IT: Hearings on reparations for Black Americans, and... 📈 Should businesses be allowed to price gouge during winter storms?

Welcome to Friday, February 19th, umbrellas and raincoats...

With winter storms battering states from Texas to New York, officials are warning locals - and local businesses - against price gouging.

A majority of states have laws against increasing prices during federal emergencies. But should they? If you support a free-market system, why shouldn’t businesses be allowed to charge whatever price consumers are willing to pay?

Reason recently ran a piece headlined "Why Price Gouging Laws Are a Bad Idea" where John Stossel wrote:

"What politicians call 'gouging' is just supply and demand. Prices rise and fall all the time."

So...

Reparations for Black Americans

House Democrats recently held a committee hearing on a bill that would establish a commission to explore proposals for providing African-Americans with reparations for slavery.

The House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties heard testimony from a panel of witnesses on the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act.

The bill would establish a 13-member commission to examine slavery and discrimination in the original colonies and in the U.S. to the present day, lingering negative effects of slavery on living African-Americans and society, and recommend appropriate remedies. The commission would be funded with $12 million to carry out its research.

The legislation has been introduced in each Congress since 1989, and while House Democrats held a hearing on it during the last Congress on Juneteenth, they did not vote on the bill in committee or on the floor.

Should a commission examine ways to provide reparations to Black Americans?

The Rock 2024

Can you smell what The Rock is...legislating? Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, the former wrestler-turned movie star, told USA Today that he would consider a presidential run.

Do you want to see The Rock on your ballot?

And, in the End…

On this date in 1985, the world tasted "the first major entry into a whole new category: cherry-flavored sodas."

It's also National Tartar Sauce Day, but I would not recommend combining the two,

—Josh Herman

Talk to us via email at editorial [at] causes.com. And don’t forget to keep in touch @Causes.