pk: And the other scenarios? Like I've said, there are plenty of folks who can buy less gas, take a more efficient vehicle, carpool or decide to stay at home.
The other scenarios still leave a lot of the poor "shit out of luck." A good disaster response needs to take into account the most vulnerable citizens. That's why there are laws against price-gouging and hoarding.
pk: It's about convincing those people who can make different choices to make different choices.
I don't think that getting rid of price-gouging during a disaster is going to do that. To borrow an analogy used by that very smart professional mocker, Stephen Colbert, it's like taking down the stop signs at a busy four way stop on the grounds that, without them, rational self-interest will kick in and traffic will eventually move smoothly. First of all, the "learning process" would be lethal for some people. Second, the result is likely to be more or less permanent gridlock.
The reaction to outrageous price-gouging of someone rushing to get away in advance of an oncoming Category 5 storm is not likely going to involve stepping back and thoughtfully working out what would be best for everyone. If the person has the money, they're likely to mutter some curses, pay it and load up their car. If they don't, they are not going to hang around dickering. They're more likely to panic and try (probably vainly) some place with items the can afford, OR just give up and go back home, OR organize a few like-minded pals with base-ball bats to break a few windows and grab stuff.
Yes, people will sometimes wait until the last minute to evacuate in advance of a hurricane, sometimes because they underestimate the danger of a storm, sometimes because they honestly have little choice. People will make dumb decisions because they have a false sense of invulnerability. People will make unsafe decisions because they don't have many options. A good, humane disaster response takes those factors into account.
pk:And like I said, I am all for immediate cash assistance for the poor so that they can afford essentials.
And what's to prevent profiteers from just raising their prices even more?
pk: You act as though we can prevent shortages, which we can't.
No, we can't. We can, however, minimize their effects.
Anti-homicide laws don't prevent all murders. Anti-theft laws don't prevent all theft. Anti-rape laws don't prevent all rape. The existence of these laws, however, do reduce the incidence of murder, theft, and rape.
pk: How do you decide who is shit out of luck?
I leave that decision to aid agencies who do that kind of triage. I do know that it's way beyond the point of that person saying "I don't have enough cash to pay for that bottled water the guy is charging $100 a case for."
no subject
The other scenarios still leave a lot of the poor "shit out of luck." A good disaster response needs to take into account the most vulnerable citizens. That's why there are laws against price-gouging and hoarding.
pk: It's about convincing those people who can make different choices to make different choices.
I don't think that getting rid of price-gouging during a disaster is going to do that. To borrow an analogy used by that very smart professional mocker, Stephen Colbert, it's like taking down the stop signs at a busy four way stop on the grounds that, without them, rational self-interest will kick in and traffic will eventually move smoothly. First of all, the "learning process" would be lethal for some people. Second, the result is likely to be more or less permanent gridlock.
The reaction to outrageous price-gouging of someone rushing to get away in advance of an oncoming Category 5 storm is not likely going to involve stepping back and thoughtfully working out what would be best for everyone. If the person has the money, they're likely to mutter some curses, pay it and load up their car. If they don't, they are not going to hang around dickering. They're more likely to panic and try (probably vainly) some place with items the can afford, OR just give up and go back home, OR organize a few like-minded pals with base-ball bats to break a few windows and grab stuff.
Yes, people will sometimes wait until the last minute to evacuate in advance of a hurricane, sometimes because they underestimate the danger of a storm, sometimes because they honestly have little choice. People will make dumb decisions because they have a false sense of invulnerability. People will make unsafe decisions because they don't have many options. A good, humane disaster response takes those factors into account.
pk:And like I said, I am all for immediate cash assistance for the poor so that they can afford essentials.
And what's to prevent profiteers from just raising their prices even more?
pk: You act as though we can prevent shortages, which we can't.
No, we can't. We can, however, minimize their effects.
Anti-homicide laws don't prevent all murders. Anti-theft laws don't prevent all theft. Anti-rape laws don't prevent all rape. The existence of these laws, however, do reduce the incidence of murder, theft, and rape.
pk: How do you decide who is shit out of luck?
I leave that decision to aid agencies who do that kind of triage. I do know that it's way beyond the point of that person saying "I don't have enough cash to pay for that bottled water the guy is charging $100 a case for."