As to price fixing to prevent gouging, it can work both ways and often does with negative results. Gray-out Davis learned that lesson the hard way in California when he froze energy prices at a certain level only to find out within a short time costs started to fall and the state had to continue buying energy at the much higher, locked-in contract price. Simple economics really. Or increasing the minimum wage tends to hurt the people most who the politicians most pander to for votes. Higher dictated absolutes of minimum wages will result in more businesses going out of business, reluctance to start or expand business, lay-offs, fewer workers and higher costs for everyone.