A Stitch in Haste

Huh?

The city wants to make sure New Yorkers are not overcharged for Passover items.

City officials are urging customers who believe they've paid too much to report the store to the Department of Consumer Affairs.
...
"The Department of Consumer Affairs can’t be everywhere, but New Yorkers are,” DCA Commissioner Gretchen Dykstra said Monday. “If you become our eyes and ears and call 311, we will make sure we send and inspector out to make sure where you buy your Passover goods is fair to all New Yorkers.”

I'm not Jewish, so I admit I'm wandering through the wilderness on this one, but -- to be succinct -- WTF?!?

Jews know when Passover is. The stores know when Passover is. Passover doesn't entail any macroeconomic shocks (well, at least not in the last 3,500 years or so). And, most importantly, competition among stores still exists. Every supermarket in the five boroughs commandeers an entire aisle or more to Passover food and supplies this time of year.

So why exactly should there be any price gouging? Compare and contrast: Do we see "price gouging" on Christmas Eve or the deepest discounts? The Department of Consumer Affairs can't find something more "Affair-ish" to pursue?

I don't get it. Why is this example of the "Politics of the Warm Fuzzy Feeling" different from all others?

Strange.

Related Post:
Price Gouging: Touch the Toaster