Market Observations

[roberth]

You know why, I know why. It's one of the tenants in some play book

Indeed it is. We're watching it destroy this economy in real time.

[Hound]

Unbridaled capitalism gives you robber barons and the great depression. The greatest middle class in American history was created under a 90%+ tax code and the people at the top still did not want for anything. Moderation is the key. Too much regulation stifles creativity and the entrepreneurial spirt, enough spreads the wealth and allows those entrepreneurs the resources to have a chance against an Amazon or Microsoft M$ is a great case in how to squash the entrepreneur with too little regulation while the breaking up of MaBell is a great case of good regulation. Too much Capitalism pools the wealth around a few creating an aristocracy [you know.... The reason we have a Constitution.... an Aristocracy]] that will crush the entrepreneur, lead to greed where one man does not work and wants for nothing while another works himself to death and still has nothing. When a CEO and a man on EOD are paid the same.... Then we can talk. Gouging takes many forms, a monopoly gouges people by falsely manipulating the market through the owning of a market and is the antithesis of Capitalism. The gouging we have seen in guns/ammo is another form, bred more from a false psychology of the fear that there may be a shortage due to something being taken away. Capitalism is neither good nor bad but not taken in moderation (either way) leads to the suffering at first of the common man and eventually by those at the top when the revolution comes (there is another recent thread on here where this exact issue is called out) . History has proven this many times over.

[Great-Kazoo]

Unbridaled capitalism gives you robber barons and the great depression. The greatest middle class in American history was created under a 90%+ tax code and the people at the top still did not want for anything. Moderation is the key. Too much regulation stifles creativity and the entrepreneurial spirt, enough spreads the wealth and allows those entrepreneurs the resources to have a chance against an Amazon or Microsoft M$ is a great case in how to squash the entrepreneur with too little regulation while the breaking up of MaBell is a great case of good regulation. Too much Capitalism pools the wealth around a few creating an aristocracy [you know.... The reason we have a Constitution.... an Aristocracy]] that will crush the entrepreneur, lead to greed where one man does not work and wants for nothing while another works himself to death and still has nothing. When a CEO and a man on EOD are paid the same.... Then we can talk. Gouging takes many forms, a monopoly gouges people by falsely manipulating the market through the owning of a market and is the antithesis of Capitalism. The gouging we have seen in guns/ammo is another form, bred more from a false psychology of the fear that there may be a shortage due to something being taken away. Capitalism is neither good nor bad but not taken in moderation (either way) leads to the suffering at first of the common man and eventually by those at the top when the revolution comes (there is another recent thread on here where this exact issue is called out) . History has proven this many times over.

Actually for those paying bills at the time way before cell phones. The break up of Ma bell in to what was then called The Baby Bells, caused rate increases for use of service. No matter what you read, unless you were there, it wasn't for the better of mankind, after it was said and done. Our monthly phone bill was testament.

Who determines MODERATION, You, the market, buyer seller? personally, between you and a few other members, i am surprised (or not) the "progressive view" touted . You and others may not see , and or vehemently deny it. The same buzz words permeate almost every other post made. Hell you even managed to include Income Redistribution / EQUALITY, in this last post

[Gman]

Collusion and price fixing is bad.

Being able to charge what the market will bear is free enterprise.

[Great-Kazoo]

It's nice to know the free thinkers have a direction for the rest of us. Sorry i'm not feeling, or want to embrace the One People One World mind set.

[wctriumph]

Since that is not my vision I guess their plan won't work. I'll take a free market that gives me the choice rather than having the market choose for me, no matter the product.

TEA

III

[Bailey Guns]

Unbridaled capitalism gives you robber barons and the great depression. The greatest middle class in American history was created under a 90%+ tax code and the people at the top still did not want for anything. Moderation is the key. Too much regulation stifles creativity and the entrepreneurial spirt, enough spreads the wealth and allows those entrepreneurs the resources to have a chance against an Amazon or Microsoft M$ is a great case in how to squash the entrepreneur with too little regulation while the breaking up of MaBell is a great case of good regulation. Too much Capitalism pools the wealth around a few creating an aristocracy [you know.... The reason we have a Constitution.... an Aristocracy]] that will crush the entrepreneur, lead to greed where one man does not work and wants for nothing while another works himself to death and still has nothing. When a CEO and a man on EOD are paid the same.... Then we can talk. Gouging takes many forms, a monopoly gouges people by falsely manipulating the market through the owning of a market and is the antithesis of Capitalism. The gouging we have seen in guns/ammo is another form, bred more from a false psychology of the fear that there may be a shortage due to something being taken away. Capitalism is neither good nor bad but not taken in moderation (either way) leads to the suffering at first of the common man and eventually by those at the top when the revolution comes (there is another recent thread on here where this exact issue is called out) . History has proven this many times over.

