Nope. Completely wrong. If I carried ?50 on me and tried to spend it during an emergency, people would wonder what those funny pieces of paper were that I were handing them. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Well, this is become semantics, but I'll have a go.

If I sell my neighbor some diesel at a greatly inflated price because it has suddenly become hard to acquire, I am participating the the simple laws of economics; supply and demand. Profiteering is a great PHRASECENSOREDPOSTERSHOULDKNOWBETTER. declaration that limits how much you are entitled to make on the goods/services you provide. It need not be conditional.

Since I am no better at predicting the future than anyone else I know, who's to say that my stockpile might not get used up before I can restock it? Therefore, parting with any of it during a crisis situation might be considered a significant enough loss that I would place much higher value on what I have, even if it seems abundant for the moment. My wife and kids are not going to be too forgiving if I sell diesel at $5.00 a gallon today, and run out in a month with no provision to acquire more, during the middle of winter, and we are freezing to death, in the dark.

I do not believe in penalizing someone who has the foresight to plan ahead, for survival or economic reasons. It just seems too counterproductive. It may sound heartless to others, but we are talking survival here, not charity.

I think the fine line here is, don't be a ass about it. If you are, you might get the moola, but when you need your neighbors' help, they might be a little more reluctant.

That's why IF(!) I've been so sloppy others know about my supplies, I'm not going to make them pay blood. And I'll be more likely to accept barter. And even though I don't advertise, I have stashes of stuff even my friends don't know about. Any trading is done with the flash gear, not the stash gear.

Not really. My definition of a profiteer is the local Stop-n-Rob owner who decides that every item in his store needs a 500% markup just before a hurricane. Or Farmer Bill with the 2000 gallon gas tank who thinks it would be ok to resell it at $10.00 a gallon. I do not consider someone who overprepares to be a profiteer. I may not have been clear on that.

Your last statement is right on the money.

Regards, Vince

"If I sell my neighbor some diesel at a greatly inflated price because it has suddenly become hard to acquire, I am participating the the simple laws of economics; supply and demand."

Actually, if your governor has declared a state of emergency and initiated a price freeze, then you may be breaking the law. What would be perfectly acceptable behavior during normal times (gouging your neighbor) becomes an illegal activity under most emergency decrees.
Maybe the people in Florida can chime in here. Are any of you currently under any restrictions on profiteering due to Wilma?

Please note that I am not arguing against the right to hoard/stockpile as much as you want. And since they are your supplies you can part with as much or as little as you see fit. But I am saying that trading on the misery of ones neighbors to make a buck stinks, it should be illegal during emergencies, and--as far as I know--it is.

Regards, Vince

Yeah, I can live with those qualifiers. I would only be an axx to someone who was an axx in the first place for deciding he could do without because someone will always be there to bail his axx out if things go to sour.

Fortunately, most folks I know don't think that way, so it's likely I will be reasonable with reasonable people. Still you know there's always gotta be some joker out there (the grasshopper). He's the one who will pony up or get sent down the road.

Well, there you have it, socio-economics in action. Now we are back to the original axiom that our good friend Mr. Franklin gave us.

"Those who would trade their freedom for a little security deserve neither"

I'd say we are getting just what we asked for with this kind of "law".

So not only can they force me to sell my supplies, they also get to tell me for how much, or maybe just take it and give it away and forget the compensation altogether.

Yep, sure motivates me to do my part. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

PREPARING is what WE do ahead of time.

HOARDING is what the idiot down the street says we're doing because he didn't prepare.

Sue

I've forgotten whether I got C or K rations when I was in the Air Force, but I didn't mind them. Maybe I just have lower standards than you do. :->

Would the K F C rations be a lower standard again <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />