September 14, 2005

Holman Jenkins in today's W$J:

Gasoline is the most visible price in the economy, easily discernible from the roadway without even slowing down. Yet the head of the Westchester [County, N.Y.] consumer protection office went on local TV and all but pronounced one station owner guilty because he raised his posted price more than the next station down the street....

One Florida station owner told investigators exactly why he raised prices -- because he had too many customers. For his sensible honesty, he was named in the first lawsuit brought as part of the state's "gouging" dragnet.

More: this site Sept. 8; OL Sept. 1 and Sept. 2; Will Wilson, AEI Federalism Project AGWatch, Sept. 5.