Rat Out Your Neighbors, Economic Version

What can I add to this, except does anyone out there — I mean anyone — believe Bush Jong Il and the Republicans really believe in a free, unregulated and unsubsidized market?

Following up on President Bush’s promise to get tough on price gouging, Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman on Thursday urged consumers to report activity at retail gasoline stations that they believe may constitute “gouging” or “price fixing.”

Boman cited legitimate factors for the price spike, such as growing demand and the after effects of last year’s hurricanes on the refining sector, but noted there may be some people trying to take advantage of the high price environment.

“By reporting suspicious activity, consumers can help us send a message that illegal activity won’t be tolerated and bad actors will be held accountable,” Bodman said in a statement, reminding consumers of its gasoline price gouging reporting system http://gaswatch.energy.gov/.

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3:37 pm on April 20, 2006