Why Is This Price Gouging 831

I've already given numerous reasons why regulating cab rates is reasonable. If you think those reasons are wrong, you could explain specifically why, but you haven't done that. Instead, all you've done is repeat over and over that they should be allowed to charge whatever they want. I'm beginning to suspect that you're not really interested in discussing the issue with an open mind; what you're interested in is creating a forum (i.e., this thread) in which you can express your point of view over and over again.

In any case, I will point out the additional point that the cabbies knew what the rules were when they decided to become cabbies. Whether or not those rules are reasonable is really beside the point; if they didn't want to follow the rules, they shouldn't have become cabbies.

You've said that claiming that it's price-gouging because it's illegal is begging the question. I disagree. Charging more than is legal is by definition price-gouging. Now, if you want to discuss whether the rates should be regulated, great, let's have at it, but as I said, you aren't really doing that -- I gave a number of reasons why, and you've made no effort to respond to them.

Now, I think we're starting to see the agenda you've come into this discussion with. You hid it for a while, but it's starting to become clear. Later in the same posting, you

Stil later, you

And later:

You seem to have a rather large chip on your shoulder about people in the money industry supposedly gouging people as a matter of course in their day-to-day business. You take it as a given that the "Wall St. dude" is a "price-gouger", even though you know nothing about what he does for a living except that he apparently works on Wall Street and probably makes more than the cabbie. You don't know if he's a good or honest person, but that doesn't seem to matter to you -- it appears that as far as you're concerned, all "bankers, etc." are price-gougers who take advantage of "working stiffs." I reject that premise out-of-hand.

I also reject your premise that our economy is based on people "taking advantage" of other people, or that such taking advantage is either ethical or necessary in a capitalist society.