RE:RE:When capitalism is questioned...With all due respect paray99, prested's post is not stupid at all. He is saying exactly
what many others have already said as far as the effect of windfall taxes are on the oil
and gas companies. He is totally correct as windfall taxes acts as a disincentive to
produce more supply. He is also correct that when gov'ts interfere with the free market there are unforseen negative consequences of such actions
Intefering with free markets is an arbitrary politically charged decision and goes against our ideas of capitalism and democracy. The suggestion that these gov't
initiated decisions can lead to totalitarianism is not so outlandish at all and is
exactly the process of how it occurs.
Now no one is disputing what you have said. In fact you are totally correct. I just
think you are failing to see the broader implications of gov't intererence in the free
market process. That is what prested is addressing and its certainly not theory,
but fact.