but you are assuming none will die due to not being able to afford the gouged prices. or no one will get shot by someone that can’t afford it. the deaths wash each other out.
the brilliance of market (gouged) prices is they replenish supply much much quicker, alleviating the shortage. the higher prices are super short term. the high prices pressure people to buy only what they need. the way prices are restricted now, it encourages hoarding. and i see people doing it, filling a zillion tanks of gas and loading their truck with a million gallons right before the station runs out. it would be better if gas were expensive and they just got 3 days worth of gas for their smallest vehicle. the gas will only be exorbitantly priced for a short time until profit-seeking heroes deliver more, which they are hugely motivated to do. truckers that were gonna deliver gas to somewhere else, they put in an extra shift for a big payday. guys in towns 400 miles away will rent a truck and fill it with every generator at home deport and drive it to town. there is a famous case of this exact thing happening. an enterprising fellow filled a rental truck and tried to sell generators for double after he drove them to a hurricane site. he was arrested. he was clearly helping, not hurting. if you want a generator bad enough to pay double, you are thanking this guy, not arresting him.
With the oil of Aphrodite; And the dust of the Grand Wazoo You might not believe this Little Buddy But Market Prices will cure your asthma too With apologies to Mr Zappa
