We’re The Government And We’re here To Help

Frankly, I just shake my head when the left decrees that pretty much anything (health care) will be just super when the government takes it over. Whether by a new bureaucracy of by increasing regulation/rules/oversight, etc. Because, of course, there is almost nothing that government is really good at other than creating more government. Here's an object lesson: A guy tries to give discounts on gasoline purchases to senior citizens and local sports boosters.

The state government steps in an threatens to sue if he doesn't raise prices.

MERRILL, Wis. - A service station that offered discounted gas to senior citizens and people supporting youth sports has been ordered by the state to raise its prices. Center City BP owner Raj Bhandari has been offering senior citizens a 2 cent per gallon price break and discount cards that let sports boosters pay 3 cents less per gallon.

But the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection says those deals are too good: They violate Wisconsin's Unfair Sales Act, which requires stations to sell gas for about 9.2 percent more than the wholesale price.

Bhandari said he received a letter from the state auditor in late April saying the state would sue him if he did not raise his prices. The state could penalize him for each discounted gallon he sold, with the fine determined by a judge.

Keep in mind that the state of Wisconsin is considered to be very, very "liberal." Price hikes to the people, baby. Price hikes to the people. They're here to help.

(Want to lay odds that his competitors complained?)