From: Judy McCormick
Columbus
After reading Andy East’s article on the front page of The Republic on May 21 (“Candidates disagree on price-gouging bill”), I was again going to be depressed that my Republican Party had chosen the wrong side of the issue (as Roe v. Wade and gun control, and COVID vaccinations). After looking into the matter further, however, I decided, as in most of the cases, these bills crafted by who knows are page upon page of legal jargon designed to give power to the federal government to try to “fix” a problem with no means of actually implementing or enforcing it.
I decided to read HR 7688, designed to “fix” oil company price gouging, and I welcome you to read it, too.
First of all, in Section 5, “FTC investigation and report on gasoline prices,” paragraph (d) authorizes appropriations of $1 million “to look into possible violations,” which is contrary to what Andy East’s article said in The Republic, that it would not cost the “general public.” I don’t know where the $1 million is coming from, but I can only assume it will come out of federal funds that the “general public” paid in taxes.
Secondly, the factors that are considered are whether amounts of fuel purchased “grossly exceeds the price at which the same or a similar consumer fuel was readily obtainable in the same area from other sellers during the emergency period.” There is no definition that I could find of what “grossly exceeds” means, and, of course there are many mitigating factors that could affect this, which I’m sure could be manipulated by any company accountant that wants to be excluded from these regulations.
Furthermore, the enforcement of these regulations first begins with, “If the chief law enforcement officer of a State, or an official or agency designated by a State, has reason to believe that any person has violated or is violating subsection (a) involving a retail sale, the attorney general, official, or agency of the State, in addition to any authority it may have to bring an action in State court under its laws, may bring a civil action in any appropriate United States district court or in any other court …”
These bills are so ridiculous that only lawyers can make any sense of them to figure out what they are trying to say and how to implement what they say. I don’t think that most of our congressmen or senators, despite some of their legal backgrounds, really understand all the implications, nuances, and complexities of these bills they have to vote on!
I’m sorry I don’t have the answer to high gas prices, and I don’t like it any better than any of you, but I don’t think a bill drawn up by this group of lawyers is going to do the trick! I don’t have the answer, but in my opinion, solutions come from concerned citizens, local and state nonprofit groups, and faith-based groups (churches) who want things to change!
