Stan, your notion of capitalism stepping in to fill a need is not what I'm seeing world-wide---or here in my baliwick. There are three good gun stores within 100 miles which I patronize to keep them here. When they don't have what I want, they order it for me. I bought a new Beretta 686 o/u a couple years ago for less than at the big stores and way less than in Rome. Nationally the Canadian biggies, in resources and finance particularly, are buying billion-dollar opposition world-wide to reduce competition. The trend is to less competition and more misery for us.
King, what you're seeing does not change how the market works. It is not subject to our whims or interpretations. Your views are short term, and remember I said "eventually". The market WILL fill a need, short term or long.
SRH
Stan's right, competition eventually works - unless government screws it up with laws that reduce competition.
I'm a CPA with 41 years experience and no employees. I fill a niche that the large CPA firms can't - I can under-price them with the same or better quality work and client service and I can provide much better quality service than the franchise tax services at not much more cost. I make a better than average income for the US while, at age 67, working no more than 1/2 time. Competition at work.
I can assure you than Stan understands what he's talking about (yes, I've had lunch with him several times) and competition will eventually fill the need. Hell, the internet is proof of this because I can buy things I need from almost anywhere in the world - I've bought a reloading tool direct from Italy and clothes from Northern Ireland and England.
