices so 120 million very slowly starved to death. Good that you have hooked your wagon to the greatest genocides in human history!