Gas Prices

[yst347]

And I do think liberty has a litmus test. It begins and ends with equality of said liberty. It does not begin with one having the means, nor the inclination, to purchase convenience.

 

...sigh...Not at all. At least not from me. I am a Libertarian to the bone. ;)

 

I am interested in hearing how you square this circle. My understanding of libertarian theory is one of non-coercion. I don't recall any motivational exclusions nor fears of social stratification.

[yst347]

Someday, someone will come to their senses and realize that higher prices may create short term profits, but at the end of the day, the economy is torn to shreds by it and EVERYONE suffers. But, what do I know? I make my living in foreclosures and times have literally never been better. High gas prices for me are more than offset by the work it generates. Keep it up.

 

Rising prices are a signal to produce more. If as a society we choose to restrict production in our own nation, and tolerate regulatory barriers to entry for the processing of production from foreign sources, who at the end of the day do we have to blame for the situation in which we find ourselves?

[Kristi Williamson]

I am interested in hearing how you square this circle. My understanding of libertarian theory is one of non-coercion. I don't recall any motivational exclusions nor fears of social stratification.

 

 

Libertarianism is defined by the advocacy of individual liberty and the reduction of State to this:

 

Protection from aggrestion, theft, breach of contract and fraud. Fraud being the one we're discussing. To suggest that any corporation that the general public is dependent on can spike prices to an outrageous amount so that they can claim billions in profit is fraud. Especially when said companies are doing so by "claiming" a decrease in access to their product. There has been no decrease. None.

 

Since the State is so heavily invested in big oil, it creates a conflict of interest for the individual rights of the citizen, which they claim to be representing. This is unacceptable to me. I do not believe that all are "equal" in that all do not contribute "equally". However, I also do not believe that some are "more equal" simply because they have the political power and monetary position to be so. That is not an "earned" equality, and libertarians are all for getting what you "earn".

[Kristi Williamson]

Rising prices are a signal to produce more. If as a society we choose to restrict production in our own nation, and tolerate regulatory barriers to entry for the processing of production from foreign sources, who at the end of the day do we have to blame for the situation in which we find ourselves?

 

 

BIG FAT SECOND THAT!!!!! This is what I've been trying to say. We, the people, are to blame.

 

However, it is also within our power to correct it, but we can't hold convenience as our value, nor politicians as our saviors. Freedom and liberty must come before convenience, or even comfort, if we are to become what we once were. Politics was never intended to be a lifetime "job". It was intended to be a service to the people. There's no way they can "respresent" the people if they are doing all they can to keep their job! Corporations and unions have too much money for the average citizen to compete with in this game of politicians keeping their jobs.

[yst347]

Fraud is promising A and failing to provide it while absconding with the proceeds.

 

Part of liberty is the right to freely engage in commerce. Agreeing to buy or sell at an agreed upon price is a distinctly libertarian idea.

 

Labeling such commerce as fraud because the price other parties agree to offends your sense of right and wrong is a distinctly un-libertarian but quite egalitarian view.

[futaba951]

Rising prices are a signal to produce more. If as a society we choose to restrict production in our own nation, and tolerate regulatory barriers to entry for the processing of production from foreign sources, who at the end of the day do we have to blame for the situation in which we find ourselves?

 

It doesn't matter to me who's to blame. As long as I'm staying ahead of the curve, I'm good. I'll be shelling out about $1000 a month for gas now, and perhaps more, if prices keep spiking, but the increase is more than offset by increasing work. Gas is my biggest monthly expense followed by 3 different business insurances that I'm required to carry. Those are expenses that I have no control over. I don't waste time fretting about them, although I don't like the situation anymore than the next person. I just suck it up and pay, and thank God that I'm able to. The funny thing is, the way the tax code is set up, the more it costs me to operate a business, the less I pay in tax. Frankly, if I have to give up my money to someone, I'd much rather hand it over to an oil or insurance company who clearly is a for profit operation, than to the gov't who I am 100% certain will squander it on something stupid.

[yst347]

It doesn't matter to me who's to blame. As long as I'm staying ahead of the curve, I'm good. I'll be shelling out about $1000 a month for gas now, and perhaps more, if prices keep spiking, but the increase is more than offset by increasing work. Gas is my biggest monthly expense followed by 3 different business insurances that I'm required to carry. Those are expenses that I have no control over. I don't waste time fretting about them, although I don't like the situation anymore than the next person. I just suck it up and pay, and thank God that I'm able to. The funny thing is, the way the tax code is set up, the more it costs me to operate a business, the less I pay in tax. Frankly, if I have to give up my money to someone, I'd much rather hand it over to an oil or insurance company who clearly is a for profit operation, than to the gov't who I am 100% certain will squander it on something stupid.

 

My man....this is exactly how I feel about the situation. I prefer having the option to buy what I need when I need it in the quantities i need it at what they are willing to sell it to me for, rather than have no option at all. Especially when the barrier is a third party trying to protect me from being gouged.