[collegeburner]

no they're not. price gouging is extreme price hikes or exorbitant pricing not your groceries being 15% more expensive. it's literally a word with a meaning and people are 1. intentionally misusing it to push an agenda of increased state intervention in pricing or 2. accidentally misusing it because they can't be bothered to understand what their words mean. "price gouging" is a false narrative politicians are using to shirk responsibility for insanely irresponsible fiscal and monetary policy, because now they want to "solve" it by grabbing even more government power because what could possibly go wrong with that.

edit: for proof here's how Texas defines it per https://www.galvestoncountytx.gov/our-county/district-attorn...:

"selling or leasing fuel, food, medicine, or another necessity at an exorbitant or excess price, or demanding an exorbitant or excessive price in connection with the sale or lease of fuel, food, medicine or another necessity."