Government saves customers from low, low prices....

NY Attorney General Eliot Spitzer is cracking down on companies advertising sales because the companies haven't sold enough items at the higher prices, hence the government feels that they aren't really sales.

Yup, that's right. The government is going after companies for selling stuff too cheap. Because, you know, we can't have consumers paying low prices for items. That's bad for consumers.

Yes, I understand that the government feels that the original prices are fake and that the items really aren't on sale. But shouldn't it be up to consumers to shop around and figure out if something is a good price or not?

Maybe it's just that I consider myself a hardcore shopper - I regularly buy stuff for resale on eBay, after I buy the Sunday paper I rip out the circulars and throw most of the rest away, and I've been known to go to stores just to see if anything's on clearance. But I think it's reasonable for people to do a little research, and not trust the retailer, who obviously has a vested interest, for info.