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From: kludge@panix.com (Scott Dorsey)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
Subject: Re: Three Body Problem
Date: 18 Aug 2024 21:56:50 -0000
Organization: Former users of Netcom shell (1989-2000)
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Chris Buckley  <alan@sabir.com> wrote:
>How about a quote from 4 days ago?
>https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/08/15/kamala-harris-price-gouging-groceries/
>    In a news release Wednesday, her campaign said the first 100 days
>    of her presidency would include the “first-ever federal ban on
>    price gouging on food and groceries — setting clear rules of the
>    road to make clear that big corporations can’t unfairly exploit
>    consumers to run up excessive corporate profits on food and
>    groceries.”
>
>We know so little about Harris's policies; this is not a good first policy!

There is very clear price gouging on retail food in poor neighborhoods, and
it's a direct consequence of not having any competition in the market.  Go
into a dollar store and check what things actually cost relative to the 
grocery store in a rich neighborhood.  A price ban won't fix this problem,
although there might be another government-lead solution possible.

BUT.... honestly food in the US is incredibly cheap.  Far cheaper than it
was back in the sixties, and much cheaper than it is in Europe.  We grow
(dented) corn so cheaply that Mexico wants to put up protective tariffs,
and when you can do something more cheaply than Mexico that's impressive.
Admittedly overall food quality here is poor, but I don't see bringing 
food prices in America down as a useful activity.  Now, if you bring 
down housing costs or medical bills, THAT might be useful.
--scott
-- 
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."