It depends on the industry or product, but in the "free market" we purport to live in, if companies are charging too much, that creates an opportunity for a competitor to offer the product or service at a lower price which would increase their market share, leading the other companies to do the same. That's healthy competition. The US doesn't have that because everything from beef to batteries has concentrated into cartels of 1-4 firms that dominate and basically set prices.

The gov could create the conditions for investment to introduce competition, again depending on the product/service/industry. And in the case of essentials ie water, energy, housing, education, and healthcare, it should be playing an active role if not be the provider.

It is already playing a huge role with bailouts, subsidies, and tax incentives so to say we live in some "free market" economy is misleading, and hopefully, we could have a better conversation about what role the gov should play and what's the freaking point of the economy anyways.

Cheers Joshua. thanks for the read and the words.