Originally Posted by NoSocialism.com

You MUST be joking???

Government CREATED this fiasco, first by limiting drilling of our own oil, then by diverting almost a fourth of America's Corn supply to Ethanol and even now by refusing to lift Moratoriums on Shale to Oil, Coal Gasification and Offshore Drilling.

So let me get this straight, now that Government has CREATED these problems with regulations in Oil and Food, you now want Government to fix this by FURTHER regulating the Economy?!?!?!?
Is it just me or has the world gone insane!

Originally Posted by NumberUnknown

With soaring oil prices, causing transportation costs for goods to skyrocket, as well as forcing food directly to be higher priced (oil is used in fertilizer and other means of increasing crop yields), food is indirectly being forced higher in price. Billions before our era of food crisis and oil crisis did go hungry, and millions did starve annually, but now it is growing even worse. Although I don't need to seriously worry, my latest trip to the supermarket resulted in a price of $250 for seven bags of groceries (soup, pasta noodles, sauces, frozen pizzas, etc). Who else here is suffering from either the price of oil or food?

I believe in the economic theories of Keynes, and I think it's time government began getting involved. Obviously it is paramount for governments in specific countries being affected to take measures first, but here in America, things will keep getting bad unless someone does something about this situation. I therefore feel the government should do something drastic: set prices for two sectors of goods; oil, and basic food items. The price of oil is hurting everyone, and the money for oil goes straight to mostly foreigners. I know no one who is having to forgo food for fuel. I know a close friend who worries because they have to choose between fuel and food for the next week before they get their paycheck.

Minimum wage is not counteracting this increase in prices, which it should. Obviously prices need to be regulated.

Now, as for basic food items, I mean things like butter, clean water in those gallon plastic jugs, bread, cheaper "meat" items like chicken, and soup (which can be very nutritious and low in production costs), amongst many others. Obviously food like frozen California Pizza Kitchen, cake, pastry, cookies, steak, crab, etc, shouldn't be touched. But I do think easing prices will help the middle and lower classes. It will let them keep money which they can use to spend on other things, not just on oil companies. An economy cannot survive when only a sector or two receives most of the flow of money, and a society cannot survive when food and fuel prices are allowed to soar beyond the ability to pay for them.

Or we can just let everyone skip meals and go poor. How about that?

Originally Posted by JavaBlack

Setting prices is likely to lead to future economic disaster unless it is very, very temporary (which the current fuel prices may not be).
It could ultimately lead to a lower supply of fuel.

I'd actually rather see a floor placed on gas prices to avoid overoptimism and overconsumption...

The better solution in Keynsian style is to cut taxes on the lower income brackets, effectively putting more income in the hands of the poor. Perhaps some sort of subsidy or rebate can be given during a certain time to cover the gas costs.
But that has the problem of keeping demand high.
Ideally we should be shooting for a way to decrease demand... so subsidies for energy-efficient technologies in vehicles would be a bigger part of the plan.
And in addition we should focus on improved infrastructure, including public transportation. Currently public transportation in many areas is deficient and interstate, national public transport is the laugh of the world here.

Originally Posted by katiegrrl0

I don't spend much time at the grocery store. I do some shopping for sundry items. I'm not really that aware of consumer prices. I dine out more than i eat at home. I do spend more money these days on gas. That I purchase. My partner says that the grocery prices are going up alot.

I look at part of the problem with prices would be transportation. The high cost of fuel will inevitably add to the end user cost. Another might be the food corn being used for fuel. Each of those would add considerable to the cost to set a meal on someones table.

I usually don't like the idea of government regulating prices. Yet there are some circumstances that would make me have a look. This is one of those times. I would agree for a temporary time a roll back or freeze may be helpful. I think the biggest problem is oil. Somehow the government should be able set prices on fuel at the pump. By lowering that one price we should see a lowering of prices across the board.

Originally Posted by NumberUnknown

With soaring oil prices, causing transportation costs for goods to skyrocket, as well as forcing food directly to be higher priced (oil is used in fertilizer and other means of increasing crop yields), food is indirectly being forced higher in price. Billions before our era of food crisis and oil crisis did go hungry, and millions did starve annually, but now it is growing even worse. Although I don't need to seriously worry, my latest trip to the supermarket resulted in a price of $250 for seven bags of groceries (soup, pasta noodles, sauces, frozen pizzas, etc). Who else here is suffering from either the price of oil or food?

I believe in the economic theories of Keynes, and I think it's time government began getting involved. Obviously it is paramount for governments in specific countries being affected to take measures first, but here in America, things will keep getting bad unless someone does something about this situation. I therefore feel the government should do something drastic: set prices for two sectors of goods; oil, and basic food items. The price of oil is hurting everyone, and the money for oil goes straight to mostly foreigners. I know no one who is having to forgo food for fuel. I know a close friend who worries because they have to choose between fuel and food for the next week before they get their paycheck.

Minimum wage is not counteracting this increase in prices, which it should. Obviously prices need to be regulated.

Now, as for basic food items, I mean things like butter, clean water in those gallon plastic jugs, bread, cheaper "meat" items like chicken, and soup (which can be very nutritious and low in production costs), amongst many others. Obviously food like frozen California Pizza Kitchen, cake, pastry, cookies, steak, crab, etc, shouldn't be touched. But I do think easing prices will help the middle and lower classes. It will let them keep money which they can use to spend on other things, not just on oil companies. An economy cannot survive when only a sector or two receives most of the flow of money, and a society cannot survive when food and fuel prices are allowed to soar beyond the ability to pay for them.

Or we can just let everyone skip meals and go poor. How about that?