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Texas $20 Gal of Gas, $8.50 Bottle of Water

calamity

calamity

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"We don't need no stink'n regulations."

Texas officials say they've gotten hundreds of complaints about price gouging and scams in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.
One convenience store in Houston reportedly charged $20 for a gallon of gas, $8.50 for a bottle of water and $99 for a case of water, according to the Texas Attorney General's office.

$99 for a case of water: Texas officials report price gouging post-Harvey - Aug. 31, 2017
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It sure is nice watching Texans coming to each other's aid. There is nothing like a free wheeling libertarian society. Is there?
 
calamity said:
"We don't need no stink'n regulations."



It sure is nice watching Texans coming to each other's aid. There is nothing like a free wheeling libertarian society. Is there?
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Truthfully, it is heartwarming to see so many Texans coming to each others aid. And it is also wonderful to see so many people across the nation step up to help Texas.

And those in Texas who are doing things like this example of price gouging should burn in hell for it.

Remember, even the most beautiful human body still has an asshole.
 
calamity said:
"We don't need no stink'n regulations."



It sure is nice watching Texans coming to each other's aid. There is nothing like a free wheeling libertarian society. Is there?
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Price gouging is already illegal in Texas.

https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/cpd/price-gouging

Price gouging is illegal, and the Office of the Attorney General has authority to prosecute any business that engages in price gouging after a disaster has been declared by the governor. The attorney general has issued stern warnings about price gouging to businesses in times of disaster, but you should still be on your guard.

§17.46(b) of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices-Consumer Protection Act provides that it is a false, misleading or deceptive act or practice to take advantage of a disaster declared by the Governor under Chapter 418, Government Code, by:

Selling or leasing fuel, food, medicine or another necessity at an exorbitant or excessive price; or
Demanding an exorbitant or excessive price in connection with the sale or lease of fuel, food, medicine or another necessity.
 
haymarket said:
Truthfully, it is heartwarming to see so many Texans coming to each others aid. And it is also wonderful to see so many people across the nation step up to help Texas.

And those in Texas who are doing things like this example of price gouging should burn in hell for it.

Remember, even the most beautiful human body still has an asshole.
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I liked how the millionaire preacher refused to open the church for stranded victims and got called out on it. He then said no one from the city asked him to open it. After that excuse didn't go over so well, he lied, and said his church was flooded. It's so nice to see a "man of god" show his true colors.

It also craps all over the Libertarian trope that when government gets out of the way, the Churches will step up to help the needy.
 
Zalatix said:
But it's happening anyway. Long live libertarianism! *lol*
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Its funny how an ersatz ideology that preaches idealistic pie-in-the-sky turns out to be no real practical use at all in the real world with real world problems and real world disasters.
 
calamity said:
I liked how the millionaire preacher refused to open the church for stranded victims and got called out on it. He then said no one from the city asked him to open it. After that excuse didn't go over so well, he lied, and said his church was flooded. It's so nice to see a "man of god" show his true colors.

It also craps all over the Libertarian trope that when government gets out of the way, the Churches will step up to help the needy.
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If you are referring to Osteen - he certainly took a major hit with this entire flood.

I thought it was great that a major furniture store - Gallery Furniture - simply opened its doors and told people to make themselves at home for the duration. Now that is a great business person with a heart of gold. His name is Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale and he is to be praised for this generous effort.
 
jamesrage said:
Price gouging is already illegal in Texas.

https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/cpd/price-gouging

Price gouging is illegal, and the Office of the Attorney General has authority to prosecute any business that engages in price gouging after a disaster has been declared by the governor. The attorney general has issued stern warnings about price gouging to businesses in times of disaster, but you should still be on your guard.

§17.46(b) of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices-Consumer Protection Act provides that it is a false, misleading or deceptive act or practice to take advantage of a disaster declared by the Governor under Chapter 418, Government Code, by:

Selling or leasing fuel, food, medicine or another necessity at an exorbitant or excessive price; or
Demanding an exorbitant or excessive price in connection with the sale or lease of fuel, food, medicine or another necessity.
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Obviously, it's a law with no teeth, since no one is doing anything about the gouging. Standard libertarian fare there.
 
Zalatix said:
But it's happening anyway. Long live libertarianism! *lol*
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Besides having government run the stores how do you prevent it? No laws would stop this.
 
haymarket said:
If you are referring to Osteen - he certainly took a major hit with this entire flood.

I thought it was great that a major furniture store - Gallery Furniture - simply opened its doors and told people to make themselves at home for the duration. Now that is a great business person with a heart of gold.
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Yeah, the guy with the teeth. He took a huge hit. Ironically, a local Mosque opened its doors immediately and allowed anyone who could reach it stay there.
 
calamity said:
Obviously, it's a law with no teeth, since no one is doing anything about the gouging. Standard libertarian fare there.
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Homocide laws must be laws with no teeth, too.
 
