Venezuela: "Capitalist parasites" arrested.

[ZenOps]

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/1...9AD0WE20131115

"They are barbaric, these capitalist parasites!" Maduro thundered in the latest of his lengthy daily speeches. "We have more than 100 of the bourgeoisie behind bars at the moment."

Selling coffee for $6 a cup illegal? Selling legal services at $2,000/hour illegal? Playing football at $20,000 hour illegal?

Strange how they are targetting the electronics retailers. How government can change the rules like that, and just arbitrarily start arresting people based on whatever the mood of the day is.

[GTS4tw]

Originally posted by ZenOps
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/1...9AD0WE20131115

"They are barbaric, these capitalist parasites!" Maduro thundered in the latest of his lengthy daily speeches. "We have more than 100 of the bourgeoisie behind bars at the moment."

Selling coffee for $6 a cup illegal? Selling legal services at $2,000/hour illegal? Playing football at $20,000 hour illegal?

Strange how they are targetting the electronics retailers. How government can change the rules like that, and just arbitrarily start arresting people based on whatever the mood of the day is.

We have the same type of law in Canada, maybe a slightly different way of enforcing it though!

[Sugarphreak]

...

[Seth1968]

Maybe I'm missing something here, but shouldn't a private company be allowed to charge whatever the hell they want?

If you don't want to pay that much, then buy it from the competition.

[GTS4tw]

Originally posted by Seth1968
Maybe I'm missing something here, but shouldn't a private company be allowed to charge whatever the hell they want?

If you don't want to pay that much, then buy it from the competition.

There are laws in Canada (or at least Alberta anyway) that restrict the amount you can charge for an item. You cannot charge more than the sticker price for something. With a bit of creative reporting that could be made to look pretty restrictive to uninformed readers in another country.

[ExtraSlow]

This is hilarious. The state-run stores sell for less, and the private stores sell for in some cases up to 4x more, so you'd think that the buying public would flock to the state-run stores. What's obvious is that the state-run stores don't have the inventory or supply to sell enough of these units, or that they are selling inferior items. Something is driving consumers to pay these higher prices.

Back in communist russia, the price of bread was controlled, and it was very affordable. Unfortunately, the price was so low that it wasn't profitable to bake bread, so very little was produced. you ended up having people who would stand in line all day for a loaf of bread, and would only be able to buy one or two loaves a month because of the shortages. meanwhile, black market baking thrived.

You had low food prices, and people dying of starvation.

it's total madness to imagine that the solution to high prices is legislation or heavy-handed enforcement.

[Isaiah]

Originally posted by GTS4tw


There are laws in Canada (or at least Alberta anyway) that restrict the amount you can charge for an item. You cannot charge more than the sticker price for something. With a bit of creative reporting that could be made to look pretty restrictive to uninformed readers in another country.

There is no such law. There are laws against collusion, but they apply only to price fixing among competitors. A retailer can price an item however they want: capitalism.

[GTS4tw]

Originally posted by Isaiah

There is no such law. There are laws against collusion, but they apply only to price fixing among competitors. A retailer can price an item however they want: capitalism.

Yes they can, but start selling to certain customers for above the listed price and the gov't will be on your ass. Not quite the same thing, but easy to misconstrue by the time you translate and sensationalize something.

Do you really believe that N.A. is 100% capitalist?

[Seth1968]

Originally posted by GTS4tw


Yes they can, but start selling to certain customers for above the listed price and the gov't will be on your ass.

I don't know if that's true, but if it is, what could possibly be the reasoning behind it?

If the government can force a private business to lower their prices, isn't that more of a dictatorship move?

[GTS4tw]

Originally posted by Seth1968


I don't know if that's true, but if it is, what could possibly be the reasoning behind it?

If the government can force a private business to lower their prices, isn't that more of a dictatorship move?

.

[3drian]

Its super sad what is happening to Venezuela right now. Everyone is happy that the "president" lowered all the prices, but they have no idea how this is going to impact the economy in the near future.
Being from Venezuela myself, I would love to sit down and discuss this issue with people over some drinks, there is a lot more to the situation that its not being mentioned here.

[Seth1968]

Our government:

- Forces people to work and pay for others.

- Steal millions via corruption and scandals with little to no repercussions.

- Leaves out by far the most important psychological characteristic from our education system: critical thinking.

- Allows pedophiles back on the street to rape kids and destroy lives.

I could go on and on.

Democracy my ass. Our government is more akin to a dictatorship.

[Isaiah]

Originally posted by GTS4tw


Yes they can, but start selling to certain customers for above the listed price and the gov't will be on your ass. Not quite the same thing, but easy to misconstrue by the time you translate and sensationalize something.

Do you really believe that N.A. is 100% capitalist?

What listed price? What certain customers? What are you talking about?

We live in a capitalist system, yes. You are welcome to present evidence to the contrary. Modelexis is always willing to help if you need a hand.

[codetrap]

Originally posted by GTS4tw
Yes they can, but start selling to certain customers for above the listed price and the gov't will be on your ass. Not quite the same thing, but easy to misconstrue by the time you translate and sensationalize something.

Do you really believe that N.A. is 100% capitalist?

This only applies when a state of emergency has been declared, and it's intended to prevent price gouging. There are other laws in place that prevent a monopoly situation (in most cases) to stop a single entity from price fixing.

What you are suggesting is that all prices are controlled by a fixed ceiling that is government mandated, and sorry, that's just bullshit.

[GTS4tw]

Originally posted by codetrap
This only applies when a state of emergency has been declared, and it's intended to prevent price gouging. There are other laws in place that prevent a monopoly situation (in most cases) to stop a single entity from price fixing.

What you are suggesting is that all prices are controlled by a fixed ceiling that is government mandated, and sorry, that's just bullshit.

That's not what I said, suggested, or inferred.

[codetrap]

Originally posted by GTS4tw
That's not what I said, suggested, or inferred.

I thought it was exactly what you said.

Originally posted by GTS4tw
There are laws in Canada (or at least Alberta anyway) that restrict the amount you can charge for an item. You cannot charge more than the sticker price for something. With a bit of creative reporting that could be made to look pretty restrictive to uninformed readers in another country.

[GTS4tw]

Originally posted by codetrap


I thought it was exactly what you said.

Learn to read, and interpret English.

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by ExtraSlow
This is hilarious. The state-run stores sell for less, and the private stores sell for in some cases up to 4x more, so you'd think that the buying public would flock to the state-run stores. What's obvious is that the state-run stores don't have the inventory or supply to sell enough of these units, or that they are selling inferior items. Something is driving consumers to pay these higher prices.

I have to wonder though, it's possible these business men created a state-run store supply shortage by buying products at premium prices from out-of-country distributors, therefore allowing themselves to price it at whatever they like, using the state-run supply shortage as their excuse.

Really, what it boils down to though, is just Maduro flexing his muscles and trying to prove himself a successor to Chavez.

[snowcat]

Originally posted by GTS4tw

You cannot charge more than the sticker price for something.

lol wut

You have no idea what you're talking about.

Manufactures can not tell you what to sell it at, it's against the law. It's a MSRP for a reason. (SUGGESTED retail price)

[jutes]

Originally posted by Seth1968
Our government:

- Forces people to work and pay for others.

- Steal millions via corruption and scandals with little to no repercussions.

- Leaves out by far the most important psychological characteristic from our education system: critical thinking.

- Allows pedophiles back on the street to rape kids and destroy lives.

I could go on and on.

Democracy my ass. Our government is more akin to a dictatorship.

Then leave.