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1) Wrong, Wrong, Wrong  by Anonymous Citizen on March 2, 2004 
Cheap Walmart gas will never hurt consumers. (It depends on where the consumer lives. In 2001 Walmart moved their worldwide purchasing headquarters to China and are the largest importer of Chinese goods in the US, purchasing
over $10 BILLION of Chinese-made products annually. Products made mostly by
women and children working in the labor hell-holes China is famous for and eeking out an existence for pennies per week.)

There is no such thing as a monopoly that government doesn't enforce. (Wrong. At least Bill Gates, Microsoft, and the Department of Justice would seem to disagree)

Mom's gas station: price $1.60, cost $1.50
Walmarts: price $1.49, cost $1.45 (Wrong. Walmart pays the same price for gas as Mom's they just sell it below cost.)
Before Walmarts I paid $1.60. After I pay $1.45. How do I lose?

Mom's goes out of business. No one can make any money except Walmart. Walmarts raises prices to $1.50, and no one can make any money at $1.50, so Walmart keeps the whole market. I pay $1.50. I'm still ahead of Mom's $1.60. (Wrong. Walmart can't make money at $1.50 either so they raise the price to $1.60 the day after Mom's closes.)

Evil Walmart realizes that no one else is selling gas. Eureka! A monopoly! It gouges the poor consumer by raising price to $1.70 (or $4.50, etc.). Mom's decides to reopen because she can get gas at $1.50, sell it profitably as low as $1.60. I go to Mom's and pay $1.60. The only loss I'd have is the gas I'd have to buy while waiting for Mom to reopen. (Wrong again. Mom's took a pretty good beating the last time. Had to file bankruptcy. Doubtful they'll be too anxious to do it again. Besides, if they did Walmart would once again start selling below cost until they really learned their lesson. Also, the employees that used to work at Mom's now all work at Walmart making as much as $7.22 per hour!!!).

This legislation attempts to keep Walmart from selling gas at any different price than the state decides. I'm sure that the people on the new state gas price commission will have decades of experience in the proper pricing of gasoline. In their infinite wisdom, the state decides on $1.80. Or $2.50. Or $1.00. Who the hell knows? And what are you going to do about it? (Wrong once more. This legislation decides a minimum and maximum over cost that can be charged. Prices are set by the commodities markets, not the state).

If Walmart tries to gouge you, you can ignore them and go to Mom's. (No you can't. They have the only station in town) If the state says that they BOTH must have to have high prices, where to you go (besides broke)?

I really wish you folks would take the time to understand how gas pricing works. In the end, saving one dollar on a tank full of gas is probably worth it to you to see your neighboorhood business go under. Not to mention those poor folks in China. Go Walmart!!!!
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2) Free Markets? Anti-trust?  by Anonymous Citizen on February 2, 2004 
Cheap Walmart gas will never hurt consumers. There is no such thing as a monopoly that government doesn't enforce. See this example:

Mom's gas station: price $1.60, cost $1.50
Walmarts: price $1.49, cost $1.45
Before Walmarts I paid $1.60. After I pay $1.45. How do I lose?

Mom's goes out of business. No one can make any money except Walmart. Walmarts raises prices to $1.50, and no one can make any money at $1.50, so Walmart keeps the whole market. I pay $1.50. I'm still ahead of Mom's $1.60.

Evil Walmart realizes that no one else is selling gas. Eureka! A monopoly! It gouges the poor consumer by raising price to $1.70 (or $4.50, etc.). Mom's decides to reopen because she can get gas at $1.50, sell it profitably as low as $1.60. I go to Mom's and pay $1.60. The only loss I'd have is the gas I'd have to buy while waiting for Mom to reopen.

This legislation attempts to keep Walmart from selling gas at any different price than the state decides. I'm sure that the people on the new state gas price commission will have decades of experience in the proper pricing of gasoline. In their infinite wisdom, the state decides on $1.80. Or $2.50. Or $1.00. Who the hell knows? And what are you going to do about it?

If Walmart tries to gouge you, you can ignore them and go to Mom's. If the state says that they BOTH must have to have high prices, where to you go (besides broke)?
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3) We need better legislation  by Anonymous Citizen on January 20, 2004 
They buy items and produce items dirt cheap from China/mexico. But when they (corporate bosses) choose to live here and reap the benefits, such as USDA safety inspections-sending their kids to public schools. Then these same bosses send your jobs overseas and pay no taxes into our system. Why are we tolerating this! If they want to take their business's to china or Mexico fine-lets legislate their citizenship away and send them a free plane ticket out of here. To live here in the USA and enjoy all the perks and benefits and then to not pay the taxes is stealing! from you and me!. Its like going out to dinner with 8 people and we split the bill, but lo and behold how would you feel if someone wanted to cheat out of paying?
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