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Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: ManyMoose who wrote (132966)	3/22/2001 10:01:30 PM
From: Kevin Rose	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 769667

Problem: price gouging by immoral energy suppliers who are shamelessly exploiting a supply situation to maximize their profits. Desired Outcome: relief for consumers who can ill afford a 10x increase in their energy bills, and relief for a nation teetering on the edge of economic meltdown. Possible solutions: 1) Ignore it (the Bush solution; see Economic Meltdown). 2) Increase supply - beat the power monopoly by providing REAL competition (good long term solution, poor short term solution). 3) Decrease demand - severe mandatory blackouts (6-8 hours per day). (Short term solution, however results in CA economic meltdown and therefore US economic meltdown - long term disaster). 4) Limit gouging short term (1-2 years), while increasing supply and reducing demand. (Best short and long term solution). Any real solution contains elements of distastefulness to some. Even though their hero Nixon was a champion of price controls, most Republicans view price control about as distastefully as keeping guns out of the hands of teenagers. However, as part of the solution, it is the best, least expensive way to get the necessary results. Thanks for pointing out that the principles of unemotional, rational enginering can be applied to this situation.