Through this hurricane/1000 year flood I have seen zero price gouging. The stores that have been open have not raised any prices. My daughter did complain to me that the Chinese restaurant was not having lunch specials so I had to explain to her why I had no problem with that and to shut her pie hole and stop complaining.

What I have seen is total strangers willing to do anything to help one another. People coming from down the block, across town, out of state to lend a hand however they can. I saw two reports of supplies that were needed at shelters and for Police that were separated from their stations due to the flood. Several hours later they had to put out a request to stop sending supplies since they received more than they needed. I have no doubt I could have asked anybody I came across for help and 99% would willingly give whatever they had. We will never rid ourselves of the 1% but I do not concern myself with those people. Black, white, hispanic, conservative, liberal, Democrat, Republican - none of that mattered. My faith in our country has been renewed, we have been so divided yet when things get bad we still band together as Americans. Do not believe the media hype, we are still the greatest country in the world.

As to raising utility rates, that is another matter altogether. Those are a government granted monopoly. You have no choice except to buy from them. That is why they are regulated and can't raise prices without approval from a regulatory agency. It is different if there is/are multiple potential sources of a good or service that one wishes to purchase. A (theoretically) free market.