Chillfolks said:
Besides having government run the stores how do you prevent it? No laws would stop this.
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Strong fines - jail time --- loss of license to do business.
 
Chillfolks said:
Besides having government run the stores how do you prevent it? No laws would stop this.
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If people knew that the state would crack down on them, they would not be gouging. They know they won't be charged, so they gouge. In other words, Libertarian wet dream turns into nightmare.
 
calamity said:
Yeah, the guy with the teeth. He took a huge hit. Ironically, a local Mosque opened its doors immediately and allowed anyone who could reach it stay there.
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yeah - but you can't get a BBQ pork shwarma in the food line.
 
Chillfolks said:
Besides having government run the stores how do you prevent it? No laws would stop this.
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Better enforcement would handle this. Or let the people take care of it. Provide proof that they were gouging, then you can steal from them without repercussion. Cell phone cameras for the win!

That will stop price gouging INSTANTLY.
 
calamity said:
Obviously, it's a law with no teeth, since no one is doing anything about the gouging. Standard libertarian fare there.
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They are still in rescue people and find shelter mode. Rightfully so that is were most resources are being allocated. Once people are safe and have shelter then prosecute these criminals.
 
calamity said:
If people knew that the state would crack down on them, they would not be gouging. They know they won't be charged, so they gouge. In other words, Libertarian wet dream turns into nightmare.
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Don't you love all this spin doctoring?
 
On the other hand, (solely in the name of playing devil's advocate) there are economic arguments for such price increases:

1. Critics claim that laws against price-gouging could discourage businesses from proactively preparing for a disaster. With price gouging laws in place, producers are only able to charge a price set by law, and therefore have little additional incentive to increase supply to adversely impacted areas. If producers are able to make extra profit, these theorists argue, then they will increase the supply.

2. In support of the argument against price-gouging legislation, some assert that a similar situation applies to those who are outside of the disaster zone and willing to go there to sell what is desperately needed. If they are unable to recover their travel costs and be compensated for the inconvenience of staying in an inhospitable disaster zone, only the altruistic few would bother to do so.

3. Opponents of anti-price gouging laws also claim that in terms of fairness, such laws could also require producers to sell goods below their market-clearing price: the market clearing price is the amount at which quantity supplied is equal to quantity demanded.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Price_gouging

Meanwhile most States do have laws against price-gouging in areas declared disaster areas. Texas is one and so those purveyor's of $20 gallons of gasoline et al will pay for their greed in the end.
 
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Captain Adverse said:
On the other hand, there are economic arguments for such price increases:



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Price_gouging

Meanwhile most States do have laws against price-gouging in areas declared disaster areas. Texas is one and so those purveyor's of $20 gallons of gasoline et al will pay in the end.
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I would love whoever wrote that **** to be stuck in Dallas, etc. right now.

Being burned by your own belief system is the perfect cure for bull****.
 
Zalatix said:
Better enforcement would handle this. Or let the people take care of it. Provide proof that they were gouging, then you can steal from them without repercussion. Cell phone cameras for the win!

That will stop price gouging INSTANTLY.
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Everything you suggest is being done. You can't stop people from ignoring the law only prosecute them after they've broken it. Its too early to comment on enforcement as we've yet to see how the state handles these cases.
 
calamity said:
If people knew that the state would crack down on them, they would not be gouging. They know they won't be charged, so they gouge. In other words, Libertarian wet dream turns into nightmare.
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Bull****. People break laws all the time. Its still to early to tell what the state is going to so.
 
Chillfolks said:
Everything you suggest is being done. You can't stop people from ignoring the law only prosecute them after they've broken it. Its too early to comment on enforcement as we've yet to see how the state handles these cases.
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Like I said, allowing the people to deal with these gougers right on the spot, will both stop them from ignoring the law, and deter them in the future.

Waiting to enforce this later doesn't help people who need that water and gasoline right now. So we need a more immediate solution. My idea is that solution.
 
calamity said:
"We don't need no stink'n regulations."

It sure is nice watching Texans coming to each other's aid. There is nothing like a free wheeling libertarian society. Is there?
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Price gouging isn't at ALL unusual during natural disasters of this magnitude. Some states have, retroactively enacted legislation to punish those who price gouge. You can't blame all the people for the actions of a very VERY few.

Otoh, one of the beer manufacturers stopped their beer line and canned water to donate. (Anhauser Busch) People not effected have given millions. There are thousands of volunteers from all over the country pouring in to help. A million from Google. A million from Leonardo DiCaprio. Facebook. Trump. Probably scores more.

Why focus on the negative? You don't own a newspaper...
 
Zalatix said:
Like I said, allowing the people to deal with these gougers right on the spot, will both stop them from ignoring the law, and deter them in the future.

Waiting to enforce this later doesn't help people who need that water and gasoline right now. So we need a more immediate solution. My idea is that solution.
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How can they deal with it on the spot. Just steal stuff
 
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