I have to agree with Kazoo. Your post if full of leftist myths...the largest of which is the 90% tax rate. First of all, virtually no one paid 90%. There were so many deductions that it was nearly impossible. Secondly, tax receipts/revenues in post war America (since 1945 until now) have stayed in the range of 15% to 20% of GDP. Secondly, for many years after the war there was no competition to US businesses because of the destruction from WWII. Another example, in 1944 the highest tax rate was 94%. In reality, the avg tax rate paid for people in that bracket was only 40% due to all of the deductions available. That continued into the 50s in terms of deductions available.

Here's a great article that explains it: http://almostclassical.blogspot.com/...rate-myth.html

The top 10% of income earners in the country already pay 70% of all taxes. That means the remaining 90% pay only 30% of taxes. And don't forget the 47% who pay nothing or nearly nothing in income taxes. It's not about the rich paying their fair share...another liberal myth to appeal to their low-information base. Even CNN, hardly a hotbed of conservatism, agrees with those tax numbers.

It sounds to me like you're a firm believer in equality of outcome rather than equality of opportunity.

And you've gone way beyond the scope of the OP. We're not talking about corporate monopolies and whether or not they're good or bad. There are plenty of monopolies that make products/services less expensive for people...utilities are a prime example. Patents are another example of how a monopoly, encouraged and managed by the federal gov't, provides incentive for invention and innovation. It's true the tradeoff is sometimes higher prices for a product...but that's the incentive to create.

Furthermore, capitalism does not squelch entrepreneurism. I'd venture to say it does just the opposite. And while I am a supporter of the military I'd really like to hear why a CEO (and I'm going to assume you're talking about a CEO of a very large corporation making millions of dollars) responsible for a billion dollar corporation and the thousands of people employed there relates to a military member who volunteered not only to join the military, but also to do a particular job. That's a real stretch that I seriously doubt you can explain rationally. I happen to think many entertainers (sports figures, movie stars, etc...) make WAY too much money but others don't. That's why a football player makes millions and your same EOD guy gets paid on the military wage scale.

Under your "gouging" explanation in the gun/ammo world, explain why it's bad for prices to go up and consumers have to pay more, but it's not bad for prices to come down to the point where suppliers (retailers and manufacturers) make less. It should be apparent that some are struggling to sell inventory...that will likely lead to layoffs or even downsizing if it continues. Who's getting hurt if that happens?

Lastly, if another revolution is imminent, and I have my doubts (I'd go so far as to say it won't happen in my lifetime), it certainly has nothing to do with the fact that gun prices were high while supplies were low. Capitalism is the best economic system yet devised by man that ensures everyone has a shot not only at wealth but the fruits of competition.

[Great-Kazoo]

Since that is not my vision I guess their plan won't work. I'll take a free market that gives me the choice rather than having the market choose for me, no matter the product.

TEA

III

Take your daughetre shooting and stay out of this free market, gouging, price fluctuation crap. No need to ruin your day this early

Don't you know, we're NWO

[Bailey Guns]

Since that is not my vision I guess their plan won't work. I'll take a free market that gives me the choice rather than having the market choose for me, no matter the product.

TEA

III

Exactly. I get to decide whether a product is priced too high or not. I don't have someone else taking over that aspect of my life. Control over personal freedoms ALWAYS comes at a cost that's far higher than I'm willing to pay. If that means I do without a certain product that leaves me money to spend on something else that offers me greater value.

Make no mistake...the person who believes in "price gouging" believes in relinquishing personal freedom whether they'll admit that's the case or not.

[roberth]

Bailey, Kazoo, wctriumph - you're all on the right track - keep on truckin'

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-0...ools-economics