Proving that the NDP has no concept of history and has no clue how a free market system works, Andrea Horwath (ON NDP Leader) is vowing to have weekly caps on gasoline prices. Ms. Horwath should do some research on a fellow named Jimmy Carter and also read up on the disastrous policies of the federal Liberal government from the 1970's which made the lives of consumers miserable as they waited in gas lines thanks to OPEC.
The NDP plan won't protect anyone against high gas prices, all it will do is ensure that gasoline sales will be permanently high so that producers will protect themselves from this Soviet-style command and control. The NDP, Liberals, Democrats, and other statists prove time and again that they are Central Planners at heart. Their goal is power, their method is controlling people through legislation and regulation.
Horwath stated: "Filling your tank should not be a game of chance. Drivers will know what they will be paying that week. No surprises, no shocks, no waking up the next morning to a price that's 10 cents more than it was the night before."
So why shouldn't that rule apply to food, housing, Tylenol, and diapers? Maybe we can have a central government ministry in charge of prices so that consumers are protected against all kinds of price manipulation!?!?
For any Dippers or Liberals, my last sentence was sarcastic in nature. The Globe and Mail, to its credit, points out: "A quick scan of current gas prices reveals that consumers can pay more to fill up their tank in provinces with regulation. In Ontario, gas prices ranged from a low of 122.9 cents a litre on Thursday to a high of 132.9 cents. In Nova Scotia, the range was 127.9 cents to 132.6 cents. And in New Brunswick, 120.9 cents to 129.9 cents."
This is because manipulation of the market by the government leads to inefficiency, and ultimately higher prices for consumers. This is a law of economics, not a theory.
Just as Obama is trying to control health care costs in the US and the result is skyrocketing costs, taxes and higher unemployment, so will any attempt to manipulate and control the energy market in Ontario. Central planning fails every time it is tried.
1 comments:
Gas prices in Atlantic Canada used to be MUCH higher compared to prices in the rest of the country before weekly regulation was introduced. These regulations have been wildly popular in the provinces where they've been implemented.
Also, Jimmy Carter never capped the price of gasoline. Gas lines in 1973 were caused by rationing under Nixon. Gas lines in 1979 were caused by the embargo of Iran. Jimmy Carter actually DEREGULATED oil production in the United States.
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