Venezuela has plywood for everyone! (BTW, they are using school buses and city buses to evacuate those without cars.)

Every country has rules and regulations concerning financial behavior. And capitalism benefits the true capitalists, meaning those who live by manipulating their capital. The rest of us are workers to be exploited by the capitalists.

And as you state, supply or lack of supply isn't an indicator of a free market on its own.

Regulations stop them from getting the biggest bang for their products during this time.

The self-sufficiency, bootstraps worshippers pretend that each person should plan ahead for emergencies and take care of themselves and their neighbors. All well and good, but the reality is that many problems are much bigger than the individual, AND many individuals have been disadvantaged to the point that they can't afford even basic precautions let alone more expensive alternatives.

I did not grow up wealthy; we were working class. But in the 60s or 70s that was still a status that afforded plenty, including plenty of basic precautions.

will provide...

It's strongly controlled by governments and private entities. Under a free market system premium gas in FL would be going for well over it's current rate of @$3.50/gal.

If your family is on the coastal sections of St. Pete or Tampa they aren't in a good position. It looks like the storm might go just to our east and that is a blessing. One of our greatest fears is heading it right into the mouth of the bay, which its current track does not have it going. We fear that as it would generate an enormous high tide. We are still going to see considerably high tides.

Please touch base with me on Tuesday if you need someone to check on your St. Pete relatives on Tuesday. If the roads are passable one of my friends or I could probably do a check. For St. Pete(Pinellas County) you can call 727-464-4333 for shelter information.

Every forecast gets worse for my beloved home town.
Thank you, by the way.

at a markup, would that satisfy your free-market solution, or would you be upset by someone 'taking advantage' of the people in the affected area? Serious question.

The real point is that solutions to every societal challenge have become so politicized that practical answers are controversial due to ideology. The Ayn Rand people think free markets solve everything, and too many want to drown government in a bathtub.

I'm familiar with the logic you are pointing towards.

My birth state (south of Miami at Coral Gables) bye.................