Re: gas logic

[Robert Hoffmann <escape@alt-escape.com>]

At 05:02 PM 1/8/99 EST, E. O'Daniel wrote:
>An absence of proof for A does not prove B.  God, OJ, UFOs, and gas prices in
>Moscow, come to mind.

The discussion was strictly legalistic (the issue was a class-action
lawsuit).  Whether OJ done it, and whether you can convict him of it, are
two different things.  It could very well be that there is a silent
understanding among gas station managers to keep prices within a certain
level.  Maybe they even got together and agreed.  But to win in court, you
have to prove active collusion. This is a very high standard.  To force
them to lower prices without meeting this standard would be seen (by many)
as unnecessary state intervention in the market economy.

In the past several years, I can only remember two instances of price
fixing being proven in court.  One was the recent Archer Daniels Midland
suit, and the other (strangely enough) was proven against universities who
cooperated on selecting athletes to whom they would offer scholarships.

Price inequity is easy to observe/document/prove.  To prove it criminal,
now that is a challenge!



Robert Hoffmann                      817 S. Adams
Alt-Escape Adventures                Moscow, ID  83843  USA
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	             Fax:   (208) 883-8545