Dunn and Dumber

Can the Democrats get any dumber?  I heard this on the radio this morning and thought it was in error as I could only find a 2003 story.  But after hearing it again this afternoon, I checked again and sure enough, here's our local village idiot Joe Dunn in the Left Angeles Times: California Watches Hawaii's Effort to Cap Gasoline Prices.  In part,

This week, state Sen. Joe Dunn (D-Santa Ana) will reintroduce legislation that would give the California Public Utilities Commission the power to regulate gasoline prices.  "Hawaii is taking the absolutely correct approach to the gasoline industry," said Dunn, a strident critic of energy companies. "The more states that follow Hawaii's lead, the sooner we'll be able to force this industry to get back to normal market behavior that benefits the consumer but also allows them a reasonable profit."

Taking the cue from Hawaii, a state more socialistic than our own, is his first mistake.  Contemplating ANY form of price controls is his second.  Being Joe Dunn is his third.  This bill isn't quite on par with the nonsense he's considering for Mexican reparations -- it's even more ridiculous.  A smart politician would abandon this nonsense and help with something productive -- like allowing a refinery to be built somewhere in California -- we haven't seen a new one in over 70 years. 

What makes Dunn think the oil companies need to freely sell where there are price controls and a threat of litigation?  More from the LAT,

Cap opponent Fred Hemmings, Republican minority leader in the Hawaii Senate, said the law was "making Hawaii a laughingstock of the nation." He has called the price control effort "ludicrous" and "foolhardy," and said of the bill: "We don't need it and it won't work."

It sure won't.  After they let us get Enroned in '02, letting the PUC get close to anything like this is an invitation to economic disaster.  Government price controls don't work -- the free market does.  Dunn needs to put his bill where the lights don't shine.

Even more idiocy from the SF Chronicle:

Price caps are not a solution to a dysfunctional market. [It's running just fine Joe, as supply and demand requires and as Econ 101 says it should.]  However, they are a damage control measure until solutions are developed," said California state Sen. Joseph Dunn, D-Garden Grove (Orange County), who has called for state regulation of the gasoline market. "If they're necessary to prevent the bleeding of consumers, then I would support price caps as a temporary measure while we develop real solutions."

Somebody needs to help this pathetic socialist find a new job.  Van Tran??

Comments

[Allan Bartlett]

It's nice to see the socialists taking leave of their senses again. Come to think of it, it's actually a common occurance for Democrats in Sacramento.

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And deregulation worked really well after it was signed into law by Pete Wilson.

Reregulation can't be all that bad an alternative.

[Allan Bartlett]

We're not talking about the electricty. We're talking about gasoline. You can't set the price on a commodity like that without creating shortages. No one will sell to you at the set price if the market is higher. We don't need to bring back the Jimmy Carter era when you had long gas lines because of price controls.

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