My Atlas Shrugged Moment

No, it wasn’t hearing the cowardly politicians mouthing banalities as they endorsed the “rescue” package; no, it wasn’t the slow crash on Wall Street (I don’t actually remember how Wall Street fared in Atlas Shrugged).

It was buying gasoline this morning. At the Crown gas station across the street from my office, all the pump handles were shrouded in plastic that said “Out of Order.” So I went next door to the Shell station. There, all the pump handles except for “regular” gas were covered.

My car takes premium, but as I sat there wondering what to do, more cars began to stop and turn in, adding to the few already filling up. It began to get crowded. I saw what was happening. I bought $20 of regular and left.

North Carolina has a price-gouging law. The governor and attorney general have been threatening gas retailers with punishment if they break the law by charging too much. At least one newspaper is cheering them on. It’s eerie.