I suppose New Zealand is in on your evil wicked Moonie Coffee Conspiracy too.

I think there's an old, hackneyed lesson in the story that Americans have forgotten over the last few decades, and need to re-learn sooner rather than later: There Really Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch. Dismissing that point with a snooty sneer will not make it go away.

One way shiftless people attempt to consume more than they produce, or attempt to consume at someone else's expense, is to enact price controls. Sometimes those controls are merely symbolic, but when they are strong enough to have an effect, that effect is almost invariably shortages. This is not exactly news, and has no specific connection to Moonies. Indeed, it was demonstrated in the US southeast not too long ago. But how fast we forget when we're wallowing in entitlement-mindedness.

Oh, and contrary to the views of both Chávez and the two major US political parties, people cannot consume more than they produce, or get lots of stuff for free, except for a short time. That time may have run out in both countries - we shall see. But so far, free houses and transportation to and from them in the USA; and free coffee, fuel, and consumer goods in Venezuela - neither seems to be working out scintillatingly well. Nor did the general concept work out overly well in the former Soviet Union. I guess things are tough all over.

Notice the byline says REUTERS?

It is not the habit of the Washington Times to mis-attribute wire stories to the wrong agency. And Reuters is not in the disinfo business.